Home broadband deals in Exeter
There are currently three main types of fixed-line home broadband services available throughout Exeter.
ADSL
The cheapest and easiest option, ADSL uses copper telephone lines to provide speeds averaging 10-11Mb. This is a good budget choice for an average user, but busier households or those with more demanding requirements may find its speed too limited. The actual performance of ADSL can vary depending on line quality and your distance from the exchange. So, when you sign up to a provider, make sure they give you an accurate speed estimate.
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What does ADSL mean?
ADSL stands for ‘Asymmetric Digital Subscriber Line’. It’s broadband technology that allows the transfer data across regular telephone lines. You can make calls at the same time as being connected to the internet.
An ADSL line will, at minimum, allow for a broadband connection of up to 8Mb. These days, that’s pretty slow and won’t allow you to do much other than emailing or basic web searches.
ADSL2+ is now available at nearly all exchanges across the UK with slightly faster data transfer rates of around 10-11Mb.
Openreach fibre optic
Fibre broadband using the Openreach network (services delivered over a regular telephone line) offers several speed tiers, with averages of around 35Mb, 50Mb, 65Mb or 74Mb. You can expect upload speeds up to 20Mb, depending on the package.
Fibre is a significant improvement over ADSL, and while this isn’t available to quite as many homes, coverage is now fairly extensive. Prices are a little higher than ADSL, but it remains affordable, with many deals available for under £30. Fibre is offered by numerous providers, including BT, Plusnet, TalkTalk, Sky, and EE.
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What is Openreach?
Openreach is the company that maintains the former British Telecom Network used for the majority of broadband and phone services. If a repair or installation is required, it’s Openreach who will send an engineer, not your provider.
More than 650 service providers using the Openreach network. That’s the majority of the UK’s broadband providers. This includes Sky, TalkTalk and BT. The exception to this is Virgin Media - it uses its own, separate cable network.
Virgin Media fibre optic
Virgin Media is the sole provider on its own fibre network (previously known as cable broadband), and it offers the fastest, mass-market broadband products, with speeds up to 1Gb. This makes it a top choice if you must have the speediest broadband, but be prepared to pay more for the privilege.
Coverage is more limited than either ADSL or Openreach fibre, though it's still an option for around 80% of homes in Exeter.
To quickly find out what broadband deals are on offer at your house, type your address into our deals checker.
Once you’ve narrowed that down, use the filter options to sort deals by speed and data limits. Our home broadband comparisons include broadband only deals, broadband and phone and broadband with TV, with most of these options also providing you with unlimited broadband. We'll also flag up any extras you might get with your deal. This might be free gifts, gift vouchers, or even just free setup.
Comparing mobile broadband in Exeter
There are three different types of mobile broadband technology in the UK: 3G, 4G, and 5G.
Our 3G mobile networks have been around for over a decade now and cover more than 90% of the population. 4G launched several years ago and offers much improved speeds, and is widely around the country. 4G has recently been joined by 5G, a new standard that offers faster mobile data speeds. 5G is now offered by all the network operators - Vodafone, O2, EE and Three - with varying levels of coverage across the country.
Generally, 3G and 4G is cheaper but not as quick while 5G may be more expensive yet offer much better speeds. However, as 5G becomes more common this is slowly changing. 5G prices are falling and some providers are offering it for no extra charge.
Exeter residents have the option of either 3G, 4G or 5G mobile broadband. 3G is a good affordable choice for most users as it now offers fast speeds at a low cost. Typically a 3G connection will achieve around 5-10Mb, but you can easily get over 10Mb with the latest DC-HSDPA technology now offered by networks and supported by many smartphones, tablets and dongles.
4G can go much faster, comfortably hitting 20Mb or more. This is the one to go for if you need the best speeds on the move, or you want an alternative to a fixed-line for home broadband.
5G coverage is a little more limited in the Exeter area, but it's available on EE and Three Networks.
Checking mobile network coverage in Exeter
The first step to finding a great mobile broadband package is checking your coverage. The networks all offer tools to view coverage by place name or postcode, allowing you to see which types of mobile broadband are available and the potential strength of the signal.
Use the logos below to visit each network’s coverage check tool. And for further information on this topic read our guide to mobile broadband coverage.
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