All about BT Fibre
BT fibre optic broadband is a service that uses fibre optic cables to deliver significantly quicker speeds than ADSL broadband using copper cables.
If your current broadband is too slow, and you’re looking for a reliable upgrade, then BT Fibre broadband deals may be a great option for you. You’ll find options to suit most needs, from cheap entry-level fibre connections to high-speed, ultrafast full fibre broadband packages.
Can I get BT Fibre? Use our free BT fibre broadband checker to find out!
There are only two requirements for getting BT Fibre:
- You must be within several miles of a fibre-enabled telephone exchange
- You must have, or be able to install, a BT line.
BT fibre optic is now available to around 97% of UK premises, so almost everyone can get a BT Broadband deal in some shape or form.
Find out if BT Fibre is available in your area right now by using our free broadband availability checker
It says I can’t get BT Fibre. When will it be available in my area?
Although most homes can now get fibre broadband, some people still don’t have access and can only get online using older broadband technology. If you’d like to find out whether the network in your area is due to be upgraded, you can check the Openreach Fibre page. Here, you can check current availability and find out if work is planned in the near future.
What packages are available? What broadband speeds can I get?
BT Fibre offers a range of packages to fit most budgets and requirements. Your choice will depend on your location. Some areas may have a limited choice of speeds, especially for newer ultrafast full fibre services.
BT Fibre Essential
The cheapest BT Fibre deal offers an average download speed of 36Mb and upload speeds of 9.5Mb. This superfast speed would suit an individual or a small shared home.
Prices start from under £30 per month. There may be a setup fee, too, although you’ll frequently find special offers with free setup.
BT Fibre 1
BT Fibre 1 delivers an average download speed of 50Mb. If you’re concerned that Fibre Essential isn't quite fast enough, this will offer a bit more flexibility and suit homes that place a heavier demand on the broadband with lots of video streaming and downloading.
This service is unique to BT and is excellent value for money. It costs just a few pounds more than Fibre Essential.
BT Fibre 2
At an average speed of 67Mb, BT Fibre 2 is the fastest package available to many homes.
Prices start at around £30 per month. Special offers with reward cards and other free gifts are frequently available on this package.
BT Ultrafast Broadband
BT also offers ultrafast broadband services (Full Fibre) which deliver significantly quicker speeds, starting at an average download speed of 150Mb for BT Full Fibre 100, with its faster broadband package averaging speeds of 900mbps.
BT Ultrafast packages use either G.fast technology (an upgrade for existing telephone lines) or BT Fibre To The Premises (FTTP, or FTTH - Fibre To The Home). With its full fibre network (FTTP), fibre optic lines run all the way into homes.
Unfortunately, relatively few homes can currently get BT Full Fibre. But tens of millions more should be added to the network in the next few years as the service increases its rollout.
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What’s the difference between ‘fibre’ and ‘full-fibre’ broadband?
Full Fibre broadband is also known as ‘Fibre To The Premises’, ‘Fibre To The Home’. This is often shortened to FTTP or FTTH. They’re all the same thing!
Instead of copper telephone wire making up the final part of the journey from that green cabinet on the street (this is called 'Fibre To The Cabinet' or 'FTTC'), fibre optic cables are installed right up to your home.
It’s amazing the difference in speed this small data journey can have. With full-fibre broadband you can expect to receive speeds of 1Gb+.
The downside is full-fibre is only available to a small percentage of homes in the UK, and it’s taking a good while to get everyone up to speed.
What is the best BT Fibre package for me?
When choosing a broadband service, there are a few things to consider to make sure you get the best deal.
Availability: Before doing anything else, enter your address or postcode into our fibre checker to find out if its broadband coverage includes you.
Speed: The maximum speed of the connection. Fibre speeds vary, but an accurate speed estimate will be provided before signing the contract. This is an important part of a fibre package, and it helps if you’re willing to adjust your budget to get the right speed.
For help on this visit: ‘An easy guide to broadband speeds’.
Monthly price: This is the fixed price you’ll pay for the length of your home broadband contract. It includes broadband and the landline rental (and TV, if selected) but extra charges such as phone calls will be added to your bill each month. Prices can go up after the initial contract, so you may want to switch service providers regularly to take advantage of the best internet deals.
Setup: The setup cost varies depending on the type of package you select and whether you need a new phone line. Occasionally, you may find a BT fibre broadband deal with no upfront costs.
Extras: Click the ‘Offer details and pricing’ dropdown menu to see further information about the package. Extras included with your broadband package might include inclusive calls, and special offers such as BT Reward Cards and other free gifts. Gifts can add up to a significant saving; we provide an effective monthly price calculation that includes all costs and discounts to help you compare offers.
Pros and cons of BT Fibre
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Frequently Asked Questions about BT Fibre
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Do I get free sports channels with BT Broadband?
BT Sport used to be free with broadband. This is now known as 'TNT Sports' and payment is required to view it. You can get a monthly subscription to TNT Sports via the mobile app or compatible smart TV players, or sign up to a contract and get a TV box.
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How do I switch?
The first step to switching to BT Fibre is checking availability using our postcode checker.
Once you’ve confirmed BT Fibre is available in your area, you can compare deals and then click ‘Go’ on your chosen package. Follow the registration process on the BT site - it’s at this point you’ll need to pay any upfront fees.
If you’re currently signed up to a service with another broadband provider on the Openreach network, such as TalkTalk, Vodafone, Sky, Plusnet, or EE, switching is very simple. BT will notify them that you’re leaving. If your current provider is on a different network such as Virgin Media, you’ll need to initiate the switch yourself. Ofcom is in the process of setting up a ruling to make this easier in the future.
See also: ‘Switching from Virgin Media to BT Broadband’ and ‘Switching to a broadband provider on the Openreach network’. -
What will I need to switch to BT?
So long as you’re within the network coverage area, the only thing you’ll need is a BT line (or be able to install one if it’s not already there).
Everything else you need for BT broadband, including a new BT Smart Hub router, is included in the package.
See also: ‘BT Broadband router round-up 2023’
Expert Summary
The majority of homes in the UK have access to the BT Openreach network, which means it’s likely most people will be able to sign up to at least a basic broadband package. Whether you can sign up to a BT fibre deal or BT full fibre deal is a different matter.
The easiest way to check what’s available to you is to pop your address into our deals checker. This will show you a list of current deals available to your door. You’ll be able to sort our comparison table out by important factors such as contract length, price and download speed.
Not sure what you’re comparing this list against? When was the last time you carried out an internet speed test? We recommend doing this first before looking through alternative packages.
If you’re not hooked up to a full fibre connection yet, there will be a limit as to the speeds you can get with BT Broadband and BT Fibre 2 will be your fastest option. Keep checking our full fibre deals checker regularly for up to date information.
You can also use and sign up to network upgrade alerts with Openreach.