BT Broadband Review 2023

By Rosina Brooker

BT broadband review

BT Broadband has a wide range of services. Everything from standard broadband (also called ADSL) all the way through to ultrafast broadband. Plus, it offers a range of TV and broadband bundles too.

Its unlimited deals come without catches. You don’t have a traffic management or fair use policy to worry about so you can forget frustratingly slow speeds and use your unlimited deal to the max. There are also tons of extra features you can add on, and you don’t need to have a phone line to take advantage of its services.

But all this comes at a hefty price. It’s also worth noting that only a small number of households can access its best broadband speeds.

We like

• Truly unlimited broadband.
• Good value TV bundles.
• No traffic management or fair use policy.
• Get broadband without a phone line.
• Ultrafast fibre deals.
• 24/7 tech support.

We don’t like

• Expensive.
• Can’t save money with an ADSL deal (an older, more basic kind of broadband package).
• Ultrafast upload speeds are far slower than download speeds.
• Ultrafast is not as widely available as Virgin Media.

BT broadband: in summary

• Download speeds (average): 10Mb / 36Mb / 50Mb / 67Mb / 150Mb / 250Mb / 500Mb / 910Mb
• Upload speeds (average): 1Mb / 9.5Mb / 19.5Mb / 30Mb / 50Mb / 73Mb / 110Mb
• Data usage limit: Truly unlimited
• Type of broadband: ADSL, FTTC, G.fast & FTTP
• Home phone line: Yes (required for ADSL)
• Inclusive phone calls: Optional extra
• Router: BT Home Hub 4, BT Smart Hub, or BT Smart Hub 2

BT broadband speeds

BT Broadband has a wide choice of speeds across its product range. Let‘s run through what the different packages offer.

ADSL is your standard broadband. The good news is it’s available across the whole of the UK, the bad news is it wasn‘t originally built to handle data. So, if you’re using your internet to game, download files, or stream videos, you might find it a bit slow.

BT Fibre will give you very fast download speeds thanks to the fibre optic cables it uses. So you’ll be able to share the internet on multiple devices without buffering or interruptions to your speed.

Ultrafast FTTP is the fastest of them all. With a fibre cable that goes all the way into to your house (hence FTTP - Fibre To The Premises) your broadband package will be able to handle more than most.

BT Broadband

• Download speed: 10Mb
• Upload speed: 1Mb

This is a basic ADSL broadband service, suitable for small homes that don‘t use their internet regularly. What we would call ‘light usage‘ households.

However, it’s only available if you don’t have fibre in your area. If you have fibre, you’ll be offered BT Fibre Essential at the same price.

BT Fibre Essential

• Download speed: 36Mb
• Upload speed: 9.5Mb

This entry-level BT fibre service will suit many homes. It’s perfectly capable of handling streaming, downloading, and gaming for an individual or a couple of people sharing.

BT Fibre 1

• Download speed: 50Mb
• Upload speed: 9.5Mb

This unusual package offers a 50Mb average speed, which isn’t available from most other Openreach network providers. If Fibre Essential isn’t quite fast enough, this package offers a nice little upgrade for a small extra fee.

BT Fibre 2

• Download speed: 67Mb
• Upload speed: 19.5Mb

This is the quickest standard fibre service offered by BT. Its speed is suitable for larger homes and can support multiple devices streaming or downloading at the same time.

BT Full Fibre 100

• Download speed: 150Mb
• Upload speed: 30Mb

You can expect a huge increase in speed over Fibre 2 without the hefty price tag. The additional upload speed may be particularly welcome for anyone who regularly needs to send larger files.

This package is available in areas with G.fast. What‘s G.fast? It‘s an upgrade to the technology used for BT Fibre Essential, Fibre 1, and Fibre 2. This package is also available to homes covered by FTTP.

BT Fibre 250

• Download speed: 250Mb
• Upload speed: 50Mb

This package is only available in areas with G.fast. Coverage for this service is relatively limited, so only a small number of premises will have this option.

BT Full Fibre 500

• Download speed: 500Mb
• Upload speed: 73Mb

The second-fastest home broadband service from BT uses a full-fibre connection to deliver extremely high download speeds, great for large homes where you may have many people all online at the same time.

BT Full Fibre 900

• Download speed: 910Mb
• Upload speed: 110Mb

The quickest BT broadband package offers a super speedy connection that’ll be more than enough for almost all homes. However, its upload speed is fairly limited compared to how well it handles downloads.

BT speed summary

BT Speed Satisfaction score: 3.86 / 5

Our speed satisfaction score is taken from the feedback of BT customers. They were asked to rate the performance of their BT broadband service on a scale of one (very dissatisfied) to five (very satisfied). This score is an average of all results, and we update it every month.

Ofcom average speed data: BT 54Mb vs BT, EE, Plusnet, Sky, and TalkTalk

Average broadband download speed recorded by Ofcom during a 24-hour period.

• BT 38Mb average speed: 25.9Mb (72% of advertised rate)
• EE 36Mb average speed: 31.6Mb (88% of advertised rate)
• Plusnet 36Mb average speed: 28.8Mb (80% of advertised rate)
• Sky 59Mb average speed: 28.8Mb (76% of advertised rate)
• TalkTalk 38Mb average speed: 31.6Mb (83% of advertised rate)
• Virgin Media 54Mb average speed: 51.7Mb (96% of advertised rate)

Ofcom’s home broadband performance report shows that BT is underperforming compared to leading competitors. It had the lowest average speed and the worst advertised vs actual speed ratio. Meaning the speeds they advertise don’t weigh up when they’re tested by real broadband users.

Despite that, our broadband survey results suggest BT customers are reasonably happy with their service. They gave BT an above-average score of 3.86 (the overall average sits at 3.77).

In many areas, BT uses the same Openreach telephone as other Internet Service Providers (ISPs, for short). So, the advertised speeds for several packages are broadly similar to other deals.

While sharing the infrastructure, it does some things a little differently to other providers.

For starters, it no longer gives new customers the option to sign up for an ADSL package if fibre optic is available. If you can get fibre, BT Fibre Essential is the cheapest deal available, whether you need the speed or not.

There’s also a BT-exclusive fibre optic package that offers a download speed of 50Mb. That’s a reasonable amount of extra broadband muscle for not much more cost than the entry-level 36Mb deal.

In some areas, you’ll also have the option of faster speeds using either G.fast or FTTP technology.

BT Full Fibre FTTP packages go up to an average download speed of 910Mb, which is extremely fast. However, unlike some full-fibre services, these are asymmetrical instead of symmetrical. This means the upload rate is much slower than the download speed.

That said, BT’s top upload speed of 110Mb is better than the comparatively measly 54Mb offered by Virgin Media’s fastest service, Gig1.

G.fast is available with a speed of either 100Mb or 250Mb. However, this service is only available to just under 3 million homes at present. Sounds like a lot, but really this is a small percentage of homes in the UK.

It should also be noted that all BT fibre packages are now broadband only by default. Unless you tell them you need phone service, you won’t get a phone number or an active voice line.

BT broadband value for money

BT value for money user score: 3.30 / 5

Our BT user value for money score comes from the average rating BT customers have given BT. These customers were asked to rank their provider for value on a scale of one (very poor value) to five (very good value).

BT has one of the worst value for money scores in our survey, coming in below the average score of 3.47.

This isn’t a big surprise to us over at Broadband Genie. Of the five biggest ISPs (Internet Service Providers), BT’s standard pricing makes it among the most expensive on the Openreach network.

Plus, the prices shown above just cover costs for the initial contract term. Once this contract runs out, things get more expensive.

However, BT’s mid-tier Fibre 1 service does provide a faster 50Mb download speed for not much more than its cheapest fibre package. With it, you do get some nice extras. Plus BT frequently offers deals with rewards that can make them decent value when taken into account with the overall cost of a package.

As we mentioned in the previous section, all BT fibre optic packages now come without phone service by default. However, if you do need an active phone line it’ll cost an additional £5 per month once the initial contract term has ended.

BT rewards

BT is a generous gift-giver. Its deals are rarely available without some kind of reward. Usually, this comes in the form of a pre-paid credit card with a value in the region of £50-£100.

So, while it does have higher prices than many other providers, these rewards can bring the effective monthly cost down by quite a significant amount.

You can compare the latest BT offers on our BT cashback and rewards page. For general help with rewards, visit our guide to claiming free gifts and vouchers.

BT customer service

BT customer service user score: 3.72 / 5

BT users were asked to rate their provider for customer service on a scale of one (terrible) to five (excellent). Our customer service score is the overall average for each provider.

BT is faring reasonably well in current ratings. It ranks slightly above average, for a broadband provider the average score is 3.69/5. Historically, customer service has been its weak spot, but this does seem to have improved lately.

It also had a decent showing in Ofcom’s customer service report, which compares major providers on key customer service metrics.

It received the following scores in the most recent publication (18th May 2022):

• Overall satisfaction: 88%
• Satisfaction with broadband reliability: 86%
• Customers with a reason to complain: 18%
• Overall complaint handling satisfaction: 55%
• Complaints per 100,000 subscribers: 42
• Call waiting time: 1:46

Getting hold of someone at BT shouldn’t be too difficult. BT customer service is open 8am to 9pm weekdays, and 8am to 8pm on weekends and bank holidays.

Technical support is open 24/7, which is reassuring if broadband access is critical. It also has a web forum where you can get advice from both BT representatives and other BT users.

For more information and other ways to get in touch, visit our guide to BT customer service.

BT Wi-Fi router

BT provides one of three different routers, depending on the type of broadband package you select.

The BT Smart Hub is included with BT Fibre Essential, Fibre 1, and Fibre 2.

The BT Smart Hub 2 is included with Full Fibre packages, or with standard fibre plans if you have BT Complete Wi-Fi, Hybrid Connect, or BT Halo.

ADSL customers with a BT Broadband package will receive the Home Hub 4.

BT Home Hub 4 specifications

• Wi-Fi: 802.11b/g/n (2.4GHz) & 802.11a/n (5Ghz)
• Dual-band Wi-Fi: Yes
• Tri-band Wi-Fi: No
• Ethernet: 4x 10/100 ethernet
• Extras: 1x USB port

BT Smart Hub specifications

• Wi-Fi: 802.11b/g/n (2.4GHz) & 802.11a/n/ac (5Ghz)
• Dual-band Wi-Fi: Yes
• Tri-band Wi-Fi: No
• Ethernet: 4x gigabit LAN
• Extras: 1x USB port

BT Smart Hub 2 specifications

• Wi-Fi: 802.11b/g/n (2.4GHz) & 802.11a/n/ac (5Ghz)
• Dual-band Wi-Fi: Yes
• Tri-band Wi-Fi: No
• Ethernet: 4x gigabit LAN
• Extras: Complete Wi-Fi, 1x digital voice phone port, 1x USB port

Both the Smart Hub and Smart Hub 2 are well-specced routers, supporting the 802.11ac (Wi-Fi 5) standard for faster Wi-Fi devices. BT doesn’t yet offer support for the newer 802.11ax (Wi-Fi 6), but it is coming sometime in 2022.

You also get gigabit ethernet and a USB port on the rear. Additionally, the Smart Hub 2 includes a digital voice port for connecting a phone.

The Smart Hub 2 also supports BT Complete Wi-Fi, a mesh Wi-Fi kit that can extend wireless coverage throughout your home.

The older Home Hub 4 is a fairly basic bit of kit, lacking the faster 802.11ac Wi-Fi and gigabit ethernet of the Smart Hub. Given that it is only available with a slow ADSL service this is unlikely to be a major hindrance. That is unless you need to regularly transfer large files around your home network. BT does allow you to use your own router, so it can be upgraded if required.

BT broadband extras

BT TV

BT TV is available as an optional extra with all BT Broadband packages. While it doesn’t have quite as many channels as a Sky TV or Virgin Media TV package, it does offer many of the most popular channels via flexible channel bundles. These bundles can be changed each month without penalty.

BT TV and broadband bundles come with a YouView box that combines Freeview broadcasts and internet TV. Everything is neatly integrated into one interface, so you can switch between live Freeview broadcasts and streaming services without leaving the programme guide.

BT boxes also include a hard drive for recording, and live pause and rewind features.

BT Complete Wi-Fi

Complete Wi-Fi guarantees wireless signal in every room, using a mesh Wi-Fi networking kit with three Wi-Fi boosters. It includes a £100 moneyback guarantee if you cannot get Wi-Fi throughout your home.

BT Hybrid Connect

Hybrid Connect is a 4G backup connection. If your broadband connection goes offline, Hybrid Connect automatically takes over until the fault is fixed.

BT Halo

Halo is a bundle of extra support, guarantees, and features for your home broadband. There are two options:

Halo 3

• Home Tech Experts. Free in-home technical support. Also includes annual visits to check your broadband is working.
• Keep Connected Promise. Free 4G Mini Hub to keep you connected in case of broadband faults, or during a house move. Free unlimited data boost for BT Mobile during broadband outages.
• Price promise. Never pay more than a new customer when renewing your contract.
• Double mobile data. Mobile data boost for all BT Mobile customers in your household.

Halo 3+

All of the above, plus:

• Hybrid Connect.
• Complete Wi-Fi.
• Smart Hub 2 Wi-Fi router.
• Full Fibre promise. Free upgrade to Full Fibre 100 when it’s available in your area.

BT Wi-Fi

BT has a public Wi-Fi hotspot network with thousands of access points around the country. As a BT Broadband customer, you benefit from free access to this network. This is a nice bonus that can provide broadband access outside the home and save on mobile data.

BT: our verdict

Broadband Genie rating: 3.5 / 5

BT offers broadband deals with excellent speeds, plus some tempting and useful extras. It’s also one of the few major providers that can offer broadband without a phone line, though if you do need a phone this will cost extra.

That said, BT is not exactly cheap. Once the initial contract term ends, prices can spike. There’s no option to save money with a basic ADSL package either. ADSL is now only available in areas without fibre access, and the price is the same as the entry-level fibre service.

Its download and upload speeds are slightly uneven, too, with much slower upload rates even on the very fastest FTTP deals.

The availability of its 100Mb+ services is also fairly limited at present and has some way to go to match Virgin Media, which brings gigabit broadband to around 53% of UK homes.

More broadband reviews

We review every provider we list on Broadband Genie. Check out the following reviews for our thoughts on other ISPs:

• Broadband Genie’s review policy

  When looking to switch broadband, we know how important unbiased, balanced, expert reviews can be. Our Broadband experts do the research so you don’t have to. We have a dedicated broadband comparison and switching experts on our team who work hard to give you expert insight. We’re in the unique position to give you a really informed opinion on whether or not we think a provider is worth your money. Read on to find out a little more about our broadband provider review process.

  User ratings

  We ask users to review providers on our site as part of our ongoing Home Broadband Survey project. We love our Broadband Genie customers. Thanks to them, we know how people are feeling about their broadband service. They answer our questions about BT broadband so we can get the most accurate and balanced customer feedback as possible. We use these scores, in combination with other factors such as Ofcom research to inform our overall ratings (more on this below) to form our advice for you!

  You can leave your own review on our broadband survey, which also includes a monthly £50 prize draw.

  Overall ratings

  You can trust us, we’re a genie after all. Our overall provider rating is decided by our editors and informed by the user feedback we have received. We will also take into account wider market research such as Ofcom’s speed and customer service research. Plus, other trusted review platforms such as Trustpilot, where appropriate.

  This allows us to create an informed, well-balanced review of a provider. Ultimately, this is the most useful way to decide whether or not a provider is right for you.