Cuckoo Broadband review 2021

Cuckoo Broadband - the Broadband Genie review

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Cuckoo Broadband speed

Cuckoo average speeds vs BT, Sky, TalkTalk, and Virgin Media

Cuckoo is an Openreach network provider, which means it delivers broadband using a regular BT telephone line. As such, its maximum speed is similar to the majority of other mainstream home broadband services.

However, one thing that’s different is there’s no choice of speeds. Cuckoo simply offers one fibre optic broadband package with an average 67Mb download speed.

Taking such a minimalist approach is refreshing, but the downside is that you can’t save money by opting for a slower service. It also does not offer ADSL broadband, so anyone who can’t get fibre optic will not be able to sign up for Cuckoo.

Value for money

Cuckoo cheapest package vs BT, Sky, TalkTalk, and Virgin Media

Cuckoo fastest package vs BT, Sky, TalkTalk, and Virgin Media

Last checked March 2021. The prices displayed above are the initial contract cost for new customers; charges may increase after renewal. The cheapest price is the lowest monthly cost regardless of speed. The fastest price is the fastest service available on Broadband Genie for the lowest monthly cost.

Cuckoo has one deal, at one price, and no hidden fees waiting to catch you out. While it isn’t the cheapest provider on offer, we feel it delivers good value for money. 

It’s not the most expensive fibre optic service in this speed tier, and its rolling-monthly contract is very flexible, letting you cancel at any time without penalty. And going by the many positive reviews, it appears to offer exceptional customer service, which goes a long way toward making up for any savings you might get with cheaper providers.

There is a £60 setup fee, which is expensive compared to deals with long-term contracts, but that is in line with other no-contract deals, all of which require upfront fees.

If keeping costs as low as possible is your goal then you will find many cheaper deals, but as ever, you’ll need to negotiate or switch at the end of the contract to avoid the price increases that many ISPs implement after the initial term. Cuckoo pledges to always keep you on its best deal (though that doesn’t rule out the possibility of price rises).

Cuckoo Broadband features and extras

Cuckoo doesn’t offer anything in the way of extras. You get the usual free broadband router (a reasonably well-specced Technicolor model with 802.11ac Wi-Fi), and a phone line is included in the price, but otherwise, there aren’t loads of bonuses included with its services. 

If you would get a lot of use out of, say, the free Wi-Fi hotspot access included with BT Broadband, then this might be a point against, but Cuckoo doesn’t omit any vital features if you’re only concerned about getting a decent broadband connection.

Cuckoo home phone

A phone line is required to use Cuckoo, and line rental is included in the price. But Cuckoo is focused on the broadband part of the equation and does not have any inclusive call bundles. Voice calls are charged at standard per-minute rates. So if you don’t use the landline for calls, you’re not paying for an unnecessary extra. 

But anyone who does regularly make landline calls and currently has an inclusive call package will find that Cuckoo would end up being much more expensive. In that situation, you’ll either need to see what else is available with our broadband and phone deals or switch to a mobile phone contract with lots of bundled minutes.

Cuckoo review conclusion

Our Cuckoo Broadband rating: 4.5 / 5

Cuckoo’s no-nonsense approach to broadband is appealing. There are no surprises; you simply sign up for the one package it offers - which is the same price for new or existing customers - and can leave whenever you like without being hit with a penalty fee.

Its customer service record is especially impressive. Although it’s only been around for a short time, user reviews are overwhelmingly positive. Judging customer service is always tricky, but so far Cuckoo appears to be doing a far better job at this than most other providers. Although as a small company, there is a question about how long it can maintain this high standard if it becomes very popular.

The few negatives are fairly minor. With only one package there’s no way to save money with a slower service, but if you need budget broadband a no-contract deal is unlikely to be the best option anyway. The lack of inclusive calls is an issue if you regularly use a landline phone, but not a problem otherwise.

If you’re in the market for no-contract broadband you’ll struggle to find a better deal, but it’s still compelling even if you don’t care about signing up for a longer-term contract.