UK Broadband Help Hub
Need help with your home broadband? Check broadband availability, test your internet speed, troubleshoot Wi-Fi problems, understand broadband speeds and find useful support links for major UK broadband providers.
Broadband doesn't need to be confusing. Whether your internet connection has stopped working, your Wi-Fi feels slow or you're simply trying to understand the difference between Full Fibre, FTTP and FTTC, our UK Broadband Help Hub brings useful information and tools together in one place.
Check Broadband Availability in Your Area
Broadband availability and speeds can vary between individual properties. An address checker is one of the easiest ways to see what broadband services may be available where you live.
Ofcom Broadband Checker
Enter your postcode using Ofcom's official broadband checker to see broadband availability and the types of fixed broadband reported as available at your address.
UK Broadband Providers
Looking for your broadband provider? These shortcuts can help you find broadband packages, support information and service-status information from some of the UK's major broadband providers.
Virgin Media Broadband
Cable and fibre broadband services from Virgin Media.
What Are the Different Types of UK Broadband?
You'll often see terms such as Full Fibre, FTTP and FTTC when comparing UK broadband packages. Here's what some of the most common terms mean.
Full Fibre / FTTP
Fibre to the Premises, usually shortened to FTTP, means a fibre-optic connection runs all the way to your home or property. Full Fibre can offer very fast download and upload speeds.
Part Fibre / FTTC
Fibre to the Cabinet, or FTTC, uses fibre to a nearby street cabinet before another type of cable completes the connection to the property.
Cable Broadband
Cable broadband can also provide high-speed internet, typically using fibre within the local network and another cable technology for the final connection into the property.
Broadband Not Working? Try These Simple Checks
If your broadband has stopped working or your Wi-Fi keeps disconnecting, don't panic. A few simple checks can often help identify whether the problem is your connection, router, Wi-Fi or broadband provider.
🔴 No Internet Connection
- Check that your router and broadband equipment are switched on.
- Look at the broadband or internet lights on your router.
- Check that cables haven't become loose.
- Restart your router and allow it time to reconnect.
- Check your provider's service-status page for reported broadband problems.
🐌 Broadband Is Slow
- Run an internet speed test.
- Test another phone, tablet or computer.
- Move closer to your Wi-Fi router.
- Pause large downloads, updates or cloud backups.
- If possible, compare Wi-Fi with a wired Ethernet connection.
📶 Wi-Fi Keeps Dropping
- Restart the broadband router.
- Check whether the problem affects every device.
- Keep your router in an open position where possible.
- Avoid placing the router behind large furniture or inside cupboards.
- Larger properties may benefit from mesh Wi-Fi.
🏠 Poor Wi-Fi in One Room
- Check how far the room is from your router.
- Remember that walls and other obstacles can weaken Wi-Fi signals.
- Try repositioning your router.
- A mesh Wi-Fi system may help improve coverage.
- Ethernet can be useful for fixed devices such as televisions, PCs and games consoles.
Test Your Broadband Speed
A broadband speed test can help you understand how your internet connection is performing. Most tests measure download speed, upload speed and latency or ping.
Speedtest by Ookla
Check your download speed, upload speed and ping using the Speedtest service.
Run Speed Test →What Broadband Speed Do I Need?
The right broadband speed depends on how many people and devices use your connection and what they're doing online. A household streaming video, gaming and working from home will generally need more capacity than somebody who mainly browses websites and checks email.
Standard Broadband
Can suit lighter internet use such as general web browsing, email and basic streaming, depending on the household.
Superfast Broadband
Suitable for many everyday households using streaming, video calls, online gaming and several internet-connected devices.
Ultrafast Broadband
Can be particularly useful for busy households with lots of simultaneous devices, large downloads, high-quality streaming and heavier internet use.
How to Improve Your Broadband and Wi-Fi
Before paying for new equipment or changing broadband providers, there are several simple things worth checking.
Put Your Router Somewhere Open
Wi-Fi signals can be affected by walls, furniture and the position of your router. Avoid hiding it away if possible.
Restart When Something Goes Wrong
Restarting your router can sometimes clear a temporary connection problem. Follow your provider's instructions if you're unsure how to restart it.
Compare Wi-Fi and Ethernet
Testing a computer through Ethernet can help establish whether poor performance is coming from the broadband connection or your home's Wi-Fi.
Test More Than Once
Broadband performance can vary. Testing at different times can give you a better picture than relying on one speed-test result.
UK Broadband Jargon Explained
Broadband terminology can make something simple sound complicated. Here's a quick explanation of some terms you're likely to encounter.
Megabits per second. A common measurement used to describe broadband connection speeds.
A fibre-optic broadband connection running all the way to the property.
Fibre to the Premises. Another term commonly used for Full Fibre broadband.
Fibre to the Cabinet. Fibre reaches a nearby street cabinet before another cable completes the connection.
How quickly information travels from the internet to your device.
How quickly your connection can send information from your device to the internet.
The delay between sending information and receiving a response. Lower latency is generally preferable for real-time activities.
The device that connects devices in your home to your broadband connection.
A wireless connection that allows compatible devices to communicate with your home network and router.
A wired network connection commonly used to connect computers, televisions and other devices directly to a router or network.
An Optical Network Terminal is equipment commonly installed inside Full Fibre properties where the fibre connection enters the home.
A system using multiple wireless points around a property to help provide broader Wi-Fi coverage.
UK Broadband Frequently Asked Questions
Quick answers to some common questions about broadband, Wi-Fi and internet speeds in the UK.
How can I check what broadband is available at my address?
You can use the Ofcom broadband checker to see broadband availability information for a UK address. You should also check your exact property directly with the broadband provider before ordering.
Why is my broadband so slow?
Slow broadband can have several causes. Your broadband connection, home Wi-Fi, router position, network congestion, connected devices and large downloads can all affect performance. Running several speed tests can help identify whether there may be a problem.
Is Wi-Fi the same as broadband?
No. Broadband is the internet connection reaching your property. Wi-Fi is a wireless technology commonly used by your router to connect phones, computers, televisions and other devices to your home network.
What does Full Fibre broadband mean?
Full Fibre means fibre-optic cabling runs all the way to the property rather than relying on older copper wiring for the final part of the connection. It is also commonly called FTTP, or Fibre to the Premises.
What broadband speed do I need for my home?
It depends on the number of people and devices using the connection at the same time. Web browsing and email require relatively little capacity, while multiple video streams, gaming, large downloads and home working can increase the amount of bandwidth a household uses.
How do I know if my broadband provider has an outage?
Check your broadband provider's official service-status or support page. Ofcom's broadband availability checker shows broadband availability rather than live faults or maintenance affecting individual services.
Should I test broadband speed over Wi-Fi or Ethernet?
Wi-Fi testing shows the performance you are experiencing wirelessly. An Ethernet test can be useful for comparison because it helps reduce the influence of wireless distance and interference when assessing the underlying connection.
Making Broadband Easier to Understand
The Tech Blog UK Broadband Help Hub brings together useful broadband tools, simple explanations and troubleshooting help without the complicated tech jargon.