In a time of ever-increasing bills, now is the perfect time to bag one of the best phone and broadband deals around. Thankfully, we’ve rounded up today’s top broadband and phone deals and all of the information you need to know about your contract options and switching requirements.
While nothing quite beats shopping in physical stores, it’s fair to say that the Ideal Home team buys a lot of our favourite homeware online. From the best mattresses to the best air purifiers and even the best vacuums, we regularly scour the internet to find the best homeware deals throughout the year. And we couldn’t do that without internet, right? That’s why finding the best broadband and phone deal really matters.
But with so many broadband and phone providers out there, all offering deals with varied megabits, fibre options, and contract lengths, it can be hard to know who to choose. Ultimately, you want to find a broadband and phone provider who offers you the speed and calling options you need… and the price you need.
That’s why we’ve put together this guide on the best broadband and phone deals to help you choose between the likes of TalkTalk, Virgin Media, Vodafone, Sky, and more. So, read on to snap up the best broadband and phone deal and save on your monthly bills.
Phone and broadband deals May 2024
Below, you’ll find the ultimate guide on today’s biggest broadband and phone deals, and top tips on how to get the most bang for your buck.
Today's biggest broadband and phone deals
- TalkTalk broadband and phone deals: starting from £28 a month
- Virgin Media broadband and phone deals: starting from £28 a month
- EE broadband and phone deals: starting from £29.99 a month
- Vodafone broadband and phone deals: starting from £26 a month
- BT broadband and phone deals: starting from £28.99 a month
- Plusnet broadband and phone deals: starting from £24.99 a month
- Sky broadband and phone deals: starting from £28 a month
Today’s best broadband and phone providers
The figures below are genuine findings from Ofcom, the UK's communications regulator. They showcase customers' overall satisfaction with the service provided by these broadband and phone providers and their satisfaction with the broadband speed on offer.
Broadband and phone deals shopping advice
While everyone wants to bag the best broadband and phone deal, navigating this space can be difficult if you struggle to understand the technical jargon. So, we’ve outlined below what you need to look for to help you shop for the best broadband and phone deals with ease.
Broadband speed: In laymen’s terms, the higher the Mbps (megabits per second), the faster your broadband speed will be. The speed of broadband is then split up into four different categories. Standard broadband is from 10Mbps, fibre broadband is from 30Mbps, super-fast fibre is from 55Mbps and ultra-fast fibre is from 100Mpbs.
Ultimately, you need to decide what kind of speed you need for your home. If you live solo and only really use the internet to shop the latest homeware trends or scroll through social media, you could get away with standard internet. If you’re a large family using multiple devices, constantly streaming TV shows, and phoning relatives, ultra-fast fibre will suit you best.
Landline minutes and charges: Although many phone providers now offer unlimited calls, you must understand exactly what’s on offer through this phone deal. Are you limited on calls at certain points of the day? Will international calls cost you extra? Will you have to pay more to call mobiles? By comparing these options, you can find the best choice for you and your phone needs.
Contract length: Generally, the longer the contract, the cheaper the broadband and phone deal will be. However, this means you’ll be stuck in a contract for 18 months up to two years. Because of this, you need to determine how good of a deal you think it is. Should you lock it in? Or go for a shorter contract?
Equipment and hardware: When changing to a new broadband and phone provider, you may need to use new routers, install new phone points, or even connect your house to the fibre line. Often, this extra equipment, hardware, and even installation comes with sneaky extra charges. So, it’s important to understand what you’re signing up for before you commit to a contract.
Location: Although the modern world is largely equipped to deal with our internet and phone demands, your location may affect the broadband and phone deal you choose. Standard internet can be found everywhere, but you may not be able to get ultra-fast broadband if you live in a more rural area of the country.
Customer service: Broadband and phone lines can be temperamental, and things can go wrong. Therefore, it is essential to check out the customer service rating of a potential new broadband and phone provider. You want to know that any queries or concerns you have will be rectified.
Price: With prices rising across the board, price is something you definitely need to consider when looking at the top broadband and phone deals. In most cases, it’s cheaper to buy a combined broadband and phone deal - but it’s still worth checking to see whether separating the two and choosing a singular broadband deal will save you money, especially if you don’t need a landline.
When to shop
Knowing when to shop the best broadband and phone deals completely depends on your current situation. If you’re not in contract, you can find impressive deals throughout the year.
If you’re in contract with another provider and looking to switch, however, it’s important to understand the rules of this contract. That’s because most broadband and phone providers require at least 30 days’ notice if you’re leaving. If you don’t give this notice, you will have to pay an exit fee.
While most people don’t want to pay an exit fee, it’s also a good idea to do some sums if you find a too-good-to-be true broadband and phone deal. These deals don’t always stick around for long, so it may still work out cheaper to bag the new deal and pay the exit fee.
Just make sure that you know how much this exit fee is before biting the bullet, as some providers can charge up to 100% of the value of the remaining payments.
FAQs
Do broadband and phone deals include line rental?
Since 2016, broadband companies have been required to advertise their costs as inclusive. That means they can no longer put a price for the broadband and then have a hidden line rental cost that gets added on. Now, what you see should be what you get. So if your deal is for broadband and phone, the price you're quoted will include line rental.
One way some companies get around this is by adding on a large installation fee at the start. However, this isn't always the case.
Since the company may still incur costs for offering a landline, you may simply find that the overall price of the deal is higher than if you went for a broadband-only deal instead.
Why is broadband and phone cheaper than broadband only?
The most simple way to explain why it's cheaper to get broadband and a phone line is because it's more difficult to cancel. This means you have to cancel two services, not just one. As such, these contracts, when ended, can revert to a higher price.
This used to be a way for these companies to catch people out to make more money, but rules have changed, and they're now required to notify customers if their deal prices are going to jump up after their contracts end. Some people still don't change, though, so it clearly must still work in the company's favour, hence the lower price.
So, if you remember to cancel or change your deal once it ends, getting a phone line – even if you don't use it – could save you money.
How do I switch broadband and phone provider?
Legislation in recent years has made switching providers easier than ever for customers. Now, all you need to do is sign up for the new package, and that new company will handle the switch from your old provider. No, you don't even have to contact your provider as you once did. It's all handled for you.
All this applies only if you've completed the length of your contract with your current broadband provider. If you're still in the contract period, then you'll have to contact your broadband company and potentially pay a fee to exit early.
Can I get broadband and phone without a contract?
There are very few options, but you can get a broadband and phone deal without a contract. These are ideal for students or anybody who can't or doesn't want to commit to a longer-term payment. That freedom to leave whenever you want will cost you, though, as the upfront amount will be higher.
So expect higher setup costs, potentially higher monthly fees and no special offers like you may have got for signing up to a contract. But with the ability to switch to a cheaper deal whenever you want, it has its advantages.
Most of these deals are found in the form of rolling monthly contracts which auto-renew but allow you to leave month to month with a 30-day notice period.
