Broadband in London

Find the right London broadband deals for you.

Who are the main internet providers in London

London is served by all the main internet providers including, but not limited to:

Another big player in the capital is Community Fibre, which covers most London boroughs and offers speeds starting from 150 Mbps (megabits per second) all the way up to 3,000 Mbps. Hyperoptic also offers services in some areas, with speeds up to 900 Mbps.

Who are the best broadband providers in London?

That depends on what’s best for you. Some people may be most concerned about keeping their monthly payment low. Others will be more interested in how fast the broadband is and what the customer service is like if they have a problem.

And while you might be happy to choose an internet service provider (ISP) that offers broadband only, you might want to bundle in TV services or a home phone landline too. What’s on offer will vary among providers.

What’s available will also depend on where you live and whether your area has access to high-speed services. The differences don’t just apply to north London and south London or borough by borough, but can vary street to street, block to block and even house to house.

What broadband speeds can I expect in London?

According to Ofcom, the average peak-time download speed for a full fibre connection in London was 305 Mbps in March 2023. This compares with a national average of 301 Mbps. Where ultrafast gigabit internet is available, London has the fastest average download speeds in the UK, at 1,132 Mbps.

While gigabit internet offers the fastest speeds, it’s still being rolled out across the country, so it may not be available in your area just yet. For example, in Barnet it’s available to 68% of premises (as of January 2024), while in Tower Hamlets 81% of premises can access it, and in Hounslow 88% can get it.

You can use our broadband area checker to see the fastest speeds available in your postcode.

Do I need business broadband in London?

If you have a business in London (or anywhere else for that matter), then you’ll almost certainly need high-speed broadband. Whether it’s for e-commerce or to simply have access to company emails, you’ll need a business broadband service that can handle what you throw at it.

Business broadband is generally faster than home broadband, with upload speed also significantly improved. This is so your business can post to its website, make video calls for meetings and send large quantities of emails. Business broadband customers are also often prioritised over home broadband customers, which means your internet connection won’t be as impacted by heavy usage in your area.

To search for the right business broadband package for your business, all you need is the postcode and a few details about your business. Then we can help you search for options to suit your needs.

How can I improve my broadband speed in London?

If you’re looking for ways to get a faster broadband connection, there are a few steps you can try at home first. A good place to start is to run a broadband speed test, so you know what speeds you currently have.

If the results from your test show that you’re not getting the speeds you were expecting, there are a few measures you can take to try to improve your internet connection.

Move your WiFi hub

If your router is hidden away in a cupboard, behind furniture or tucked away in a far corner of your home, this could weaken your connection. This is because there’s too much blocking your hub and your devices from maintaining a reliable connection. Something as simple as moving your hub into a more open space might make for a quick and easy improvement.

Turn off any unnecessary devices

It’s worth turning off some of your other connected devices so your bandwidth isn’t spread so thinly. Phones, tablets, PCs and games consoles will be running updates in the background, which will hog some of your connection. Switch them off and see if it makes a difference.

Check who else is using the internet

If someone’s streaming music, someone else is downloading a film and a third person is gaming online, your connection and bandwidth could be strained. If one or two of them can stop what they’re doing, your connection might improve.

Use a wired connection

Tethering your device to an ethernet cable can be annoying, but it means you’re plugged into the internet source directly. This could offer a more stable and, often, faster speed.

If all that fails, you may want to consider switching the type of broadband you’re using.

The speeds on offer with full fibre broadband are far greater than a standard fibre connection, although not everywhere can get these yet. Check to see which types of broadband are available in your area and see if you can upgrade.

Did you know?

The broadband speed coming into your house won’t necessarily be the speed your WiFi delivers. It can depend on the position of your router, how up to date it is, the equipment you’re using and any interference with the signal.

What broadband speed do I need?

The ideal speed for you depends on how you use your broadband.

Gamers – what speed you need can depend on the type of games you play and the console you’re using. Fast speeds can sometimes give you an edge and a better experience when downloading new titles. If you’re a keen gamer, you’ll likely need to aim for speeds between 50 Mbps and 100 Mbps for a smooth gaming experience.
Streamers – if you’re a box-set addict, you’ll want to make sure your viewing experience isn’t plagued by endless buffering. For example, Netflix requires 3 Mbps for viewing in HD and 15 Mbps for UHD. If you know you’ll be spending a lot of time on Zoom or other video-calling services, you’ll need a speed of 3 Mbps for group calls.
Working from home – many Londoners work from home on a full-time or hybrid basis. For web browsing and emailing, you’ll need up to 15 Mbps. If you’re not the only person working from home in your household, then you might want to ramp up your download speed to 40 Mbps or more.

Of course, if you have lots of people in the home, doing all these things at the same time, you’ll need a high enough download speed to accommodate everyone.

Can I get the fastest broadband in London?

Potentially you could, because the fastest broadband currently possible is available in London. But what’s not certain is whether it’s available for your home.

What broadband you’ll be able to get depends on the area of the city you live in and how you’re connected. It also depends on how much you’re willing to pay.

While full fibre broadband in London continues to be rolled out, there are still places where broadband is partially delivered through old copper wires.

You can get broadband in a few ways:

Fibre to the cabinet (FTTC) – here you get superfast fibre up to your nearest street cabinet, but from there it gets to your home on the old copper wire. While this usually gives you fast speeds, it’s not as fast as full fibre.
Fibre to the premises (FTTP) – this offers you ultrafast broadband with fibre running all the way into your home.
Hybrid fibre coaxial (HFC) – Virgin Media’s network is delivered into your home using coaxial cable. It offers some of the fastest speeds available.

How to compare internet deals in London

Just put your postcode in our comparison tool, choose your current provider from the drop-down list, and we’ll show you what deals are available for where you live. If you’re not ready to switch yet, you can set a reminder and we’ll alert you when the time comes.

When comparing your results, here are some things to look out for:

Availability – the type of broadband you can access depends on which area of London you live in.
Speeds – think about the type of broadband user you are and whether you need ultrafast speeds to browse, stream, download and play uninterrupted.
Contract cost – look out for the monthly cost, as well as any upfront setup costs. Also keep in mind that you need to think of the price in relation to everything else on offer. There’s no point in opting for the cheapest broadband deal if the service and speed you get isn’t enough for your needs.
Contract length – you can typically choose between a 18-month or 24-month contract, although some providers offer monthly rolling contract deals. Short-term contracts offer greater flexibility, but they could be more expensive than longer length packages.
Bundled packages – combining your broadband with a phone and TV package could work out cheaper than paying for separate services. It also gives you the convenience of a single contract and one bill to deal with. However, you’ll have fewer providers to choose from, as not all providers bundle broadband, phone and TV.
Customer service – it’s important that your service provider is fast, efficient and helpful if any problems occur. Check customer reviews online to get a good idea of your chosen provider’s customer service ratings.

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What our expert says...

“If you’re looking for the best internet service in your area, it’s worth checking regularly to see that you’re still getting the right deal for you. Things are always changing in London, and it may be that there are better deals out there since the last time you looked.”

- Matthew Brewer, Broadband and mobile expert

Frequently asked questions

How can I get fibre broadband in London?

Start by popping your postcode into our broadband comparison tool. If you can get fibre, it should be shown in your results. Your fibre options may be fibre to the cabinet (FTTC) or fibre to the premises (FTTP).

Unfortunately, full fibre isn’t available everywhere yet. But high-speed internet is being rolled out all the time. It requires cables to be laid, so typically providers work area by area, rather than for individual premises.

Openreach, the UK’s largest broadband network provider, aims to deliver ultrafast, ultra-reliable full fibre broadband to 25 million premises in the UK by the end of 2026. This includes building 53 new exchanges in the Greater London region.

Can I get full fibre broadband where I live in Greater London?

If fibre cables run all the way to your home, it’s likely you can get full fibre broadband where you live. This gives you access to the fastest and most reliable broadband in your neighbourhood.

Check Openreach’s Full Fibre Build Plans map to see if ultrafast full fibre broadband is available in your area or if there are any planned upgrades. Or enter your postcode into our broadband comparison tool and see what type of fibre deals you can get.

Enter your postcode now

How can I speed up getting fibre broadband to where I live in London?

You can register your interest with some providers. When they have enough willing subscribers, they might roll it out faster in the area.

There are also some community-based options. A joint funding arrangement can be put in place, which means a provider, contributes some of the costs, with your community funding the rest. An affordable solution is then agreed to meet the community needs.

Openreach has guidance on how to start this kind of community. If you and enough neighbours are fed up with slow speeds, you might be able to prompt some action. Find out more and register your interest on the Openreach website.

What is the fastest broadband available in the London?

The fastest type of broadband available in the Greater London area is a gigabit, fibre-to-the-premises connection. This type of connection offers average speeds of more than 1,000 Mbps.

Depending on where you live in London, you may be able to sign up to Community Fibre’s 3 Gbps Premium WiFi package. This offers a whopping 3,000 Mbps download and upload speeds.