Student broadband deals

If you have TV bingers and sport fans in your student accommodation, look out for broadband deals with an entertainment and sports package. Pay TV is a lot more affordable when you’re splitting the cost between a few of you, and all-in-one broadband and TV bundles could give you the best overall value. You’ll be able to mix and match plans to get exactly what you want, as well as access streaming services, smart TV apps and films on demand – all the entertainment you need for a big night in with your mates. 

By bundling your services together, you’ll also only have one bill to worry about each month. A word of caution though – most TV packages will lock you into a contract of at least 18 months, so you’ll need to be prepared to make a long-term commitment.

You can get broadband without a phone line, but it won’t necessarily be cheaper. This is because ADSL and Fibre to Cabinet (FTTC) connections need a phone line to connect the broadband to your property, and the line rental is automatically included in the price.

Fibre to Premises (FTTP) connections can be a lot faster, and you won’t need a phone line. But they are often more expensive. There are also fewer options to choose from.

When you compare with us, we’ll automatically show you all broadband deals, with and without  a phone line, although those with a phone line are usually the best value. If you want to compare the difference to ‘broadband-only’ deals, simply choose ‘deals without a phone line’ in the filter options.

Living in shared accommodation inevitably means there’ll be lots of you going online at the same time. If there’s more than three of you, this will quickly eat up bandwidth. Whether you’re streaming music, gaming, watching catch-up TV or researching your latest essay, you’ll soon get frustrated if your connection slows down or even worse, drops out completely. So it’s important you have broadband with a download speed that’s fast enough to cope with the demands of your household.  

For that reason, you may be better off with superfast fibre broadband, which offers average speeds of around 60-67Mbps . If you’re willing to pay a bit more each month, and it’s available at your address, you can get ultrafast speeds of over 100Mbps.

You can easily check your broadband upload and download speeds with our broadband speed checker. You’ll be able to see the average speeds each provider offers at a certain address but will need to be in the property to see the exact speed you’ll get.

A small number of providers, including Virgin Media and BT, do offer broadband deals tailored towards students, but they’re not always available, and the window of opportunity to buy them might not last long. Student deals are often only around for a few months before the start of the new academic year in September.

Your broadband provider will usually want the contract to be in one person’s name, so you’ll need to agree on who’s responsible for making sure your bills are paid on time and then work out who owes what.  

To make this easier, you could download a bill-splitting app or set up a joint bank account for everyone to pay into. Bear in mind that there is an element of risk with a joint account, though. If one of you fails to make your contribution for a bill payment on time, the credit score of everyoe named on the account could be negatively affected.

Some providers offer broadband deals without the need for a credit check. These include NOW, Plusnet and BT’s Basic broadband. Even if you have to undergo a credit check, it won’t be as strict as applying for a credit card or loan.

That said, it’s a good idea to keep your credit rating healthy if you can – it might give you access to more deals. Find out how to improve your credit score.

Almost every broadband deal will include a free WiFi router to support all your devices and, if it’s not free, there’ll only be a one-off charge. You’ll also need a working phone line, unless you’ve opted for broadband without a landline.

If you live in a big student house with WiFi ‘black spots’, it might be worth getting a router with a bit more oomph, or WiFi extenders that will make your signal travel further.

Waiting times for broadband installations with a dedicated landline can be up to 14 days. Some fibre installations without a phone line are quicker. Ultimately, it depends on whether an engineer has to come out or if anything needs activating. Your provider should be able to give you a time frame when you sign up for your deal.

Once you take out a broadband contract, you’ll have the right to cancel within the first 14 days without having to pay a penalty.

After that, you’ll most likely be charged a fee if you want to cancel before your contract’s up. Check how much it is though, as in some cases the early cancellation fee could still be worth paying if you want to switch to a better deal.

Weak or erratic WiFi signals can be a common problem in student accommodation, especially in large, old townhouses where it struggles to reach all parts of the property. But there are things you can do to boost the speed.  

Firstly, it’s a good idea to run a broadband speed test to establish just how fast your internet is. You’ll be shown both your download and upload speeds. If you test it in different rooms of the house and on different devices, you can see where the problems lie.  

It may just be a case of moving your router to a more central position, away from walls, doors and bookcases. You should also keep it away from computer speakers, cordless phones and other devices that emit wireless signals. If possible, place your router on a table or shelf rather than on the floor, and keep it switched on. 

Failing that, if the speed you’re getting is much slower than the one you were quoted, contact your provider for help.