Unlimited broadband deals

Unlimited broadband is a broadband package that allows you to use as much data as you want, while paying a set monthly fee.

That means you don’t have to worry about doing too much browsing, streaming, downloading, gaming or shopping online – not from a data point of view anyway.

Almost all new home broadband deals are unlimited these days. At one time it was more common to get packages with a download allowance that limited the amount of data you could use each month without paying extra, but that’s no longer the case.

Most of us go online every day, whether we’re working from home, streaming a film or playing games with friends. The more we use the internet, the more data it gobbles up.

Unlimited broadband is becoming essential for life in the modern world, and you’ll probably be glad of it if:

• You’re a family of internet users – everyone’s online all the time, using various laptops, phones and tablets

• You stream TV and movies on Netflix or Amazon, for example

• You live in a shared house and everyone uses the internet

• You like to watch catch-up TV

• You download video games and play them online with friends

• You use a music streaming service such as Spotify

• You have an internet-connected smart TV

The exact amount of data you use while streaming depends on the video resolution and platform you’re using.

As a rough guide, this is how much data Virgin Media estimates you’re likely to use per hour for various online activities:

Today’s broadband is built to handle streaming demands without too much trouble. But, for bigger households who use up a lot of data at once, faster download speeds can help your broadband connection cope better with heavy usage.

Almost all providers in the UK now offer unlimited broadband deals. In fact, it’s probably harder to find one with a data limit.

It’s also worth noting that all broadband deals available through Compare the Market offer unlimited data.

Nowadays, the only broadband that comes with limited downloads tends to be mobile broadband and satellite broadband.

Truly unlimited broadband is when your provider allows you to download, stream and browse the internet to your heart’s content, without any data caps or hidden restrictions. Full fibre broadband is a good example of this.

Most new fixed-line home broadband packages are now truly unlimited, so it’s not something you really need to worry about. But some legacy broadband packages that were advertised as ‘unlimited’ may have a traffic management policy.

If you’re still on one of these, it might limit the amount you can download at certain times of the day or deliberately slow your download speed during peak hours (usually outlined in your contract).

Download speed depends on the type of connection offered by your provider.

• ADSL – old copper phone line connections are generally the slowest and offer a maximum download speed of 24Mbps (megabits per second).

• Part fibre – offers download speeds of up to 80Mbps, and is available to most households in the UK.

• Full fibre – the latest cable and full fibre connections are capable of delivering lightning-quick download speeds of at least 1Gbps (gigabits per second). These are available to 87% of homes in the UK.

Unlimited broadband in the UK generally costs between £20 and £50 a month, but the exact amount you pay will vary from provider to provider.

It will also depend on the type of connection you have, as well as the download speeds offered.

All you’ll need to compare unlimited broadband with us is:

• Your postcode

• Details of the type of unlimited broadband you’re looking for

• Your current provider (if applicable).

You’ll then be able to scroll down a results page with a list of deals. We can also show you bundled packages, including unlimited broadband and TV deals or unlimited broadband, TV and phone deals.