Broadband & Mobile

The Openreach FTTP Installation Process: What to Expect

An Openreach full-fibre install typically involves a survey, an engineer visit to run fibre into the property, an ONT, and testing. Here is what happens inside and outside your home and how long it takes.

5 Jun 2026 · 3 min read

Upgrading from FTTC to FTTP: What Is Involved

Moving from fibre-to-the-cabinet to full fibre to the premises usually needs an engineer visit, a new optical termination unit and sometimes a new router. Here is what the upgrade involves and what happens to your old service.

5 Jun 2026 · 3 min read

Upgrading from ADSL to FTTC: What Is Involved

Moving from old ADSL to fibre-to-the-cabinet usually brings a big speed jump and is often a simple self-install. Here is how to check eligibility, what the ordering process looks like, and why speeds settle over the first days.

5 Jun 2026 · 3 min read

How to Apply for a Gigabit Voucher: A Step-by-Step Guide

Gigabit vouchers help fund the cost of a gigabit-capable connection in eligible areas, and are claimed through an approved supplier. Here is the application process, individual versus group applications, and what to do if you are rejected.

5 Jun 2026 · 3 min read

How to Get Faster Broadband When BT Will Not Upgrade Your Area

If Openreach will not upgrade your area, you still have routes: a USO request, gigabit vouchers, altnets, council and MP pressure, and community broadband as a last resort. Here is how to work through them.

5 Jun 2026 · 3 min read

B4RN: How the Community Broadband Model Works in Rural Areas

Broadband for the Rural North is the best-known community fibre network, built and owned by the communities it serves with volunteer effort. Here is how the model achieves fast speeds in remote areas and what others can learn.

5 Jun 2026 · 3 min read

Community Broadband Co-operative and CIC Models Explained

Community broadband usually adopts a co-operative, community benefit society or community interest company structure. Here is how each works, how they raise money, and how governance and long-term sustainability are handled.

5 Jun 2026 · 3 min read

Community Broadband in the UK: How It Works and Who Has Done It

Community broadband schemes build networks where commercial providers will not, often as co-operatives or community interest companies. Here is how they work, how they are funded, and what it takes to start one.

5 Jun 2026 · 3 min read

How Ofcom Regulates Alternative Network Providers

Altnets operate under Ofcom's general authorisation regime and benefit from duct and pole access rules, while the strictest significant-market-power obligations fall mainly on Openreach. Here is how the regulation works.

5 Jun 2026 · 3 min read

Altnet vs Openreach: What the Difference Means for Broadband Consumers

Whether your fibre runs over Openreach or an altnet affects which providers you can use, how installation works, and what happens if the network operator fails. Here is the consumer-level comparison.

5 Jun 2026 · 3 min read

Alternative Network Providers (Altnets) in the UK: What They Are and How They Work

Altnets are companies building their own fibre networks outside the dominant Openreach infrastructure. Here is what they are, how their business models work, how Ofcom regulates them, and how consumers connect.

5 Jun 2026 · 3 min read

How to Make a Broadband USO Claim: A Step-by-Step Guide

The Universal Service Obligation lets eligible premises request a decent connection from the designated provider, subject to a cost cap. Here is the step-by-step process, who provides it, and what happens if it costs more than the cap.

5 Jun 2026 · 3 min read

What to Do When Broadband Is Not Available at Your Address: Formal Options

If no provider will serve your address, you are not without options: a USO request, a gigabit voucher, a community scheme, and pressure through your council and MP can all help. Here are the formal routes in order.

5 Jun 2026 · 3 min read

Rural Broadband Availability in the UK: What the Statistics Show

Rural broadband lags urban coverage on full fibre and superfast availability, and a minority of premises still fall below the Universal Service Obligation threshold. Here is how to read the rural statistics and what is being done.

5 Jun 2026 · 3 min read

Full Fibre Broadband Availability by UK Region: The Ofcom Connected Nations Data

Full-fibre coverage varies widely across the UK's nations and regions. Ofcom's Connected Nations report is the authoritative source. Here is how to read the regional picture and why the disparities exist.

5 Jun 2026 · 3 min read

What Postcode Broadband Availability Data Tells You (And What It Does Not)

Postcode-level broadband data is collected and published by Ofcom, but it is less precise than an address-level check. Here is how the data is gathered, why your postcode and your house can differ, and what the data is actually for.

5 Jun 2026 · 3 min read

Checking Broadband Availability at Your Exact Address

Postcode checks and address-level checks can give different answers, and the Ofcom, Openreach and provider checkers each show something slightly different. Here is how to read them and what to do when they conflict.

5 Jun 2026 · 3 min read

Broadband Reliability: How to Assess a Provider Before Signing Up

Reliability is about uptime, how often faults occur and how fast they are fixed. Here is how to find independent data, what Ofcom reports include, and the questions to ask an ISP before you commit.

5 Jun 2026 · 3 min read

Broadband Customer Service Quality: What Ofcom Measures and What to Look For

Ofcom publishes comparative service-quality research covering things like call waiting times, complaint handling and repair speed. Here are the metrics that matter and how a provider's compensation commitments signal its service.

5 Jun 2026 · 3 min read

Ofcom Broadband Complaints Data: How to Use It When Choosing a Provider

Ofcom publishes broadband complaints per 100,000 customers each quarter by provider. Used carefully, it is the closest thing to an independent service-quality signal. Here is how to read it and what it cannot tell you.

5 Jun 2026 · 3 min read

The Ofcom Broadband Speeds Code of Practice: What It Requires

The Speeds Code requires signed-up providers to give you a realistic speed estimate, a minimum guaranteed speed, and a right to exit if that guarantee is not met. Here is what it covers and how to use it.

5 Jun 2026 · 3 min read

Broadband Speed Guarantees: What They Actually Mean Legally

Advertised speed, estimated speed and minimum guaranteed speed are three different things, and only one of them gives you a right to leave. Here is what each means and which is legally binding.

5 Jun 2026 · 3 min read

What Happens to Your ISP Email Address When You Switch Broadband

An email address tied to your broadband provider can be lost when you switch, and Ofcom has identified this as a real barrier that keeps people from changing providers. Here is how to migrate away before you move.

5 Jun 2026 · 3 min read

Why Broadband Does Not Have a PAC Code (And What OTS Does Instead)

Mobiles use a PAC code to port a number; broadband never had one. The old MAC code was retired, and One Touch Switching now replaces switching codes with a gaining-provider-led process. Here is the difference.

5 Jun 2026 · 3 min read

How to Switch Broadband Using One Touch Switching (OTS)

One Touch Switching lets you arrange a broadband move entirely through your new provider, who handles cancelling the old service. Here is the step-by-step process, the timeline, and what to do if it goes wrong.

5 Jun 2026 · 3 min read

Early Termination Fees for Broadband: How They Are Calculated and How to Challenge Them

Ofcom requires broadband early termination fees to be a fair reflection of the provider's loss, not a punishment. Here is the calculation method, what providers can and cannot charge, and how to challenge an excessive fee.

5 Jun 2026 · 3 min read

How to Cancel Your Broadband: Notice Periods, ETFs and the Right Process

Cancelling correctly means giving the right notice, understanding any early termination fee, returning equipment, and timing your Direct Debit. If you are moving to a new provider, switching is usually cleaner than cancelling.

5 Jun 2026 · 3 min read

How to Negotiate Your Broadband Renewal and Get a Better Deal

The best time to negotiate is the month or two before your contract ends, armed with competitor prices and your usage. Here is the sequence retention teams respond to, and how to know your walk-away point.

5 Jun 2026 · 3 min read

Broadband Introductory Offers: What Happens After the Honeymoon Period

Introductory broadband pricing lasts only as long as your minimum term, then jumps to a standard out-of-contract rate. Here is how to track when your offer ends and why your provider must tell you.

5 Jun 2026 · 3 min read

Broadband Upfront Costs Explained: Setup Fees, Activation and Router Charges

Setup fees, activation charges, engineer visits and router costs all sit outside the monthly price. Here is which upfront charges are legitimate, which you can avoid, and how to compare the true total cost of a broadband deal.

5 Jun 2026 · 4 min read