Postcode Availability Checker

Postcode Availability Checker

What is the best broadband in my area?

The best broadband for your postcode will depend on your individual preferences and requirements. Each household is different, and the right broadband deal for you might not be the right broadband deal for your neighbour, for example. When looking for a new broadband provider, you’ll want to take into account your budget, speed expectations, how many people in your household use the internet simultaneously, and what you use the internet for.

For example, if you’re part of a large household with multiple occupants streaming the latest box sets and console gaming online, you might need a faster connection than a single-occupancy home in which the internet is only used for shopping, checking the latest news and browsing social media. It, therefore, makes sense to consider your usage prior to agreeing to any contract.

There are also different types of broadband connection available, with some able to reach much faster speeds than others. Our broadband availability checker will allow you to find all types of broadband connection in your area, which could include one or more of the following:

ADSL broadband

The most common broadband connection in the UK is ADSL broadband, which is available in over 99% of the country. ADSL stands for Asymmetric Digital Subscriber Line, and this type of connection is delivered via a standard copper analogue phone cable. Download speeds on ADSL connections typically average around 10Mbps, depending on the connection and quality of phone lines in your area. The distance between your home and the local broadband cabinet can also impact speeds.

Fibre-optic broadband

Most broadband providers are able to offer fibre-optic broadband to the cabinet (FTTC) via the BT Openreach network. This allows users to enjoy superfast internet via fibre cables. Of course, the last leg on the fibre broadband journey is still serviced by copper cables, which means your distance from the local cabinet can still affect connectivity speeds.

Approximately 95% of the country is covered by the Openreach network, which means there’s a good chance you should be able to receive fibre-optic broadband from some of the UK’s biggest providers, including BT, Sky, EE, Vodafone and Virgin. Our broadband postcode checker will help you to find the best possible fibre deals in your area.

Cable broadband

Since 2020, Virgin Media has extended its privately-owned cable broadband infrastructure to cover approximately half of UK households. This number is continuing to grow.

Cable broadband utilises the same fibre optic cables from the Openreach exchange but uses coaxial cables to connect to the home in place of traditional copper cables. This makes it significantly faster than standard ADSL or fibre connections. To check your availability for cable broadband, why not use our broadband availability checker?

Full fibre broadband

Many providers are in the process of rolling out full-fibre broadband connections. This involves the connection of a fibre-optic cable directly from the broadband exchange to your home. It is currently the fastest type of connection in the UK, with speeds reaching in excess of 1000Mbps (or 1Gbps).

At present, approximately 20% of the country can avail of full-fibre broadband. To find out if it’s in your area yet, simply use our broadband postcode checker.

Why do broadband packages differ between postcodes?

Current telecommunications infrastructure in the UK dictates which broadband deals you can and cannot receive. While the vast majority of homes can receive broadband, many standard connections barely achieve speeds of 10Mbps, with as many as one in ten households only receiving speeds in the region of 5Mbps.

Ofcom, which is the regulator of broadband services in the UK, has pointed out that these connections are unlikely to cover the demands of larger households, particularly when it comes to video streaming, Zoom/Facetime/Skype calling and online gaming. Thankfully, there has been a push over the last few years by the mainstream broadband providers to deliver gigabit broadbands speeds to as many households as possible.

If you’re unhappy with your current broadband connection, you may find it worthwhile to use our broadband availability checker to see if there are faster or more affordable packages available in your area.

Can I get fibre broadband in my postcode?

According to Ofcom, as many as 95% of UK households can now enjoy access to superfast broadband. Unless you live in an incredibly rural environment, it is likely that your home should be fibre broadband ready.

Our broadband postcode checker will let you know in a matter of seconds whether you can access fibre broadband, the speeds you can expect to receive and how much the latest packages from Openreach, Virgin, EE, Vodafone and others are likely to set you back each month.

Where can I find out more about the broadband providers for my postcode?

At Compare Fibre, our broadband availability checker allows you to find out about the latest deals from the biggest and best broadband providers in the country. If you’re thinking about switching providers, our broadband postcode checker will demonstrate that many companies like to entice customers with rewards, discounts, freebies and limited-time offers.

Sky broadband checker

Sky currently offers a speed guarantee on its fibre packages. This means that if you don’t receive the advertised speeds, you will be eligible for money back from your monthly bill. The firm prides itself on making the switch to Sky broadband as simple as possible. One of the perks of switching to Sky is that the company will often include television packages as part of its deals. This means you can enjoy live or on-demand subscription television as standard with your overall broadband package; something which is incredibly useful for keeping families entertained.

BT broadband checker

BT is said to offer unparalleled coverage in the UK, and our BT broadband checker will help you to find out whether you can access its fibre broadband packages in your area. Like Sky, BT offers a variety of bonuses, including access to Now TV and BT Sports at discounted rates; perfect for those who want to enjoy first-class televisual entertainment and non-stop Premier League football action.

Openreach broadband checker

Openreach engineers are responsible for creating and maintaining the UK’s communications network. Its core network is utilised by over 660 different internet service providers. Put simply, regardless of which fibre broadband provider you choose, chances are they will be delivering your service via the Openreach network. If you’d like to know whether the Openreach network is available in your postcode, why not try our Openreach broadband checker today?

Virgin broadband checker

Virgin Media has a reputation for delivering reliable fibre broadband, and currently offers the UK’s fastest widely-available connection, with speeds of over 1100Mbps advertised. It also offers flexible contracts, which means you won’t have to get tied down into anything long-term if you don’t want to (rolling contracts start at just 30 days). However, Virgin’s fibre connections are only available to around 15 million UK homes, which is roughly half the population of the UK. To find out whether you can receive it in your area, simply use our Virgin broadband checker.

EE broadband checker

EE might be more well-known for its mobile contracts than its broadband offering, but it also delivers some seriously impressive fibre broadband packages too. If you’re an existing EE mobile customer, you can even enjoy extra data on your handset every month, which is a huge bonus. While EE might not be the best provider for those looking for an all-round family entertainment package, its range of fibre packages are fast, reliable, secure and widely available across the UK. Why not use our EE broadband checker to find out if the service is available in your postcode?

Vodafone broadband checker

Vodafone fibre broadband is designed with value for money in mind. Users can enjoy truly unlimited broadband for a set monthly price, and the router which comes bundled as standard is reasonably powerful. Vodafone does not offer standard ADSL broadband and instead focus on fibre optic packages instead. Our Vodafone broadband checker will help you to find out whether you can access its services from your postcode.

How can I get faster broadband in my postcode?

Broadband speeds often differ hugely from what we see advertised on television and online. The number of ISPs operating in an area will usually have an impact on the number of resources available, for example, if the competition is high, you might expect to find multiple fibre broadband deals in a single postcode.

If you’re currently on a standard ADSL connection, switching to another ADSL provider probably won’t make a significant difference to the speeds you currently receive. Instead, you should opt for fibre or full-fibre broadband if it’s available. To find out what speeds you could be receiving by switching suppliers, simply enter your information into our broadband postcode checker. It’s free to do so, and you might find an incredible deal that drastically increases the speed and quality of service you currently receive. In addition to this, you could even avail of a complimentary TV entertainment package on top of your new broadband contract, so it certainly pays to shop around.

Why should I use a broadband availability checker?

For many of us, our choice of broadband rests on one simple factor: price. However, there are several other things you should consider before committing to a contract.

Firstly, is your current broadband provider actually the cheapest in your area? Many ISPs have a habit of sneaking on additional costs for installation, WiFi routers or even postage and packaging!

It’s also worth noting that many fibre broadband providers use discounted prices for the initial three months of a contract to lure customers in – often leaving them with a commitment to pay a higher price for up to 18 months in total.

Some providers offer fixed-price contracts. These are a good idea if you want to avoid unexpected price increases. If you do experience an increase in cost while under a fixed-price contract, you may be eligible to switch suppliers before your contract officially ends. It’s important to check the small print before signing a contract because many broadband suppliers will stipulate that they reserve the right to increase prices in line with inflation.

The good news is that our broadband postcode checker is designed to help you compare the details of every broadband provider in your area. This allows you to clearly see how much each contract will cost, what sort of broadband speeds you can expect, and whether you can enjoy any freebies like live television, on-demand entertainment, access to the latest sporting events or even free mobile data.

If you’re ready to switch suppliers, or simply want to find out whether your current deal is right for you, our broadband availability checker will tell you everything you need to know in a matter of seconds. Why not try it today? It’s free of charge and could help you to save on your annual fibre broadband costs.