Are you looking for the best UK broadband deals in May 2021?
Let us help you find the best UK Broadband deals in May 2021. Our aim is to supply you with a clear run down of the latest home broadband deals and offers available this week.
Use the Broadband Speed Test to see your current connection speed and then check out this quick reference guide to help you determine what broadband speed you need. Looking for options to get broadband without a phone line? Check out this article.
Overview of Ofcom Comparing Service Quality report
Before reviewing the broadband deals below, we thought it would be useful to provide this extract from the latest Ofcom ‘Comparing Service Quality’ report (published August 2020) to help you make an informed decision and ‘switch in confidence’.
Source: Ofcom Customer Satisfaction Tracker August 2020
1. Sky Broadband
Sky offer three simple tiers of broadband Speed (11Mb, 59Mb and Ultrafast 145Mb) making it easy for you to choose the right package for you.
You can choose a broadband only package or choose to bolt on a SKY TV package.
A phone line is required but if you already have one, they will take over the existing line which saves an engineer visit.
Sky May 2021 Broadband Offers: Ultrafast 145Mb broadband has been reduced to just £35 .
Sky Broadband Review - Pro, Cons and Final Verdict
Sky Broadband Review – The Good
Sky Speed Guarantee SKY guarantee that if your speed falls below your Guaranteed Minimum Download Speed for at least three days in a row in a 30-day period, they will refund you monthly subscription. You can claim twice during your contract period.
Great Customer Service track record Sky received the joint fewest complaints per 100,000 customers measured by Ofcom comparing Sky, Post Office, BT, EE, Plusnet, TalkTalk, Vodafone and Virgin Media fixed for fixed broadband. July 2019 report.
Dedicated team to ensure switch is smooth If you’re with BT, TalkTalk, EE, Vodafone or Plusnet, SKY will contact your provider to cancel your existing contract and handle the whole switch process for you.
Sky Wi-Fi Guarantee Sky will guarantee at least 3Mbps WiFi in every room of your home, or they will give you your money back or send you a signal booster.
Additional mini hubs available to extended broadband range
You can add TV bundled at any time
SKY Broadband Review – The Not So Good
Activation Fee Similar to BT, Sky have an activation fee of approx. £19.99 across all packages. They occasionally run promotions where this fee is reduced or waived.
Sky Broadband – Final Verdict
Sky’s broadband and customer services is very good. The SKY Q hub is one of the best and most reliable routers on the market.
Sky presents the opportunity to consolidate your TV and Broadband services into one reliable provider. Their base package has more channels than you can get with any other TV provider.
It is inevitable that you may experience broadband issues with any Internet Service Providers (ISP) but with Sky’s solid customer service reputation, you can rest-assured that any issues will be dealt with efficiently.
Sky is not a budget ISP and their broadband prices are slightly higher but their levels of service makes it a good all round solid choice.
Vodafone Broadband Service and Lighting Fast Speeds options are an absolute no-brainer.
Rarely are you in the position where the price is low and the service is from a reputable trusted supplier.
Everything is include in the price. No additional fees.
Winners of uSwitch Best Broadband Provider (2019) and Best Value Broadband Provider (2019). Also winners of Broadband Genie’s Fastest Upload Speed Provider in the same year.
Vodafone Pro broadband offers free automatic 4G backup in case your internet goes down and Reliable WiFi in every room or you can leave your contract for free – guaranteed.
Vodafone May 2021 Broadband Offer(s): 63Mb broadband price reduced to the same price as 35Mb and £75 Amazon Gift voucher on Broadband Pro packages.
If you’ve been considered switching to Vodafone – now is the time!
* Gigafast is currently only available in Aberdeen, Bournemouth, Cambridge, Coventry, Edinburgh, Huddersfield, Leeds, Milton Keynes, Northampton, Peterborough, Southend-On-Sea, Stirling.
Vodafone Broadband Review - Pro, Cons and Final Verdict
Vodafone Broadband Review – The Good
Fast installation time
Automatic 4G backup if your internet goes down Vodafone pro (bolt on) comes with a 4G backup to allow you continual internet access if there are issues with your vodafone broadband or in your area.
Super WiFi Guarantee Ensures reliable WiFi in every room or you can leave your contract for free – guaranteed
Fast Upload Speeds With most providers, upload speed tends to be significantly lower than the download speed, but Vodafone Broadband stands out from crowd by having a fast upload speed.
Their Gigafast broadband services offer symmetrical speeds which means the upload speed is the same as the download speed.
Truly unlimited and unrestricted broadband speed Unlike some broadband providers, Vodafone does apply traffic management which means that your broadband speed will never be slowed down or restricted during peak or busy times. Truly unlimited, fast, uninterrupted broadband.
Simple to manage using the IOS/Android App With Vodafone Broadband, gone are the days you need to manage your broadband via an internet browser. The Vodafone Broadband App gives you simple management of your broadband settings, Wi-Fi/guest Wi-Fi settings, parental controls and other useful features.
Vodafone Broadband Review – The Not So Good
No TV bundles
If you were hoping to consolidate your TV and broadband service into one, unfortunate Vodafone will not be the best provider. Good alternatives would be Sky or BT.
Vodafone Broadband – Final Verdict
Vodafone broadband is affordable and you can also benefit from addition cost savings.
If you are a Vodafone Pay Monthly mobile customers there is a reduction of £2 p/m on the advertised price. If you are not an existing customer, you can save £3 on your monthly broadband if you add a pay monthly mobile package to your broadband.
Vodafone will handle the switching of your broadband from your existing supplier to get you up and running quickly. The only exception is if you are switching from Virgin Media. You will need to cancel Virgin Media directly.
BT Broadband comes with their “Stay Fast Guarantee”. This means that if you do not get the promised speed 30 days after a fault is reported, you will receive a £20 refund (up to four times a year).
BT offer 3 tiers of TV and Broadband packages that are available to most UK households and include over 1000 premium channels, Sky Atlantic, Sky one and more than 300 Box Sets on demand from NOW TV. You can upgrade the TV package to include additional channels such as Sky Cinema, all Sky Sports and BT Sports channels.
BT Full fibre broadband (up to 900Mb) is still being rolled out and has limited availability.
BT May 2021 Broadband Offer(s): Discounts across most broadband packages this week and up to a whopping £120 BT Reward Card on some packages.
BT Complete Wi-Fi guarantee BT guarantee no less that 10Mb wireless speed in every room and will send out additional wireless extender “discs” to boost Wi-fi speed for slow rooms.
BT Virus Protect BT Virus Protect gives you the latest protection against viruses, spyware, phishing scams and other internet threats. All BT Broadband customers get at least two licences free. Superfast Fibre 2 customers get 15 licences which can be installed on PCs, Macs, and Android phones and tablets.
Free BT Cloud Storage Broadband Unlimited and Superfast Fibre customers will receive 200GB free storage. Fibre 2 Unlimited customers get 1TB Cloud storage.
BT Broadband Review – The Not So Good
24 Month Contracts Long commitment on BT Broadband packages which is not such a bad thing if you are happy with the service. If you are not happy with the service there are ways to cancel your broadband early.
Expensive after contract period Be sure to check out the market or speak to BT to negotiate a new deal before the end of your contract to avoid a hike in price.
Activation and Delivery Charge Most packages have an activation or delivery charge which ranges between £9.99 – £19.99.
BT Broadband – Final Verdict
There are varying online opinions on BT broadband and although it costs a bit more, it gives you value for your money.
BT is the parent company of Openreach who maintain the majority of internet circuits in the UK which are used by other ISPs such as Plusnet, EE, TalkTalk, Sky, etc.
In some areas you can get download speeds of up to 300+ Mbps!
As a BT customer, you will have access to over 5 million Wi-fi hotspots which can be useful if you are always roaming away from home or have a limited mobile phone data package.
You can choose to bolt on additional TV channels such as BT Sport, Sky Sports Main Event and Extra, Sky Cinema and many other premium channels.
Virgin Media is one of the UK’s fastest broadband but is only available to approximately 53% of UK homes.
Broadband packages range from 54Mb – 1Gb and you can add a TV package to your broadband.
Virgin Media broadband is delivered through their network of fibre optic cables therefore you do not need a BT/Openreach phone line.
Standard contract lengths are 18 Months but they also offer 30 day rolling contracts which work out more expensive. Their broadband packages work out cheaper if you include a phone line. There is a £35 setup fee on all Virgin Media products.
Virgin Media boasts a 99.89% network uptime as of October 2020. You can cancel your contract without paying an early disconnection fee if your download speed falls below the minimum speed guaranteed for three consecutive days and Virgin Media are unable to fix the problem within 30 days.
Virgin Media May 2021 Offer: Broadband prices reduced this week.
Plusnet guarantee to keep the price of your broadband package the same for the full duration of the contract.
They offer flexible 1, 12 and 18 months contracts.
The rest of their packages include industry standard features such as unlimited usage, Free security package with online parental control which allow you to block certain categories of websites. Their customer support is UK based.
Plusnet May 2021 Broadband Offer(s): Up to £70 Reward card on all online broadband orders.
Plusnet Broadband Review - Pro, Cons and Final Verdict
Plusnet Broadband Review – The Good
Runs on the same Openreach network as BT and Sky but much cheaper pricing.
Flexible Contracts – Monthly, 12 Months or 18 Months
Won several awards for exemplary customer service
BT Sport available through old Sky receiver box or Plusnet BT Sport App
Fast installation time
Plusnet Broadband Review – The Not So Good
Pricing may be higher is some areas
Plusnet Broadband – Final Verdict
Plusnet offers a good balance in terms of reliability, pricing and customer service.
Their broadband service runs on the Openreach network similar to other popular providers such as BT, Sky, EE and TalkTalk therefore you will be getting the same broadband but cheaper and with good customer service wrapped around it. In addition the previous point, Plusnet is owned by BT.
Plusnet won the most reliable broadband service in the Ofcom 2019 Telcoms report. If you are looking for a no non-sense affordable and reliable broadband, we recommend to seriously consider Plusnet.
EE broadband is supplied through the BT Openreach network as with all other suppliers on this page.
EE has a strong customer service record and their broadband service was the best performer in speed and reliability in the August 2020 Ofcom customer survey.
All EE Broadband packages include unlimited monthly usage and free Norton security 12 month subscription for up to ten devices. Average contract lengths for EE Broadband packages is 18 months.
EE also offer broadband and TV packages which include Free Apple TV 4K and BT Sport as standard.
May 2021 Offer: No Setup charges on Fibre broadband packages and £50 credit if you are charged for leaving your existing broadband supplier early.
Consistently great feedback on Speed and Reliability
Up to 300Mbps Broadband Speed available in some areas
Broadband and TV packages available
EE Broadband Review – The Not So Good
Limited availability on their high speed 145Mb+ broadband packages
EE Broadband – Ofcom Customer Satisfaction Survey Results
Final Verdict
EE broadband services are straight forward, no frills value for money. Their broadband service is provided via the BT Openreach network similar and is available across most areas in the UK.
EE are one of the few broadband providers that offer speeds of up to 300Mbps but availability is limited. If you are fortunate enough to live in a coverage area, this is extremely good value for money.
EE consistently scored above average across the board in the last Ofcom ISP review.
In most cases, you will be charged early cancellation or exit fees however, there are circumstances where you can cancel your broadband early without incurring any of these charges – we have listed them here.
How useful was this page?
Click on a star to rate it.
Average rating 4.7 / 5. Vote count: 19586
Be the first to rate this page.
We're sorry that this page was not useful for you.
In the past you needed to get a Migration Authorisation Code (MAC) from your current provider and give it to your new broadband provider.
You no longer need to do this if your current provider is on the Openreach network e.g. BT, Sky, Plusnet, TalkTalk, EE, John Lewis, etc. Your new provider will handle the switch for you.
If you are switching from a broadband provider that runs their own network like VirginMedia, you will need to contact them to cancel.
TV services/bundles also need to be cancelled directly.
How useful was this page?
Click on a star to rate it.
Average rating 4.7 / 5. Vote count: 19586
Be the first to rate this page.
We're sorry that this page was not useful for you.
Broadband speed of 10Mb will be okay for one or two individuals browsing the internet, sending emails and streaming Netflix.
A household of three to four moderate users would require a download speed of 30Mb.
If the members of your household are heavy users, i.e multiple people streaming movies/Netflix and using game consoles or online gaming, we recommend a download speed of over 30Mb.
How useful was this page?
Click on a star to rate it.
Average rating 4.7 / 5. Vote count: 19586
Be the first to rate this page.
We're sorry that this page was not useful for you.
To find out the best broadband speed that is available in your area, you can use the Ofcom availability checker. This will show you the maximum broadband speed that is available in your area. Ofcom Best Broadband Speed Checker (opens in a new tab)
How useful was this page?
Click on a star to rate it.
Average rating 4.7 / 5. Vote count: 19586
Be the first to rate this page.
We're sorry that this page was not useful for you.
Under Ofcom regulations, the speed advertised should be the estimated speed you are likely to experience at busy times of the day which tends to be between 8-10pm.
Your Internet Service Provider (ISP) should provide a minimum guaranteed speed for your broadband service.
If you do not get the speed that you were promised, get in touch with your ISP and give them the opportunity to resolve the problem.
If they can’t fix the problem within 30 days, they must allow you leave your contract without being penalised.
How useful was this page?
Click on a star to rate it.
Average rating 4.7 / 5. Vote count: 19586
Be the first to rate this page.
We're sorry that this page was not useful for you.
ADSL broadband is also referred to as Standard broadband which has an average download speed of 10 – 11Mbps. ADSL broadband is delivered through copper phone lines to transfer information. This is why you need a phone line for standard broadband.
Fibre broadband is faster and has top speeds well over 300Mbps. Fibre broadband uses optic cables to send and receive data as flashes of light which results in a quicker and more reliable connection.
Fibre broadband is available in two flavours:
Fibre to the Cabinet (FTTC)
The connection between the Exchange and the street Cabinet is fibre. The last leg from the Cabinet to your home will be cooper.
Fibre To The Premises (FTTP)
The whole length of the connection from the exchange to your property is fibre. This connection type is faster that FTTC and slightly more expensive and limited in availability.
How useful was this page?
Click on a star to rate it.
Average rating 4.7 / 5. Vote count: 19586
Be the first to rate this page.
We're sorry that this page was not useful for you.
Broadband traffic management or traffic shaping is when your broadband provider starts to prioritise one type of internet traffic. Typically during peak hours.
They do this to stop heavy users from using more bandwidth and thus slowing all other customers broadband connections.
Not all providers implement traffic shaping/management and some only implement it on certain broadband packages. Broadband providers are required to provide details of the traffic management policy in your contract.
How useful was this page?
Click on a star to rate it.
Average rating 4.7 / 5. Vote count: 19586
Be the first to rate this page.
We're sorry that this page was not useful for you.
The Cheapest type of broadband in the UK is ADSL broadband which offers broadband speed of around 11Mbps. The is also know as standard broadband and is offered my most UK broaband providers.
The cheapest ADSL can be found from provider such as Vodafone, Plusnet, Post office, etc. Checkout the cheapest standard unlimited broadband deals above.
How useful was this page?
Click on a star to rate it.
Average rating 4.7 / 5. Vote count: 19586
Be the first to rate this page.
We're sorry that this page was not useful for you.
If you would like broadband without a phone line, there are a number of options available for you.
The three main options are Cable Broadband, Full Fibre Broadband or mobile broadband. Check out this article for more information on how to get broadband without a phone line
How useful was this page?
Click on a star to rate it.
Average rating 4.7 / 5. Vote count: 19586
Be the first to rate this page.
We're sorry that this page was not useful for you.
We have made finding the best broadband deals in the UK in simple. On this page you will find a list of the top 6 broadband providers and the best UK broadband deals available this week for you to review.
These deals are from the most popular and reliable UK providers which amongst others include SKY, BT, Vodafone, Plusnet and John Lewis.
How useful was this page?
Click on a star to rate it.
Average rating 4.7 / 5. Vote count: 19586
Be the first to rate this page.
We're sorry that this page was not useful for you.
EE Broadband had the highest number of customers satisfied with the overall reliability of their broadband in the Ofcom Customer satisfaction survey published in August 2020. They were closely followed by BT (2nd) , VirginMedia & Plusnet (3rd) and Sky broadband in 4th.
How useful was this page?
Click on a star to rate it.
Average rating 4.7 / 5. Vote count: 19586
Be the first to rate this page.
We're sorry that this page was not useful for you.
This website uses cookies to improve your experience. We'll assume you're ok with this, but you can opt-out if you wish.AcceptRead More
Privacy & Cookies Policy
Privacy Overview
This website uses cookies to improve your experience while you navigate through the website. Out of these, the cookies that are categorized as necessary are stored on your browser as they are essential for the working of basic functionalities of the website. We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website. These cookies will be stored in your browser only with your consent. You also have the option to opt-out of these cookies. But opting out of some of these cookies may affect your browsing experience.
Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. This category only includes cookies that ensures basic functionalities and security features of the website. These cookies do not store any personal information.
Any cookies that may not be particularly necessary for the website to function and is used specifically to collect user personal data via analytics, ads, other embedded contents are termed as non-necessary cookies. It is mandatory to procure user consent prior to running these cookies on your website.
Virgin Media is one of the UK’s fastest broadband but is only available to approximately 53% of UK homes.
