The broadband reviews on this page were collated from over 3500 customer reviews on FasterBroadband and compiled in May 2022.
Keep in mind an unhappy customer is more likely to leave a review than a happy customer. We welcome positive reviews so potential broadband customers can make a better informed decision.
The reviews below do not necessarily reflect that of FasterBroadband. However, we're delighted to see B4RN, Zen, Vodafone and Plusnet taking top position.
B4RN retain 1st place for a second year running, beating off the competition by a country mile. B4RN (Broadband for the Rural North) are an independent ISP that don’t utilise the Openreach network. B4RN is a non-profit community benefit society providing 1Gbps FTTP broadband for £33 per month. Like most alternative networks, B4RN has modest beginnings, but it’s coverage is growing steadily and community spirit has no doubt helped it to be so successful.
Zen are the UK’s oldest ISP and still retains its company ethos, which is to focus on people first and profit second. Zen have previously heavily focussed on delivering business broadband but are now pushing back into the consumer market and taking on the big four; BT, TalkTalk, Virgin Media & Sky. Zen are not the cheapest broadband provider but surprisingly offer cheap phone line rental. We're pleased to see Zen gain 2nd place!
Vodafone have moved up to 3rd place this year. Their low prices and fast broadband options have helped to keep customers happy. Vodafone dropped their slower, cheaper ADSL standard connection options. They now offer only Fibre broadband with download speeds from 35Mbps to FTTP 900Mbps. Coverage is widely available via the CityFibre and Openreach network.
Plusnet are a quad play ISP providing a TV, phone, broadband and mobile service which uses the EE network. According to Ofcom, Plusnet’s customers reported higher than average customer satisfaction with their home phone and broadband service, despite above average call wait times. Plusnet are a no nonsense reliable broadband provider aimed at the budget end of the market.
Now broadband offer a widely available triple play service (TV, Phone & Broadband) with very competitive prices. They narrowly beat their sibling rival Sky Broadband overall, although Sky won when it came to customer service.
Sky are class leading when it comes to Pay TV. According to the data published by Ofcom, Sky had below industry average complaints for any of their subscription services during Q2 2020.
EE is part of the BT Group and has a very similar overall satisfaction and reliability rate according to the data produced by Ofcom (August 2020). EE also offer a 4G/5G home broadband service which requires no installation or phone line.
BT are the largest ISP in the UK, but certainly not the cheapest if you’re out of contract. Cashback and free gifts are a regular incentive to new customers, but if you’ve been with BT for over two years, it’s worth reviewing your current tariff. BT customers can get a free Smart Hub 2 router, arguably the best bundled Wi-Fi router on the market. However, the FritzBox router that comes free with Zen Broadband is a close contender.
NOTE: Post Office sold its phone and broadband business to Shell Energy in March 2021, we are actively seeking Shell energy customer feedback to see if things have improved. The Post Office were one of the cheapest ISP’s in the UK. However, when it comes to customer service and reliability there are some improvements to be made. The Post Office have scored below Industry average for both their home phone and broadband service. Our results for the Post Office are based on 897 customer reviews posted on FasterBroadband.
Virgin Media are currently crowned as the fastest (widely available) internet provider in the UK with an average top download speed of 1130Mbps. But - speed is not everything! Despite their glowing success with speed, Virgin Media had an above industry average complaint rate for all of their services (home phone, broadband, mobile phone and TV) in Q2, 2020. Our Virgin Media review score is based on 459 customer reviews submitted on FasterBroadband
A disappointing joint last place for TalkTalk. We received over 980 customer reviews for TalkTalk that painted a discouraging picture. Ofcom also reported that during Q2 2020 TalkTalk generated the highest volume of landline and broadband complaints per 100,000 subscribers. However, low overall prices are sure to keep customers coming through their doors.
