100Mbps broadband is brilliant for busy households, where inhabitants are streaming, gaming and downloading simultaneously. We take a look at what's on offer and which providers you can choose from.
What is 100Mbps broadband?
The term '100Mbps broadband' refers to a superfast broadband service with average download speeds of 100 megabytes per second, or above.
A 100Mbps service great if you live in a busy family home or multiple occupancy student household, where a slower broadband connection may struggle to cope with the extra demands being made of it.
100Mbps broadband is especially apt if the inhabitants of your home like to play games online, stream HD or 4K video and download video games and movies. Or do all these things simultaneously.
Is 100Mbps fast?
Yes. 100Mbps is significantly faster than standard, copper broadband, which tops out at around 11Mbps. And it’s faster than regular fibre broadband, which completes the journey into the home using copper wiring and usually ranges between 36Mbps and 67Mbps depending on the provider.
A 100Mbps connection tends to require fibre-to-the-premises (FTTP) infrastructure, which is not yet available across the entire country. This kind of speed is more than enough for all but the largest of households or those who do a lot of gaming, streaming and creating online.
Can I get 100Mbps broadband deals in my area?
A wide range of household-name providers now offer 100Mbps broadband packages, but availability depends on the area in which you live.
If you enter your postcode into our availability checker, we'll show you the 100Mbps broadband packages on offer at your address.
Which providers offer 100Mbps broadband?
Depending on your location, the range of providers that offer 100Mbps broadband includes:
What are the pros and cons of 100Mbps broadband?
Not sure if 100Mbps broadband is right for you? We've outlined all the good and bad things you need to know about below...
Pros of 100Mbps broadband
- Speedy downloads
- Ideal for large households
- You get more done, faster
- Excellent for online gaming
Cons of 100Mbps broadband
- There will be cheaper broadband deals available
- If you light-usage household, you may end up paying more than you need to
Is it worth looking for 150Mbps broadband deals?
If you live in a large household, you enjoy gaming online or you use online creative tools for work, then it might be worth looking into a 150Mbps broadband deal.
The jump in speed will make online tasks even more rapid and ensure no nasty buffering, while many providers offer deals that are not that much more expensive than 100Mbps offerings.
How do I get the fastest speeds?
To get the fastest broadband speeds, such as 100Mbps broadband, you’ll need to have fibre-to-the-premises (FTTP) installed in your area. Such services aren’t yet available throughout the entire UK, but they are being rolled out quickly.
To see if you can get the fastest broadband speeds in your area, use our fibre to the premises postcode checker.
Sources and methodology
*Annual savings based on average monthly bill of £33.99 from nationally representative sample (1000) vs our cheapest monthly cost for superfast broadband (>55Mbs) £18.95/month, May 22. Annual saving: £180.48.
How fast is 100Mbps?
100Mbps broadband is impressively fast and will easily cope with large households of people who are online simultaneously. Even if they're putting major demands on their connection by playing games online or downloading HD movies.
Generally, a good internet speed is considered to be about 25Mbps or above. Those in the 100Mbps+ range are considered to be superfast.
You can always check the speed of your broadband to see how you measure up against any deal, and there are also a number of ways to improve your broadband speed if you feel like you're not getting what's advertised.
Does Virgin offer a 100Mbps broadband package?
Virgin Media’s M125 package is the closest it offers to a 100Mbps deal. With speeds up to 132Mbps, it’s the real deal.
What’s more, it’s the most widely available 100Mbps plus deal you can get in the UK right now, with over 16 million households covered, and also represents excellent value compared with similar deals.
In fact, Virgin offers superfast broadband with speeds up to 1000Mbps and beyond. However, these aren’t available everywhere – even in areas where its network is rolled out. Use our postcode checker to see what’s available for your postcode.
Is 100Mbps enough for two people?
It depends on what activities you do online, but 100Mbps should be more than enough for two people, even when gaming, streaming and browsing simultaneously.
Superfast broadband is built with larger households in mind, so if there’s just two of you, such a plan should be more than enough to take care of business.
Is 100Mbps fast enough for Netflix?
Yes, it’s more than enough. 100Mbps broadband is fast enough not only for Netflix’s HD offering, but also its 4K UHD plans. These cost more, but if you have a compatible TV, a 100Mbps plan will ensure you can stream shows in the highest possible quality with no buffering.
