What types of broadband can you get on a 12-month contract?
Need 12-month broadband for your home? Depending on availability at your address, you can typically choose from standard broadband, fibre or satellite broadband with a variety of download speeds.
Mobile broadband on 12-month contracts is also easy to come by from the likes of Three, Vodafone and O2.
How to compare and switch broadband
There are three simple steps to compare broadband deals and switch providers
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Check you're out of contract
Ensure you're no longer within the minimum terms of the contract length with your current broadband provider. You can find out by looking at your original contract, confirmation email, or by contacting their customer service.
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Enter your postcode and choose a personalised bundle
We algorithmically sort broadband packages based on your location, the speed you'd get, and how much it costs.
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Complete your switch
Your new provider should contact your current provider and arrange the switch for you. And you'll receive letters and emails updating you on this.
What are the pros and cons of 12-month broadband?
Not sure if 12-month broadband is right for you? To help you make up your mind, below we’ve outlined what’s good about it and everything that’s not so good…
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You’re not signing up for 18 months or 24 months.
So it's much less of a commitment
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Prices are in line with longer-term contracts
Which means you won't pay more even though you're committing for a shorter period
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Ideal if you’re taking out a one-year lease on a rental property
They're perfect if you're on a one-year lease on a rental property, in student accommodation, or in a short-term let
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More flexible than longer-term deals
If you have to cancel, you won't have to pay up a really long contract
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Nine-month or one-month deals are available
if you’re looking for a shorter commitment, deals are on the market
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Longer term deals let you lock into a fixed price
Some providers freeze prices for the duration of a 24-month contract term
Which broadband providers offer 12-month broadband?
Community Fibre offers fibre-to-the-premises (FTTP) broadband in various boroughs of London, with ultrafast speeds up to 920Mbps. Contracts are available with a choice of 12-months or 24-month terms, both of which include free installation and the option to add calls.
Hyperoptic has an independent FTTP broadband network all over the country, in select neighbourhoods or buildings. With broadband speeds up to 1Gbps, it offers some of the fastest broadband in the UK. Pick between its 12-month, 24-month, or one-month contracts.
NOW Broadband offers cheap, reliable fibre and standard broadband on 12-month contracts. All packages include anytime calls for 12 months as standard and line rental. No activation fee.
Onestream simply offers great value superfast fibre optic broadband with speeds up to 67Mbps plus landlines, available nationwide. Take your choice of a 12-month, 24-month, or rolling one-month contract.
Plusnet is one of the UK’s best customer-rated providers, with 12-month contracts available on standard and fibre packages. However, be aware that you can't buy these online - you'll need to contact Plusnet directly. A small activation fee also typically applies.
How to get a better broadband deal
Whether you're looking for cheap and cheerful or high-spec full fibre broadband, everyone's needs are different. Finding the best deal for you starts with understanding how you plan to use it or if bundling your services lower your monthly bill.
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Are you still within your contract?
If you're still in your minimum term, you'd be subject to an early repayment charge if you ended your contract early.
If you're out of contract or approaching the end, you can switch without penality.
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Can you get a better deal for the same price?
A tariff may offer everything you're looking for, but does it come to the right monthly price and offer good value for money? Shop around to find the right tariff at the best possible price.
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Can you get any bundles, freebies, or cashback?
Many providers offer tempting incentives, such as cashback or gift cards to new customers. These may help bring down the cost of an expensive broadband deal, although you should also consider whether these gifts are as important as factors such as speed and cost.
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Broadband explained
Can I get broadband on a monthly contract?
You can. Although you won’t get quite same sort of selection of providers and deals to choose from as longer-term broadband deals. And you’ll usually be liable for set-up costs.
Does Virgin Media offer 12-month contracts?
No. Right now, Virgin Media only offers 18-month and 24-month contracts on its broadband, home phone, and TV packages.
Does Sky offer 12-month contracts?
No. Right now, Sky only offers 18-month deals on its broadband and TV packages. Sky Glass is available on longer-term deals – but not 12-month ones.
Does BT offer 12-month contracts?
No – at least, not for broadband. Right now, BT only offers long two-year deals on its packages. That includes broadband on its own, or bundled with TV.
If you just want a BT landline, however, all its phone line packages are available on a 12-month basis.
What are the best 12-month broadband and TV deals?
Not many providers offer 12-month broadband and TV bundles, especially as TV deals tend to be 18 or 24 months. But NOW Broadband is worth a look.
That’s because you can sign up for a 12-month broadband package and then add or subtract TV add-ons whenever you like, meaning you can access Entertainment, Movies or Sports plans, with the best shows, films and live Premier League action without committing to a long contract.
What other contract lengths are available?
These days, most broadband contracts last 18 months or 24 months. That obviously means sticking with one provider for a longer time, but the benefit is that they tend to be cheaper – and let you lock that price in for a longer time.
A few providers also offer no-contract broadband also known as 1-month rolling contract broadband. This works on a 30-day rolling basis, so you only pay for a month’s worth of broadband and can cancel it at any point with no penalty fees.
If you know you’re going to be at your property for a set period, then you can also take out short term broadband or 6-month broadband deals. The latter will allow you to take out a longer contract, but won’t tie you in for a major period, meaning you can end your plan when you move home. This is a great option for students. Remember you’ll be bound by contract terms on such deals, so you won’t be able to leave early without paying a penalty.
It’s a great option if you only need broadband temporarily or don’t want to sign up long-term. Just be aware that the shorter the contract length, the more you’ll likely be paying – and no-contract broadband usually comes with high upfront costs too.
Can you get pay-as-you-go broadband instead of a 12-month contract?
You can’t get pay-as-you go home broadband. However, you can get short term broadband by purchasing a MiFi or wireless dongle, which uses a mobile signal to deliver the internet via a SIM card. You can then pay a network to top this up with data as you need.
You can get such dongles on a longer contract too. The benefit of that is that you won’t need to pay as much up front for the device and that you can take it with you when you move, providing maximum flexibility.
Be aware that 4G dongles are likely to offer far slower speeds than home broadband, especially inside. A growing number of 5G dongles does, however, mean you can get home broadband speeds, although the cost is higher.
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Reviewed on 10 Dec 2025 by
