Do you need a landline for broadband?
It’s a sticky question: if you want a broadband connection in the UK, are you required to take a phone line with it too? The answer is a little bit complicated.
Unlock a year of rewards with SuperSaveClub i
Price Promise - we price match and more
Bundle your landline or SIM with your broadband
*Average speeds are based on the download speeds of at least 50% of customers at peak time (8pm to 10pm). Speed can be affected by a range of technical and environmental factors. The speed you receive where you live may be lower than that listed above. You can check the estimated speed to your property prior to purchasing.
Fibre/cable services at your postcode are subject to availability. You can confirm availability on the provider's website.
Some broadband providers may increase monthly prices each year during your contract. Please refer to individual broadband provider's terms and conditions before signing up.
Broadband has traditionally been delivered to your home via phone lines – copper phone lines maintained by Openreach in particular. You may remember years ago when broadband was available as an add-on to your phone bill.
These days, broadband is a little more powerful and there’s more choice, including the option of broadband-only deals. But if you want a landline phone, it still makes good sense to get both broadband and your phone service from a single provider. After all, it can all be delivered along the same cables and according to Ofcom, it can be between 17% and 34% cheaper to buy a bundle of services rather than individually through standalone providers.ii
Many providers offer pay-as-you-go calls and line rental as standard with their broadband packages, with the option to add on inclusive calls. Others – including a lot of full-fibre broadband providers – charge extra to add a home phone, though now offer mobile phone plans if you'd prefer to bundle that instead.
Just pick the broadband package of your choice, then pick your choice of home phone or SIM plan to go with it.
ii Ofcom Pricing Trends Report 2023
If you’re looking for a better deal on broadband and landline tariffs, you might consider combining both into a bundle with the same provider. This can offer benefits including:
Discounted price: You may find a cheaper deal by combining products, as providers often offer discounts if you sign up for multiple services, and if you plan to buy a landline service anyway, bundling services tend to cost less ii
Incentives: Some deals might also offer other incentives, such as cashback or free gifts, to tempt you into a bundle deal
Less hassle: Getting your broadband and landline from the same provider can make it easier to manage your bills and accounts as you’ll only be dealing with one point of contact for both
However, it can get complicated if you decide you only want to switch to one of the two services. You might not be able to get the same level of discount as you would with both. If you think this is likely to affect you, it’s worth asking your provider beforehand if they can work something out.
Likewise, consider how much you'll use your landline. Ofcom found that 52% of households with a landline service bundled with their broadband did not make an outgoing call in Q2 of 2023 ii - so consider if you need it, or if switching to a broadband only deal would suit you better and save you money.
There are three simple steps to compare broadband deals and switch providers
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.
We algorithmically sort broadband packages based on your location, the speed you'd get, and how much it costs.
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.
There are advantages and disadvantages to broadband and home phone packages. Here are some things to consider:
It’s incredibly easy – many providers expect you’ll be bundling up or want the option
Bundling saves you money
You have more choice over your broadband provider if you’re happy to have home phone included too
If you don’t use your home phone, you could end up paying line rental fees for something you don’t use
In some cases, it can cost more – e.g. full fibre providers like Virgin Media and Hyperoptic that charge more to include home phone
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.
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.
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.
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.
Use our postcode checker to filter what's available in your local area
To compare broadband deals, we'll need your postcode.
Find out your download speed, upload speed, and ping - all for free, and in under a minute
Check you're getting what you pay for
See if you can switch to a faster, or cheaper, provider
MoneySuperMarket has won the Feefo Platinum Trusted Service Award, an independent seal of excellence, which recognises businesses that consistently deliver a world-class customer experience.
When comparing broadband and phone bundles, you’ll want to get the best deal. Here’s what to consider when it comes to broadband:
Speed: Your broadband speed is one of the most important factors, so you need a rough idea of what you’ll use the internet for. For example, streaming ultra-HD video or online gaming are data-intensive activities. And if you live in a large household, where more than five devices are used at any one time, you'll want the extra bandwidth.
Availability: Some providers can't offer certain connection types or speeds everywhere, which is why we ask for your postcode. This helps us find the best deals available in your location.
Download limit: If you’re a heavy broadband user it’s likely you’ll need an unlimited downloads package. Most deals now offer unlimited downloads, but some services have a fair usage policy that might restrict the amount you can download at certain times of the day.
Bundling: Do you want just a broadband connection, or would you also like to bundle it with TV channels or consolidate all your services under one triple-play connection?
Equipment: You might also need new equipment when you switch provider, such as a new router. Most providers will include this for free, but you may be charged if you fail to return your old router to your previous supplier.
Freebies: You might want to take advantage of free gifts and incentives offered with some broadband and phone deals, such as vouchers, gift cards and cashback. Occasionally a provider might even offer free tech such as laptops and tablets.
Support: It’s frustrating and annoying, but almost inevitable that your internet access or Wi-Fi will one day go down. Having a helpful customer support team on hand can make a huge difference, and checking what previous customers have said about a provider could indicate what you can expect if you sign up.
Contract length: You might be able to choose a 12-month, 18-month or 24-month contract, or even a rolling monthly contract, depending on the provider and what you personally need. Keep in mind that there may be early exit fees in place if you want to switch before you contract ends.
Cost: The price you pay for broadband is probably the most important factor involved in making a decision. This is why comparing your options is such a useful step, as it can help you find the right deal for the best available price. The monthly cost is the most important to consider, but there might also be a one-off setup fee. The price of some deals also jumps up after the initial contract period, so make a note of this and look to switch before you start paying more.
Take a look at our other broadband provider guides for more information.
There are certain factors to consider when choosing a landline package, such as:
Free call periods: You might get set periods when you can make free calls, such as inclusive evening calls or weekend calls, but check whether it applies to landlines or mobiles.
Free monthly minutes: Some providers offer a certain number of free minutes every month.
Free call rates: You should keep an eye on how long the calls are free for. For example, they may only be free for the first 20 minutes or hour, and if they last any longer you’ll be charged the standard rate.
International calls: Many providers charge extra for international calls, as well as calls to mobile phones and numbers with premium rates, such as those starting with 0845 and 0870. If you’ll be making a lot of these calls, it might be worth looking for a tariff that offers cheaper rates.
You might be able to find a broadband deal that includes a mobile phone tariff, but these are rare. They’re usually called ‘quad-play’, and only a handful of providers offer them.
Quad-play tariffs also include landline and TV to make a single bundle for all four services. They can make things easier to manage in terms of bills and points of contact, but you could be better off separating them and comparing options for a cheaper deal.
Before committing to a quad-play tariff, check if a separate SIM-only deal would cost less than bundling all these services together, especially if you don't need landlines or TV.
If you’re looking for a combined broadband and landline deal, comparing tariffs on MoneySuperMarket is the easiest way to find the best available deal. We’ll show you deals from a range of providers.
Just pop in your postcode and tell us about the kind of tariff you want, including:
The average speeds you need
The download limit you prefer
Any other services you want to include
The minimum or maximum amount you want to pay
Whether you want to pay anything upfront
Deals with no credit check
Then we’ll find you a list of deals for you to sort through, and once you’ve found the one you want you can just click through to the provider to finalise your purchase.
If you're running a business or procuring broadband on behalf of one, you're likely better off choosing a connection designed for business use, even if you're a small business.
