What are broadband only deals?
A ‘broadband only’ deal is a package that doesn’t include additional services such as TV, home phone or mobile phone calls and data.
It’s your best choice if you simply want to be able to get online, quickly and easily without the extra cost of services you don’t need, or won’t use.
On this page, we’re going to be taking you through the options you have for broadband only packages, as well as the pros and cons of signing up to a fibre broadband deal without any extra services.
What are my options for internet only deals?
There are three different types of broadband only deals you’ll find listed on Broadband Genie:
Broadband only
These are internet-only packages where you only pay the provider for broadband access.
That’s not to say you can’t ever use your home phone, though. Some providers allow you to make use of a phone service on a 'pay as you talk' basis, with a flexible add-on. Occasionally, you can also include free weekend or anytime calls on a rolling monthly basis.
If you do tend to use your home phone to chat to family and friends, but you’re wary of committing to a more expensive bundled deal, these flexible add-ons could be a good way to reduce your overall spend.
Broadband without a phone line
As standard, if you have access to a full fibre broadband network at home, it will rely on fibre optic cables and won’t need to use a phone line.
However, things are changing. By the end of December 2025, there are plans to switch off the UK’s public switched telephone network, so part-fibre connections using copper landlines will be a thing of the past. Once your connection is switched over, you’ll need to plug it into your Wi-Fi router, rather than your phone socket to make calls.
Make sure to check any emails from your provider carefully and keep an eye out for notifications on your changes to your broadband connection.
You should be given at least 4 weeks' notice for any changes. If you’re not happy with how an existing broadband and phone bundle will operate after the PSTN switch-off, you should have the right to refuse and downgrade to a ‘broadband only’ package.
We have more information in our guide, ‘PSTN switch off: top tips to get ready for Digital Voice’.
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Can I get full fibre yet?
The rollout of full fibre is still ongoing across the UK. There's a chance it’s not got to your home yet. You can always check whether you have access to a full fibre connection by popping your address and postcode into our deals checker at the top of this page. This will give you the best up-to-date information on the packages available to you. Openreach also has a full fibre checker. You can add your details here and get up-to-date information on full fibre rollouts in your area.
Mobile broadband deals
There are now plenty of options for wireless broadband only options without the need for any fixed line at all. You can sign up for a portable dongle, or alternatively, mobile home broadband packages allow you to connect all your internet-enabled devices to a broadband router that receives a 4G or 5G signal.
As well as being available on a fixed contract, mobile 4G or 5G home broadband packages from the likes of Three also come on a flexible rolling-monthly option.
See also:
Which providers offer just broadband packages?
There’s a good selection of internet service providers offering broadband only deals. These include:
Whether you can sign up to these providers will depend on your location. To find out, try entering your address into our deals checker.
What are the best broadband only deals?
Add your address into the top of this page for a full list of great deals available to you. Alternatively, here’s the Genie's top three best broadband only deals you can currently sign up to:
What are the cheapest internet only deals in the UK?
The deals below show the cheapest broadband only deals available.
A word of warning, though. Cheap doesn't always mean ‘best value’. You may find that you pay a lower price per month for a broadband only deal, but you’re expected to pay a higher setup fee upfront before activation.
The best way to research this is by adding your address into our postcode checker. If you click the ‘offer details and pricing’ dropdown, you’ll be able to see the ‘effective monthly cost’, which takes into account any set-up costs or reward card savings.
To learn more about the cheapest broadband deals on the market, visit our cheap broadband page.
What should I look for when comparing the cheapest broadband only packages?
Download speeds
Wondering what broadband speed you need? You can use the following average download speeds as a rough guide.
- 35Mb fibre broadband: A superfast fibre internet connection is usually enough for a small household, with 1-3 devices streaming at the same time.
- 67Mb fibre broadband : This is a good option for medium-sized households of up to 4 people. An internet package with average download speeds of 67 mbps can support multiple heavy users at the same time (e.g. streaming or gaming).
- 100Mb+: These ultrafast speeds are usually found with full-fibre or Virgin Media deals. This kind of speed is suitable for the heaviest users: large households with many devices streaming, online gaming, or video calling simultaneously. If average speeds go up to 1Gb, this is known as ‘Gigabit broadband’.
For more help, you can read our easy guide to broadband speeds.
Monthly price
Don’t always assume slower speeds are price cheaper. As the UK is working to close down its traditional telephone network, providers are noticeably phasing out their slower ADSL broadband packages. For this reason, it’s not unusual to currently see these priced higher than a basic fibre optic broadband deal.
Pay attention to the notes in our ‘offer details and pricing’ section. Many broadband providers increase their prices every spring (even during your contract agreement).
You can find out more about this in our ‘guide to broadband increases in 2024’.
Effective monthly cost
If a package includes a voucher when you sign up, or any other special offers, we’ll take this off the total price of your contract. We’ll then divide this total up by the number of months in your contract. This is the ‘effective monthly cost’. You’ll be able to check this when you click on the ‘offer details and pricing’ arrow in our comparison tables. Rewards can be a great way of reducing the total expense.
Contract length
The total length of your deal and the time you agree to commit to a broadband service. No-contract deals (also sometimes referred to as ‘rolling monthly deals’) are available. However, eventually, longer contract lengths mostly end up working out more cost-effective. You’ll pay less per month for a 24-month contract or 18-month contract than you will for a 12-month contract.
Just be sure to consider your circumstances before you commit to a bargain buy. Can you be certain you’ll still want this service in two years’ time?
Will I save money with an internet only deal?
Here are some things to consider:
- Broadband deals that don't include a TV deal will almost always be cheaper than a broadband and TV deal.
- Broadband deals that don't include a calls package are sometimes cheaper than equivalent deals with free calls package included. This isn’t always the case, though. For example, Virgin Media pushes its bundle broadband, phone and TV deals hard, but pay attention! It’s not unusual to be able to add on bundled calls for very little extra expense.
- If you're going to frequently make landline calls, it often works out cheaper to include landline phone deals such as ‘free evening and weekend calls’ rather than pay as you go.
- Broadband only deals are less likely to come with large gift cards for new customers. Play your cards right, and you could use a larger rewards card to slim down the effective monthly cost on a bundle deal and make it just as appealing!
Is a broadband bundle deal a better option?
Bundling TV with broadband can be a great way to save money, provided you actually need the TV service. It's often cheaper to get your broadband, home phone, and TV services from the same provider. If you're unsure, be sure to tally up what you're currently spending for each of these (don't forget to include any subscriptions such as Netflix). Then, head over to our broadband, TV and phone deals comparison to see if you can make savings.
Frequently asked questions about broadband only deals
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Can I get fibre internet without a phone line?
Some internet service providers (ISPs) still currently use an active telephone line to provide you with a broadband connection. However, as providers on the Openreach network will be affected by the telephone network switch off, you shouldn’t need a phone line connection after December 2025. Keep an eye out for emails and notices from your current provider on changes to your service.
You can be sure you won’t need a phone line for any full fibre broadband packages (FTTP), or if you sign up to Virgin Media. Virgin uses its own cable network.
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Can I get broadband without any cables, lines, or wires?
Most broadband deals require a physical network connection, but there are some options for getting wireless broadband without any kind of line. This includes 4G and 5G broadband over a mobile network, and satellite broadband. Visit our guide to wireless broadband for more information on this topic.
Expert Summary
If you’re looking for a ‘Broadband Only’ deal, think carefully about what you actually want.
Although it sounds like the best way to get a bargain, broadband only deals can regularly end up being a false economy unless you’re certain you don’t need any other services that provider offers. Don’t fret, though; most ISPs will allow you to upgrade within a contract period if you realise you do want to add on phone or TV packages.