Broadband-only deals: the sensible default for most UK households
For most UK households in 2026, broadband-only is not the budget option: it is the smart one. Mobile has replaced landline calls, streaming services have replaced traditional TV, and bundled packages often duplicate what households already pay for separately. The typical saving from unbundling runs £10 to £20 per month, or £120 to £240 per year. This page shows where broadband-only genuinely wins, the specific profiles where a bundle still makes sense, and what the 2027 PSTN switch-off means for readers who still want a landline.
The six things to know first
You probably already pay for Netflix and Disney+
If your household has streaming subscriptions, bundled TV packages mostly duplicate what you already watch. Unbundling lets you keep only what you use.
Mobile has replaced landline calls for most people
Inclusive UK mobile minutes, plus WhatsApp, FaceTime, Teams and other apps, cover nearly all personal calls. Paying £5 to £10/month for a landline line most households never use is money wasted.
Simpler switching at renewal
Only one service is tied to your contract, so One Touch Switch is faster and there's no TV-box return or phone-number porting to co-ordinate when you change provider.
Transparent pricing, easier to compare
Bundles make like-for-like comparison hard because every provider bundles different things. Broadband-only strips it back to one number per month that you can genuinely compare across UK providers.
Digital Voice is included when you need phone
"Broadband-only" increasingly includes Digital Voice (calls over your router) at no extra cost. You can still have a phone number without paying for a bundled phone package.
Bundles still win in specific cases
Heavy Sky Sports or Sky Cinema watchers, households with care alarms that need a traditional landline, or people with specific telehealth devices: bundles can genuinely be cheaper here.
Compare broadband-only deals at your postcode
See live UK broadband-only deals at your address, sorted cheapest first. Fibre, FTTC, cable and wireless options, no bundled extras you pay twice for.
Enter your postcode →What broadband-only actually means in 2026
A broadband-only deal gives you an internet connection and the router to use it, without a bundled TV package, without an active landline service, and without bolt-on extras. You pay one monthly price for one service. Typical UK speeds range from around 35 Mbps FTTC up to 1 Gbps and beyond on full fibre, and monthly prices run £22 to £42 depending on speed and provider.
One nuance matters in 2026 and after: "broadband-only" does not necessarily mean "no phone service at all." Many UK broadband packages now include Digital Voice at no extra cost. That is phone calls over your broadband router, using a standard handset plugged into the router rather than a wall socket. Readers who want to keep a phone number can almost always do so on a broadband-only plan without moving to a bundled phone package. See the PSTN switch-off section below for the full story.
What broadband-only is not: it is not a cheaper or worse version of bundled broadband. The speed, the technology (FTTP, FTTC, cable), and the underlying service are identical to what you get in a bundle. The only difference is what you choose to pay for alongside it.
Why broadband-only is the sensible default
The standard UK comparison-site framing treats broadband-only as the budget option and bundles as the premium one. That framing made sense in 2010, when landline calls were still common and most households watched linear TV. In 2026, for most UK households, the framing is upside-down. Four specific shifts have made broadband-only the rational default.
Mobile has displaced landline calls
UK mobile ownership is near-universal and inclusive minutes are standard on almost every tariff. Between that, WhatsApp, FaceTime, Teams and similar apps, most households make essentially all their calls without touching a landline for months at a time.
Streaming has displaced linear TV
Netflix, Disney+, Amazon Prime Video, Apple TV+, iPlayer, All4 and ITVX cover the vast majority of UK viewing for most households. A bundled TV package often duplicates shows you can already watch elsewhere, at extra cost per month.
Transparent pricing, easier to switch
Bundles obscure what you are paying for what. Broadband-only gives you one price you can compare like-for-like across every UK provider. When your contract ends, One Touch Switch is simpler with nothing else tied in.
Faster setup, fewer moving parts
Broadband-only orders generally activate faster than bundles because there is no second service to configure or engineer-install. For FTTP, you still get the fibre engineer; for FTTC and cable, setup is usually plug-and-play.
The true cost comparison: 5 UK household profiles
The honest comparison between broadband-only and bundled is not one number against another: it depends on what the household actually watches, who they call, and what they already subscribe to. Below are five common UK household profiles with representative monthly costs. The highlighted rows are the ones where broadband-only wins cleanly. That covers the typical household.
| Household profile | Bundled (£/mo) | Broadband-only + current subs (£/mo) | Best choice |
|---|---|---|---|
| Light TV, mobile-first (young couple) | £48 (BB + TV + phone) | £28 (BB-only, streaming already paid) | Broadband-only (saves £20/mo) |
| Netflix + Disney+ household (family of 4) | £52 (BB + TV with duplicated content) | £30 (BB-only, keep subs already held) | Broadband-only (saves £22/mo) |
| Occasional sports viewer (NOW Sports monthly) | £55 (BB + TV + occasional sports pass) | £42 (BB-only + NOW Sports month as needed) | Broadband-only (saves £13/mo) |
| Heavy Sky Sports + Cinema user | £65 (Sky bundle, incl. broadband discount) | £75 (BB-only + Sky Stream at full price) | Bundle (Sky saves £10/mo) |
| Landline-dependent (elderly relative, care alarm) | £45 (BB + traditional phone line) | £32 (BB-only with Digital Voice included) | Broadband-only + DV (saves £13/mo, but check alarm first) |
The pattern is clear: for four of these five common UK profiles, broadband-only saves £13 to £22 per month, or £156 to £264 per year. Only the heavy Sky user benefits from a bundle, because Sky actively discounts broadband when you take their TV package to keep you on the platform. For every other household, unbundling is straightforward money back.
Example figures are representative. Your specific deals may differ. The comparison tool below shows actual prices at your postcode; do the same "bundled vs broadband-only + subs I already have" calculation with real numbers.
When a bundle still genuinely wins
The page would not be honest if it claimed broadband-only always wins. Three specific profiles get genuine value from a bundle, and readers who recognise themselves should stop here and switch to a more appropriate page.
Heavy Sky Sports or Sky Cinema viewer
Sky actively discounts broadband when you take their TV package, effectively subsidising the connection to retain you. For households who would buy Sky TV anyway, bundling saves £10 to £15 per month versus buying broadband and Sky Stream separately. See Sky TV deals.
Care alarms or telehealth needing traditional landline
Some legacy care alarms, telehealth devices and security systems were designed for analogue landlines and may not work reliably with Digital Voice. If you have one of these devices, a traditional phone line bundle (while it still exists) can be a safer choice. See our care alarm compatibility guide and the PSTN switch-off section below.
Older household relying on landline daily
Some elderly relatives genuinely prefer a traditional home phone for daily calls and may not use mobile or streaming at all. Here, a broadband-plus-phone bundle gives a familiar experience and an inclusive-calls phone line without fuss. See our switching for elderly relatives guide.
Decision matrix: broadband-only or bundle?
Assuming both options are available at your address, these patterns reliably predict the right call.
Unbundling saves you money
The sensible default for most UK households when
- You already subscribe to Netflix, Disney+, or similar streaming services
- Household uses mobile phones for almost all personal calls
- You do not watch Sky Sports or Sky Cinema regularly enough to justify a TV subscription
- You want transparent pricing that is easy to compare and switch at renewal
- You only need occasional sports or premium TV: NOW passes can cover this ad-hoc
- You want a phone number via Digital Voice but not a paid phone bundle
- You are a renter, student, or mover who values flexibility over bundled extras
A bundle genuinely fits
Where bundled still makes sense
- You are a heavy Sky Sports or Sky Cinema viewer and would buy it anyway: see broadband and TV deals
- Your household has a care alarm or telehealth device requiring a traditional landline: see broadband and phone deals
- An elderly relative relies on landline calls daily: see broadband and phone deals
- You want a "one price, everything included" feel and don't mind paying a little more
- Your specific provider runs a bundle where the TV discount outweighs the duplicated content
- You value a unified bill and single point of contact across multiple services
If you fall between these profiles, start with broadband-only and add services only when you need them. It is easier to add than remove. Bundles often have minimum terms on the TV or phone component that lock you in independently of the broadband term.
What to check before ordering broadband-only
Five checks that make sure broadband-only is genuinely the right fit before you commit.
Five-step broadband-only check
Run through each before you switch.
List your actual TV viewing habits
If you mainly watch Netflix, Disney+, iPlayer, ITVX, All4, YouTube: broadband-only is comfortably the right choice. If you watch live Sky Sports most weekends or Sky Cinema regularly, look at broadband and TV deals instead.
Check whether anyone in the household uses the landline
If nobody has made a landline call in the last 3 months, you don't need a bundled phone. If an elderly household member uses it daily, a broadband-only package with Digital Voice included is usually enough. Verify the provider includes DV at no cost.
Audit any connected device that needs landline
Care alarms, telehealth pendants, monitored security systems, older fax machines, some medical devices. See our care alarm compatibility guide. If you have any of these, confirm Digital Voice compatibility with the device manufacturer before switching.
Compare broadband-only prices across providers at your postcode
Prices vary significantly by address. Altnets like Hyperoptic, Community Fibre, Gigaclear and YouFibre often beat mainstream broadband-only prices where they serve. The live comparison tool below shows what is actually available.
Check social tariff eligibility first
Several UK social tariffs (Ofcom, n.d.) are broadband-only and priced £12 to £20 per month for eligible households on qualifying benefits. If anyone in your household qualifies, check social tariff options before committing to a standard broadband-only deal.
PSTN switch-off: what it means for landlines
The UK's traditional analogue phone network (PSTN) is scheduled to be switched off on 31 January 2027. After that date, every landline call in the UK travels over broadband infrastructure: typically via Digital Voice, which is a phone call routed through your broadband router rather than a dedicated copper wire to your wall socket.
For broadband-only customers, this is good news. Three specific implications matter:
Digital Voice is usually included free
Major UK providers (BT, Sky, Virgin Media, Vodafone) now bundle Digital Voice at no extra cost with their broadband plans. You can keep your phone number and make/receive calls from a standard handset plugged into your router.
Bundled phone packages are increasingly obsolete
The traditional "add landline for £6-10/month" bundle is fading out because Digital Voice does the same thing free. Paying for a separate phone package makes decreasing sense as the switch-off approaches.
Check devices that depend on traditional phone lines
Some care alarms, security systems, fax machines, and telehealth devices were designed for analogue PSTN and may not work reliably with Digital Voice. Check with the device manufacturer before switching. See our compatibility guide and Digital Voice explained.
The net effect: "broadband-only" in 2026 often includes phone service via Digital Voice at no extra cost, making it a strictly better deal than a traditional broadband-plus-phone bundle for most households. The only exceptions are the device-compatibility edge cases above.
Live broadband-only deals at your postcode
Broadband-only is available from almost every UK provider and altnet. The full comparison tool also shows bundled alternatives if you want to double-check a bundle is not genuinely cheaper for your household.
Broadband-only: frequently asked questions
Is broadband-only actually cheaper than a bundle?
For most UK households, yes. Typical saving is £10 to £20 per month, or £120 to £240 per year, because bundled packages often duplicate streaming services and landline usage you have elsewhere. Exceptions exist: heavy Sky Sports or Sky Cinema users, households with landline-dependent care devices, and older relatives who use phone daily. The 5-profile cost table above shows the pattern.
Can I still have a phone number on a broadband-only deal?
Yes, usually at no extra cost. Major UK providers now include Digital Voice (phone calls over your broadband router) free with most broadband plans. You plug a standard handset into the router and use it as a normal phone. Your old landline number can usually be transferred (ported) to Digital Voice when you switch. See our Digital Voice guide.
Will my care alarm or security system work on broadband-only with Digital Voice?
Maybe, depending on the specific device. Some newer care alarms and security systems are Digital Voice compatible; some older models were designed for analogue PSTN and may not work reliably. Always check with the device manufacturer before switching. The PSTN switch-off on 31 January 2027 means this matters for everyone eventually. Our compatibility guide covers the checks.
Is the speed or reliability different from bundled broadband?
No. The underlying broadband connection is identical: same speeds, same technology (FTTP, FTTC, cable, 4G/5G), same reliability. Whether you bundle TV and phone on top makes no difference to the broadband itself. The saving comes entirely from removing extras you were paying for but not fully using.
Can I get full fibre (FTTP) on broadband-only?
Yes, on every UK FTTP network that serves your address. Major providers (BT, Sky, Virgin Media, Vodafone) and altnets (Hyperoptic, Community Fibre, YouFibre, Gigaclear, Zen, Cuckoo, BeFibre, Toob, etc.) all offer broadband-only FTTP options. The live comparison tool above shows availability at your postcode. See also the full fibre deals page.
What happens to my existing landline if I switch to broadband-only?
Depends on your current setup. If you currently have a traditional PSTN landline, it will be replaced by Digital Voice (which plugs into the router) or disconnected entirely, depending on what you tell the new provider you want. Your phone number can usually be ported to Digital Voice so you keep the same number. If you don't want phone service at all, the provider simply does not activate Digital Voice.
Are broadband-only deals available as rolling 1-month contracts?
Yes, from a number of UK providers. Rolling broadband-only deals are popular with renters, students, and short-stay tenants. They typically carry the usual flexibility premium of £5 to £15 per month over 12-month equivalents. See our rolling 1-month deals page for the full analysis.
Do any UK social tariffs come as broadband-only?
Yes, several do. UK social tariffs (Ofcom, n.d.) from BT, Sky, Virgin Media, Vodafone and others are typically broadband-only at £12 to £20 per month for eligible households on qualifying benefits. If anyone in your household qualifies, check social tariff options first. They can be significantly cheaper than standard broadband-only deals. See our social tariffs guide.
References
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Ofcom
Ofcom. (2024, July 19). Ofcom bans mid-contract price rises linked to inflation. ofcom.org.uk
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Ofcom
Ofcom. (2024, September 12). Simpler and quicker broadband switching is here. ofcom.org.uk
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Ofcom
Ofcom. (n.d.). Social tariffs: cheaper broadband for people on benefits. Retrieved 23 April 2026, from ofcom.org.uk
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