FTTC broadband deals: compare fibre-to-the-cabinet at your postcode
FTTC (fibre to the cabinet) remains the most widely-available broadband in the UK and is genuinely sufficient for most typical households. This page explains how FTTC works, why your speed depends on distance from the street cabinet, when it still makes sense to choose it, and when it is time to upgrade to full fibre instead.
The six things to know first
Fibre to the cabinet, copper to the home
FTTC uses fibre optic from the exchange to a green street cabinet, then the existing copper phone line for the last stretch to your property. That copper section caps top speed.
Up to 80 Mbps advertised
The two common UK tiers are "up to 38 Mbps" and "up to 80 Mbps". Real speeds sit a little below the headline and depend on how far your home is from the cabinet.
Distance is the main variable
Closer to the cabinet (200m): 70 to 80 Mbps typical. Mid-range (500m): 40 to 60 Mbps. Far from the cabinet (1000m+): 20 to 35 Mbps. Your exact speed depends on your address.
Still enough for most households
A 50 to 70 Mbps FTTC line handles HD streaming, video calls, gaming and browsing for typical families of 2 to 4 people. Most UK homes do not yet need more.
£22 to £35 per month is typical
FTTC is usually the cheapest fixed-line broadband option. Setup fees of £0 to £29 depending on promotion; contracts almost always 18 or 24 months.
FTTP is the upgrade path
If full fibre has reached your street, you can switch up for faster, more consistent speeds and often symmetrical upload. FTTP has grown rapidly across the UK.
Compare FTTC broadband at your postcode
See live FTTC deals from 20+ UK providers at your address. Or, if full fibre has reached your street, we will show that too.
Enter your postcode →What FTTC actually is
FTTC stands for "fibre to the cabinet". The technology works in two halves. The first half is fibre optic: a fibre cable runs from the telephone exchange to the green metal cabinet you see on street corners across the UK. These cabinets were originally just copper junction boxes; Openreach upgraded tens of thousands of them to fibre between 2009 and the late 2010s.
The second half is copper. From the cabinet to your house, the signal travels on the existing BT phone line, which is a thin copper wire. Copper is a slower medium than fibre, and its signal degrades with distance. That is why FTTC is a "part fibre" rather than "full fibre" technology, and why top speed is capped at around 80 Mbps even on a short line.
Before FTTC came ADSL: pure copper all the way. ADSL topped out around 24 Mbps on a short line and much less on a long one. FTTC was the big leap that made consistent 50 to 70 Mbps feasible for most of the UK. See our ADSL guide for that older technology, or FTTP for the newer one.
Why your FTTC speed depends on distance
This is the single most important thing to understand about FTTC. Two houses on the same road can get very different speeds on the same product, because the copper-wire distance from the cabinet differs.
70 to 80 Mbps typical
At short distances the copper signal is strong and the full advertised speed is usually delivered. This is the best-case FTTC outcome and what headline speeds reflect.
40 to 60 Mbps typical
Most UK FTTC connections sit in this range, which is enough for most households but noticeably below the 80 Mbps advertised ceiling.
20 to 35 Mbps typical
On long copper runs, speeds fall sharply. In this range, ADSL-grade speeds are not uncommon despite paying for "80 Mbps" FTTC. Check your estimated speed before ordering.
UK FTTC speed tiers and what they suit
Most UK providers offer FTTC in two tiers. The right choice depends on how many devices you use at once and how heavy the use is.
| Tier | Advertised headline | Typical real speed | Typical monthly | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Entry FTTC | Up to 38 Mbps | 25 to 36 Mbps | £22 to £28 | Light households, 1 to 2 people |
| Full FTTC | Up to 80 Mbps | 40 to 72 Mbps | £26 to £35 | Families, home workers, multi-device homes |
There is little reason to pick Entry FTTC over Full FTTC unless the price gap at your postcode is unusually wide. Full FTTC typically costs only £3 to £7 more per month and doubles the ceiling.
When FTTC still makes sense
FTTC is often treated as yesterday's technology, but for a large portion of UK households it remains the most practical option. Three cases where it genuinely still wins.
FTTP is not yet at your address
Openreach's FTTP rollout is extensive but not universal. If full fibre has not yet reached your street, FTTC is the fastest fixed-line option you can order today. Check back every 6 to 12 months as rollout continues.
You want the lowest monthly price
FTTC sits at the lowest end of fixed-line pricing. For budget-focused households, a social tariff on FTTC or a promotional entry FTTC deal is frequently the cheapest route to reliable home broadband.
Your household use is modest
A 1 to 2-person home that mostly streams, browses, and takes video calls rarely hits the FTTC ceiling. A full 70 Mbps line handles all of that comfortably. Upgrading beyond that is a premium for headroom you may not use.
When to upgrade to FTTP instead
Go for FTTP when
You need reliable upload for video calls, cloud backup or live streaming. Your household has 4+ active users streaming and gaming simultaneously. Your FTTC line is long and delivering under 40 Mbps. An altnet FTTP provider has reached your postcode at a competitive price.
Stick with FTTC when
FTTP is not yet available at your address. Your current FTTC speed is comfortably sufficient for your household. The cheapest available FTTP is materially more expensive and the speed gain would not be used. You are happy to revisit in 12 months.
For the side-by-side technical comparison, see our full fibre vs FTTC vs cable vs 4G/5G guide.
What the PSTN switch-off means for FTTC
A common concern: "Does the PSTN switch-off mean my FTTC broadband will stop working?" The short answer is no, but the detail matters.
PSTN is the UK's old copper-based phone network. It is being switched off on 31 January 2027. That affects landline voice service, not FTTC broadband itself. After the switch-off, your home phone moves from PSTN to Digital Voice, which routes calls over your broadband connection instead. Your FTTC broadband continues to work over the same physical copper wires.
What you need to do before the switch-off depends on your current setup:
Your provider will migrate you
You will be contacted before the switch-off and moved to Digital Voice. The broadband keeps working the same way.
Check compatibility before switching
Not all care alarms, health pendants or security alarms work on Digital Voice. See our care alarm guide before you move.
No action needed
FTTC broadband runs over the same copper pair regardless of whether PSTN voice is active. Your broadband continues past 31 January 2027.
See also our Digital Voice guide for more detail.
Live FTTC deals at your postcode
Availability and realistic speed are postcode and address specific. Your distance from the street cabinet is the main variable on any FTTC line. Always check your estimated speed at the exact address before ordering.
FTTC broadband: frequently asked questions
What does FTTC stand for?
FTTC stands for "fibre to the cabinet". The fibre-optic cable runs from the telephone exchange to the green street cabinet near your home, then switches to copper for the final stretch to your property. It is often called "part fibre" or "super-fast fibre" in UK marketing, to distinguish it from FTTP ("full fibre") which uses fibre the whole way.
What speeds can I realistically expect on FTTC?
It depends on your distance from the green street cabinet. Within 200m of the cabinet you can expect 70 to 80 Mbps on the standard tier. At 500m you typically see 40 to 60 Mbps. At 1000m or more the speed can fall to 20 to 35 Mbps. Providers display an estimated speed range at your exact address during checkout, following ASA guidance.
Is FTTC being phased out?
FTTC is gradually being superseded by FTTP (full fibre) as the UK full-fibre rollout continues, but it is not being switched off. No retirement date has been announced. Millions of UK homes continue to use FTTC happily and will do for years yet. The decision to upgrade to FTTP is yours, based on availability, price and need, not on a deadline.
Does FTTC stop working when PSTN is switched off in January 2027?
No. The PSTN switch-off affects the old landline voice network, not FTTC broadband. Your FTTC connection continues to work over the same copper pair. What changes is your home phone: PSTN landline service moves to Digital Voice (which routes calls over broadband). Your provider will contact you before the switch-off to migrate the phone side of your service.
Is FTTC better than ADSL?
Significantly, yes. ADSL is pure copper all the way and typically delivers 5 to 20 Mbps. FTTC uses fibre for the exchange-to-cabinet leg and delivers 40 to 80 Mbps on most lines. For any UK household that has FTTC available, FTTC is the better choice; the price difference is usually small. See our ADSL guide for comparison.
How do I know if FTTP is available instead at my address?
Enter your postcode in our comparison tool. It checks all UK providers at your exact address and shows which technology each offers there. If FTTP deals appear in the results, full fibre has reached you; if only FTTC appears, you are on FTTC for now. Rollout is continuing, so it is worth checking again every 6 to 12 months.
Can I switch FTTC providers without changing my phone line?
Yes. FTTC runs over the Openreach copper network, and most UK providers resell that same underlying infrastructure (BT, Sky, Vodafone, TalkTalk, EE, Plusnet, Now Broadband and others). One Touch Switch (Ofcom, 2024b) handles the move in a single step without a service gap. Your phone line provider sits inside the switch; you do not need to arrange it separately.
Do social tariffs work on FTTC?
Yes. Most UK social tariffs are delivered over FTTC lines at 36 to 67 Mbps, priced at £15 to £20 per month with no in-contract price rises. If you receive Universal Credit, Pension Credit, Employment and Support Allowance, Jobseeker's Allowance or Income Support, see our social tariffs guide or Ofcom's current list (Ofcom, n.d.).
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 and phone packages. Retrieved 23 April 2026, from ofcom.org.uk
Ready to find your FTTC deal?
Also worth checking: full fibre (FTTP) if available at your address, cheapest broadband deals for the lowest monthly, or social tariffs if you qualify.
Compare at your postcode →First published 24 March 2026 · Last updated 23 April 2026 · Last reviewed 23 April 2026