Full fibre vs FTTC vs cable vs 4G/5G

Last reviewed: 22 March 2026

The broadband technology that reaches your home determines the maximum speed you can get, how reliable the connection is, and what you pay. In the UK there are four main options: full fibre (FTTP), fibre to the cabinet (FTTC), cable, and 4G/5G home broadband. Full fibre delivers the fastest and most consistent speeds but is not yet available everywhere. FTTC remains the most widely available option, though performance varies with distance from the street cabinet. Cable broadband can match or exceed FTTC speeds in cabled areas, while 4G and 5G home broadband offer a wireless alternative that requires no fixed-line installation. Choosing the right technology depends on what is available at your address, how many people use the connection, and whether upload speed matters to you.

At a glance

  • Full fibre (FTTP) uses fibre-optic cable all the way to your property. It delivers symmetrical or near-symmetrical speeds and is unaffected by distance from the exchange.
  • FTTC runs fibre to a green street cabinet, then copper to your home. Speeds drop the further you are from the cabinet, typically capping around 30–80 Mbps.
  • Cable uses a coaxial network with fibre backhaul. Download speeds can be high, but upload speeds are usually much lower and the connection can slow during peak hours.
  • 4G/5G home broadband connects wirelessly via a mobile network. Setup is fast and contract-free options exist, but speed depends heavily on local signal strength and network congestion.

Technology comparison table

Technology How it works Typical speeds Upload capability Reliability Best for Availability
FTTP (full fibre) Fibre-optic cable direct to your premises 100–1,000 Mbps; some providers offer up to 2,300 Mbps Symmetrical or near-symmetrical (e.g. 100/100 Mbps) Very high, not affected by distance, weather or electrical interference Households with heavy streaming, gaming, home working or many connected devices Reaching roughly 55–60% of UK premises (Ofcom, 2025); rollout ongoing via Openreach and alt-nets
FTTC Fibre to a street cabinet, then copper telephone line to your home 30–80 Mbps download; varies with line length Low, typically 10 to 20 Mbps Moderate, performance degrades over longer copper runs and in wet weather Light to moderate use: browsing, email, standard-definition or single-screen HD streaming Available to around 95% of UK premises
Cable Coaxial cable to your home with fibre backhaul to the local node 100–1,130 Mbps download depending on package Low relative to download, typically 10 to 50 Mbps Generally good, but shared local bandwidth can cause slowdowns at peak times Households wanting high download speeds where full fibre is not yet available Covers roughly 50% of UK premises, mainly urban and suburban areas
4G home broadband Wireless connection via a 4G mobile mast to an indoor router 10–50 Mbps; depends on signal strength and congestion Typically 5–15 Mbps Variable, weather, building materials and distance from the mast all affect performance Rural areas without fixed-line options; renters who need flexibility or a temporary connection Widespread outdoor coverage; indoor performance varies significantly
5G home broadband Wireless connection via a 5G mast to a 5G-capable indoor router 100–300 Mbps in practice; theoretical peak much higher Typically 10–50 Mbps Good where signal is strong, but 5G range is shorter than 4G Urban and suburban households wanting high speed without a fixed-line install Growing but still limited; concentrated in towns and cities

Full fibre (FTTP)

Full fibre, technically fibre to the premises (FTTP), runs a fibre-optic cable from the exchange all the way into your home. Because the entire route is glass fibre rather than copper, data travels as pulses of light and the connection is not affected by electrical interference, line length or wet weather. This makes FTTP the most consistent broadband technology available in the UK.

Most FTTP providers offer packages ranging from around 100 Mbps to 900 Mbps, with some alt-net providers advertising speeds above 2 Gbps. A key advantage over other technologies is upload speed: many FTTP packages are symmetrical or close to it, which matters for video calls, cloud backups and uploading large files. On an 80 Mbps FTTC line, uploading a 5 GB video file could take over 30 minutes; on a 100/100 Mbps FTTP connection the same upload would finish in under seven minutes.

Installation usually involves an engineer running a fibre cable from the nearest distribution point into your property and fitting an optical network terminal (ONT). This is typically free on a new contract, though the process can take two to three weeks from order to activation. In some properties, particularly flats, wayleave permissions from a landlord or freeholder may be needed first.

Limitations

The main limitation remains availability. While Openreach, CityFibre, Hyperoptic, Zzoomm and other alt-nets are building out rapidly, full fibre has not yet reached every UK address. Rural areas in particular may face longer waits. You can check whether FTTP is live at your postcode using the tools described in the availability section below.

FTTC (fibre to the cabinet)

FTTC stands for fibre to the cabinet. Fibre-optic cable runs from the exchange to the green street cabinet in your neighbourhood, but the final stretch from the cabinet to your home uses the existing copper telephone line. This "last mile" of copper is the bottleneck: the further your property is from the cabinet, the slower your connection will be.

Typical FTTC download speeds range from about 30 Mbps to 80 Mbps, though Ofcom data shows that average speeds for FTTC customers tend to sit around 50 Mbps. Upload speeds are much lower, usually 10–20 Mbps. If your home is more than roughly 400 metres of cable from the cabinet, you may see noticeably lower performance than the headline figures.

FTTC's main strength is availability. It covers around 95 % of UK premises, making it the default "superfast" option in many areas. Prices tend to be competitive because multiple providers resell Openreach FTTC under their own brand names. If you are on a basic ADSL connection and FTTP has not reached you yet, upgrading to FTTC is usually a straightforward improvement.

Limitations

Copper lines are susceptible to interference and degradation over time. Performance can dip during heavy rain and tends to be worse in older properties with ageing internal wiring. FTTC also cannot scale to the gigabit speeds that FTTP and cable offer, so it may not keep pace with growing household demand as more devices come online.

Cable broadband

Cable broadband in the UK is delivered primarily over the Virgin Media O2 network, which uses hybrid fibre-coaxial (HFC) infrastructure. Fibre runs to a local street node, and coaxial cable carries the signal the rest of the way to your property. Because coax has more bandwidth capacity than a copper telephone line, cable can deliver significantly faster download speeds than FTTC, with packages ranging from around 100 Mbps up to 1,130 Mbps.

However, upload speeds are a weak point. Even on the fastest cable packages, upload is often capped at 50 Mbps or below. The technology also uses a shared local loop, meaning that the bandwidth from the street node is split among all connected households in the area. During peak evening hours, roughly 7 pm to 10 pm, you may notice slower speeds than at quieter times.

Cable does not require a telephone line, so you will not pay a line rental charge. Installation involves running a coaxial cable into your property if one is not already present, which is usually included with a new contract.

Limitations

Cable coverage sits at roughly 50 % of UK premises. If you are outside the network footprint, cable is simply not an option. The asymmetric speed profile, fast download but slower upload, also makes cable less suitable for households that rely on video conferencing or regularly upload large files. Contract lengths tend to be 18 months, and out-of-contract price rises can be significant, so it is worth checking what the monthly cost will revert to after any introductory period.

4G and 5G home broadband

4G and 5G home broadband replace the physical cable into your home with a wireless connection to a nearby mobile mast. The provider supplies a plug-in router, sometimes called a hub or home gateway, that contains a SIM card and connects to the 4G or 5G network. Your devices then connect to this router over Wi-Fi or Ethernet as normal.

For 4G home broadband, real-world speeds usually fall between 10 and 50 Mbps, depending on signal strength, distance from the mast, and how many other users share the cell. This is enough for general browsing, email and standard-definition streaming, but may struggle with simultaneous HD streams or large downloads.

For 5G home broadband, speeds are significantly faster, typically 100 to 300 Mbps in areas with strong mid-band 5G coverage. In ideal conditions, some users report speeds above 500 Mbps. The trade-off is that 5G signals have a shorter range than 4G and are more easily blocked by walls and buildings, so indoor performance depends heavily on the placement of your router and the proximity of the nearest 5G mast.

Both options can be attractive for renters, people in temporary accommodation, or rural households where fixed-line speeds are poor. Many 4G/5G broadband plans are available on 30-day rolling contracts, giving flexibility to cancel without penalty. Setup is near-instant: plug in the router, wait for it to connect, and you are online.

Limitations

Wireless broadband is inherently less consistent than a wired connection. Speeds can fluctuate throughout the day as the mobile cell becomes congested, and adverse weather can degrade performance. Latency is typically higher than on fibre, which may affect competitive online gaming or real-time applications. Data caps apply on some plans, although unlimited options are increasingly common. Before committing, check the signal strength at your address. Most providers offer coverage checkers and a trial period or cooling-off window.

How to check what is available at your address

Availability varies street by street, so checking your specific postcode is essential. Here are the main ways to do it:

If none of these show a suitable fixed-line option, a 4G or 5G home broadband plan may bridge the gap until further rollout reaches your area.

Which technology should you choose?

There is no single best technology. The right choice depends on your circumstances. Use these guidelines as a starting point:

Choose full fibre if…

It is available at your address and you want the fastest, most reliable connection with strong upload speeds. Ideal for households with multiple users streaming, gaming or working from home simultaneously.

Choose FTTC if…

Full fibre and cable are not available, or your household has modest broadband needs. FTTC is widely available and competitively priced, making it a sensible default for lighter usage.

Choose cable if…

You want high download speeds and FTTP has not reached your postcode. Cable is particularly strong for households that stream a lot of video but do not need fast uploads.

Choose 4G/5G if…

You need flexibility, cannot get an engineer visit, or live in an area with poor fixed-line options. 5G home broadband can rival fibre download speeds in well-served urban areas.

If you are unsure how much speed your household actually needs, our speed planning guide walks you through the calculation based on devices and usage patterns.

Common questions

Is full fibre worth the extra cost over FTTC?

For many households, yes. The price gap between FTTC and entry-level FTTP packages has narrowed considerably, and in some cases FTTP is now comparable in cost. The real gains are in consistency, upload speed and future-proofing. If you work from home, join video calls regularly, or have several people streaming at once, the difference is noticeable. For a single user doing light browsing, FTTC may still be sufficient.

Can I get full fibre if I live in a flat?

It depends on whether the building has been connected. Some newer developments are pre-wired for FTTP. In older blocks, the provider may need wayleave permission from the freeholder or management company before installing fibre to individual flats. This can cause delays, so it is worth checking with your building manager and the provider early in the process.

Is 5G home broadband as reliable as fibre?

In areas with strong 5G coverage, the download speeds can be comparable to mid-tier fibre packages. However, 5G is more susceptible to fluctuations caused by network congestion, weather and physical obstructions. Latency is generally higher than on a wired fibre connection, which may affect time-sensitive applications. For general use it can be a good alternative, but fibre remains more predictable if available.

Why is my FTTC speed much lower than the advertised maximum?

FTTC speeds are heavily influenced by the length and quality of the copper line between the street cabinet and your property. Openreach estimates that for every 100 metres of copper beyond the cabinet, speeds can drop by roughly 1.5 to 2 Mbps. Internal wiring, filters and the age of your master socket can also play a role. If your speed is consistently well below what was estimated at sign-up, contact your provider. They may be able to send an engineer to check the line.

Do I need a phone line for broadband?

Not necessarily. FTTP, cable and 4G/5G broadband all work without a traditional phone line. FTTC does use the copper telephone line for data, but most providers now offer broadband-only packages without a landline voice service. If you rarely use a landline phone, this can reduce your monthly bill.

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