Hyperoptic broadband deals: the altnet that cracked apartment-block full fibre at scale
Hyperoptic is the UK's largest independent urban full-fibre network, with more than 1.5 million premises passed across 64 towns and cities. Founded in 2011, it runs its own 100% full-fibre network directly to homes and businesses, with symmetric speeds on its 150 Mbps and faster tiers, genuine 30-day rolling contracts at no premium, free installation, and the UK's most comprehensive social tariff range (Fair Fibre now goes all the way up to 1 Gbps). This page is the honest take on when Hyperoptic is the right pick, how to run the address-level on-net check it needs, and how its flexibility stacks up against Openreach-based majors and other altnets.
UK's largest urban altnet
Founded in 2011, Hyperoptic runs its own 100% full-fibre network. Roughly 1.5 million homes and 64 towns and cities, with a strong concentration in London apartment blocks, new-build estates, and student-heavy neighbourhoods.
Genuinely flexible contracts
24-month, 12-month, and 30-day rolling contracts on every speed tier. The rolling option is available without the usual altnet premium. Ideal for renters, short-term stays, and anyone avoiding long commitments.
Symmetric speeds on 150 Mbps plus
50 Mbps is asymmetric (around 5.7 Mbps upload). 150 Mbps, 500 Mbps, and 1 Gbps are all symmetric, with upload matching download. A real difference for home working, cloud backup, and video calls.
Industry-leading social tariff
Fair Fibre runs from £15/mo for 50 Mbps to a 1 Gbps option added in December 2025 (one of only a handful of gigabit social tariffs in the UK). 30-day rolling, no credit check, and eligibility covers more benefits than most competitors.
No-downtime switching option
Because Hyperoptic is independent of Openreach, you can run both lines in parallel for up to 30 days while switching from another provider. Combined with 90-day advance order, it is the cleanest switching path in UK broadband.
When to skip Hyperoptic
Your building is not on-net? Check an Openreach-based major. Want a bundled TV product? Sky, Virgin Media, or BT suit better. Want the fastest residential tier in London? Community Fibre offers 3 Gbps where Hyperoptic caps at 1 Gbps.
See live Hyperoptic deals at your postcode
Hyperoptic rolls out building by building, not street by street. A neighbour on Hyperoptic does not guarantee your flat is on-net, so run the exact-address check before comparing value.
Compare deals by postcodeWhat Hyperoptic actually is: the altnet model
Hyperoptic is an alternative network provider, or altnet, which means it built its own physical fibre network rather than reselling Openreach lines. Every metre of cable between the local exchange and your flat is Hyperoptic's own fibre, terminated directly inside your home. There is no copper phone line anywhere in the path, no Openreach cabinet, and no dependence on BT's wholesale roadmap.
Why the altnet model matters in practice
- Symmetric uploads on 150 Mbps plus: full fibre architecture supports matching upload and download speeds without the asymmetry Openreach's FTTC and older FTTP tiers impose.
- No Openreach queue: installs are booked directly with Hyperoptic engineers, typically activated within 14 working days of ordering; Openreach lead times do not apply.
- Independent pricing: Hyperoptic sets its own tariffs, contract terms, and price-rise policies rather than following Openreach-based majors.
- Building-by-building rollout: engineering teams install the distribution point inside each apartment block or estate individually. Coverage is precise rather than postcode-wide.
- Parallel-line switching: because there is no Openreach transfer involved, you can keep your existing provider running while Hyperoptic activates, with up to 30 days of overlap if you want zero downtime.
The editorial honest take. Altnets in the UK vary enormously in scale, network quality, and product sophistication. Hyperoptic sits at the mature end of that spectrum: it has been scaling for over a decade, has nationally competitive pricing, product and customer-service operations at major-provider standard, and a strong run of ISPA-recognised trade and industry shortlists. For the addresses it has reached it is a genuine alternative to BT, Sky, or Virgin Media, not a niche substitute.
Hyperoptic speed tiers and typical prices
Hyperoptic's four consumer tiers are named Fast, Superfast, Ultrafast, and Hyperfast. All run over 100% full fibre; the split is between the asymmetric entry tier (50 Mbps) and the three symmetric tiers above it. Live prices move with contract length and campaign periods; the figures below are typical mid-market ranges on a 24-month term.
| Tier | Download / upload | Typical price band (24-month) | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fast 50 | 50 Mbps / 5.7 Mbps (asymmetric) | From around £22/mo | Smaller households, light streaming, single occupants |
| Superfast 150 | 150 Mbps / 150 Mbps (symmetric) | From around £28/mo | Most homes: the sweet spot for symmetric upload at competitive pricing |
| Ultrafast 500 | 500 Mbps / 500 Mbps (symmetric) | From around £35/mo | Large households, heavy streaming, big cloud backups |
| Hyperfast 1 Gig | 900 Mbps / 900 Mbps (symmetric) | From around £45/mo | Power users, large shared households, content creators |
The highlighted Superfast 150 tier is where Hyperoptic's value case is clearest. Symmetric 150 Mbps on 24-month pricing lands below most Openreach-based majors' equivalent 150 Mbps tier and matches Community Fibre's London entry pricing. 30-day rolling is typically £3 to £5 a month more than the 24-month rate but crucially is always available, which is not the case at BT, Sky, Virgin Media, or the other major providers on Openreach.
A Hyperhub Wi-Fi router is included free on every package. Total Wi-Fi mesh upgrade (Zyxel EX3301 dual-band Wi-Fi 6 plus optional extenders) costs an additional £7 a month and is sensible for larger flats, converted houses, or anywhere with thick internal walls. No TV bundling, and no mobile add-on; Hyperoptic's phone option is VoIP only at £3 a month.
Rolling contracts and the switching advantage
Two Hyperoptic features genuinely do not exist elsewhere in the UK major-provider market at comparable quality. Both are worth understanding before comparing monthly price on its own.
30-day rolling at no premium
- Available on every consumer speed tier, not just the entry package.
- Typical rolling-vs-24-month premium sits around £3 to £5 a month, not the £15+ that some altnets charge.
- No exit fees, no minimum term after the first month, no re-contracting.
- Ideal for renters, short-term stays, new city arrivals, house-share situations, and anyone whose housing situation is uncertain.
- Social-tariff customers also get 30-day rolling as standard on Fair Fibre plans.
Parallel-line switching
- Because Hyperoptic does not use Openreach, there is no wholesale transfer step that forces your old line to go dead before the new one activates.
- You can run both lines in parallel for up to 30 days while you verify Hyperoptic's real-world performance, finalise Wi-Fi setup, and transfer devices.
- Hyperoptic accepts orders up to 90 days in advance, so you can lock in a price today and activate when your current contract ends.
- Combined, this is the cleanest switching path in UK broadband for anyone who cannot afford downtime (home working, WFH professionals, small-office setups).
The practical arithmetic worth stating out loud. If you currently pay £35 a month on an Openreach-based 500 Mbps plan with three months left on your contract, Hyperoptic's 90-day advance order plus parallel-line switching lets you secure the same speed at a better price today, activate on the day your existing contract ends, and run both in parallel for 7 to 30 days to verify everything before cancelling the old provider. That is a switching experience no Openreach-based major can offer because they all rely on the same wholesale transfer process.
Fair Fibre: the UK's most comprehensive social tariff
Hyperoptic's Fair Fibre Plan is the most generous broadband social tariff range in the UK at the time of writing. Where BT Home Essentials caps at 67 Mbps and most competitors offer a single 35 Mbps tier, Hyperoptic runs Fair Fibre across every speed tier including 500 Mbps and 1 Gbps (the latter added in December 2025 and matched only by a handful of much smaller altnets such as B4RN).
Fair Fibre Plan at a glance
- Fast 50 (asymmetric): from £15/mo, 30-day rolling, no credit check. Symmetric upload-download benchmark starts from the 150 Mbps tier.
- Superfast 150 (symmetric): from £20/mo, 30-day rolling. Genuine home-working speed at a social-tariff price point.
- Ultrafast 500 and Hyperfast 1 Gbps: added December 2025, one of the fastest social tariffs in the UK market.
- Eligibility broader than most competitors: Universal Credit, Pension Credit, Income Support, Income-based JSA and ESA (online), plus Attendance Allowance, Care Leavers support, Housing Benefit, and Personal Independence Payment (PIP) through phone application.
- Optional phone service: £3/mo extra with free evening and weekend UK landline calls.
- No mid-contract price rises: social tariff prices are protected from the £3/mo annual increase that applies to Hyperoptic's standard consumer range from April 2026.
The editorial honest take. Social tariff uptake across the UK sits at roughly 5% of the 4.2 million households Ofcom estimates are eligible; most providers limit their offering to a single slow tier and put minimal effort into promotion. Hyperoptic has gone the opposite direction, matching every consumer speed tier with a Fair Fibre equivalent and promoting it prominently at end-of-contract notifications. For households on qualifying benefits with Hyperoptic availability, the Fair Fibre 150 Mbps tier at around £20 a month is one of the most compelling value points in UK broadband. If eligibility and coverage both align, start here.
Hyperoptic vs other London altnets and Openreach majors
The two comparisons worth running before ordering Hyperoptic are (1) against other London altnets at the same address, most notably Community Fibre, and (2) against Openreach-based majors if those are also available. Each wins in specific scenarios.
Where Hyperoptic wins
- 30-day rolling contracts available at no premium on every tier, a genuine rarity in UK broadband.
- Fair Fibre social tariff depth: only a handful of UK providers go above 150 Mbps on a social tariff.
- Wider UK coverage than Community Fibre: 64 towns and cities versus London-only.
- Parallel-line switching with up to 30-day overlap. Cleanest switching experience in UK broadband.
- Student-focused pricing from around £23 on 12-month terms with £0 activation fee.
- Ofcom automatic compensation regime enrolled: you do not need to claim, it is paid automatically.
Where others win
- Community Fibre: higher top speeds (3 Gbps residential versus Hyperoptic's 1 Gbps), typically cheaper headline pricing, VodafoneThree wholesale partnership means Vodafone also retails these lines in London.
- BT, Sky, Virgin Media: bundled TV products, stronger nationwide mobile bundling, wider address coverage at most UK postcodes.
- Vodafone, Plusnet, NOW: more predictable address-level availability on Openreach FTTP (roughly 82% of UK premises versus Hyperoptic's building-specific rollout).
- Virgin Media: cable tiers available in addresses where no altnet fibre has reached; gigabit widely available in Virgin footprint.
The practical arithmetic worth stating out loud. If your building is on-net for both Hyperoptic and Community Fibre (common in parts of London), compare headline pricing tier by tier; Community Fibre often undercuts Hyperoptic on 150 Mbps and 1 Gbps entry pricing, but Hyperoptic's 30-day rolling flexibility and broader social tariff range may tip the balance depending on your needs. The head-to-head page covers this in detail.
What to check before ordering Hyperoptic
Exact-address on-net check
Run the postcode check, then enter your full address (including flat number) to confirm Hyperoptic has reached your specific building. A postcode-level result is not enough; Hyperoptic's rollout is building-by-building.
Landlord and building-manager consent
For flats in managed blocks, Hyperoptic's installation may need management company or landlord approval for the distribution point. Confirm who to contact before booking the engineer visit, especially if you are leaving another contract.
Contract length vs rolling
24-month is cheapest, 12-month mid-range, 30-day rolling at around £3 to £5/mo premium. Pick the term that matches your expected stay at the address. Rolling makes genuine sense for renters, students, or anyone mid-career-transition.
Fair Fibre eligibility if on benefits
If you receive Universal Credit, Pension Credit, PIP, or other qualifying benefits, apply for Fair Fibre instead of the standard tariff. The pricing gap is substantial and the Fair Fibre range now covers every speed tier.
The £3/mo fixed annual price rise
Standard consumer plans taken out after April 2026 include a fixed £3/mo annual increase each spring, disclosed at sign-up. Plan the 24-month total on the post-rise figure. Fair Fibre plans are exempt from this.
Compare against Community Fibre if in London
Most London addresses with Hyperoptic availability also have Community Fibre availability. Always run both brands in the comparison tool. At 150 Mbps the pricing is usually close; at 1 Gbps Community Fibre and its 3 Gbps upgrade path often shift the decision.
Compare Hyperoptic deals by postcode
The comparison widget below is filtered to show Hyperoptic home broadband only. Enter your postcode and select your exact address to see plans available at your building, ranked by recommendation. The on-net check is built into the flow.
Prefer to see the full UK market? Compare all providers at your postcode or filter by feature. In London, always compare against Community Fibre at the same address.
Related routes
Trust, reputation, and corporate context
Hyperoptic Ltd was founded in 2011 and is headquartered at 174 Hammersmith Road, London. It operates as an independent full-fibre network provider, with majority investor backing from KKR since 2019. The company's rollout started with London apartment blocks, expanded into student-heavy postcodes and new-build estates, and now reaches 64 UK towns and cities. Hyperoptic is enrolled in Ofcom's automatic compensation regime for broadband service failures, so eligible compensation is credited automatically rather than requiring customer claims.
Awards and industry recognition include ISPA Best Consumer ISP (over 250K customers, 2023) and other industry shortlists. Hyperoptic's social tariff coverage and no-downtime switching experience are the two product features consistently cited by independent reviewers as differentiators from both the Openreach-based majors and other altnets.
Hyperoptic FAQs
Is Hyperoptic broadband any good in 2026?
Yes, for served addresses. Hyperoptic is the UK's largest urban altnet with 1.5 million homes passed across 64 towns and cities, its 150 Mbps and faster tiers are symmetric, and it offers genuine 30-day rolling contracts at no premium (rare in UK broadband). Trade and industry body recognition, including from ISPA in several recent years, supports its product story. The honest constraint is availability: Hyperoptic rolls out building-by-building, so you must confirm your exact address is on-net before ordering.
Is Hyperoptic available at my flat or house?
Hyperoptic's network is built at the building level, not the street level. A neighbouring block may have service while yours does not. Always run a postcode check with your full address (including flat number) at hyperoptic.com or in the BroadbandSwitch comparison tool. If your building is in pre-order status, you can register interest; activation typically follows when enough units in the block register.
Are Hyperoptic's speeds really symmetric?
The 150 Mbps, 500 Mbps, and 1 Gbps tiers are symmetric: upload equals download. The entry 50 Mbps tier is asymmetric at around 5.7 Mbps upload. For home working, cloud backups, video calls, and streaming uploads, the symmetric tiers deliver noticeably better real-world performance than Openreach FTTC or older asymmetric FTTP tiers.
What is the Fair Fibre social tariff and who qualifies?
Fair Fibre is Hyperoptic's social tariff range, priced from £15/mo for 50 Mbps and running up to 1 Gbps on rolling monthly contracts. Eligibility covers most means-tested benefits including Universal Credit, Pension Credit, Income Support, and Income-based JSA and ESA (online application), plus Personal Independence Payment, Housing Benefit, Attendance Allowance, and Care Leavers support (phone application). There is no credit check and social tariff prices are exempt from mid-contract price rises.
What contract lengths does Hyperoptic offer?
Every consumer tier is available on 24-month, 12-month, and 30-day rolling terms. 24-month is cheapest, 12-month mid-range, and 30-day rolling is typically £3 to £5 a month more than 24-month pricing, which is unusually low for rolling plans in UK broadband. Fair Fibre social tariff customers get 30-day rolling as standard. Hyperoptic accepts advance orders up to 90 days before activation date.
How does Hyperoptic compare to Community Fibre?
Both are London-focused altnets with symmetric full fibre. Hyperoptic has wider UK coverage (64 towns and cities versus Community Fibre's London-only footprint) and more comprehensive social tariff coverage including 1 Gbps Fair Fibre. Community Fibre has higher residential top speeds (3 Gbps versus Hyperoptic's 1 Gbps), typically lower headline prices on matched tiers, and a strategic VodafoneThree wholesale partnership that lets Vodafone also retail those lines in London. If both are on-net at your address, compare headline prices and your symmetric-upload-speed requirements side by side.
How does Hyperoptic's switching process work?
Because Hyperoptic is independent of Openreach, switching does not use the Openreach wholesale transfer process. You order directly with Hyperoptic, an engineer installs the fibre to your home (typically within 14 working days), and you can keep your existing provider running in parallel for up to 30 days while you verify performance. The One Touch Switch framework applies for leaving your previous provider; Hyperoptic handles the new-line activation directly.
How much are Hyperoptic's in-contract price rises?
Standard consumer broadband plans taken out from April 2026 include a fixed £3/mo annual increase each spring, disclosed at sign-up as pounds and pence rather than CPI-linked, in line with the Ofcom rule change effective 17 January 2025. Fair Fibre social tariff plans are exempt from this annual increase. Until April 2026 Hyperoptic operated a no-mid-contract-price-rise commitment, which was notable at the time among UK providers.
References
1. Ofcom on in-contract price rises
Ofcom (2025). Ban on inflation-linked mid-contract price rises.
3. Ofcom on social tariffs
Ofcom (2025). Social tariffs: cheaper broadband for low-income households.
Editorial accountability. This page was written by Adrian James and reviewed by Dr Alex J. Martin-Smith. We do not accept payment for editorial placement. Our affiliate disclosure and editorial policy explain how we earn and how corrections work. Typical pricing ranges shown on this page reflect recent market observation; confirm live figures at your exact address before ordering, and always compare Hyperoptic's quote side by side with any other altnet or Openreach major available at the same postcode.
See Hyperoptic ranked against every provider at your address
Most London and major-city addresses have three or more credible shortlists once you strip out what is actually available. Run the live check and compare the total 24-month cost, not just the headline price.
Compare all providers by postcode