Does Tesco do broadband? What happened and what to do

Written by (LinkedIn) • Reviewed by Adrian James (LinkedIn)

Last reviewed: 2 November 2026

Quick summary: Tesco hasn't sold broadband since 2015 and Tesco Mobile has no plans to. What happened, what tesco.net users should do, and how to get a better deal.

Does Tesco do broadband
Illustration: Does Tesco do broadband? What happened and what to do

No, not since 2015. Here's what happened, and how to get the deal you were hoping for

Tesco doesn't do broadband. It sold its 75,000 broadband and 20,000 home phone customers to TalkTalk in January 2015, closed tesco.net email in 2018, and Tesco Mobile sells phones and SIMs, not home broadband. A June 2026 report said Tesco Mobile had held early talks about selling broadband over Virgin Media O2's fibre, and Tesco Mobile replied that it has no plans to. If you came here for a Tesco broadband deal, the useful next step is to see every deal at your own address, and to check whether you qualify for a social tariff from £10 a month.

What it means for youChecked 1 November 2026

If you were hoping for a Tesco broadband deal: there isn't one, and there's nothing to wait for. The same money buys full fibre from a dozen providers at most UK addresses, so compare at your postcode rather than searching for a brand.

If you used to be a Tesco Broadband customer: you've been with TalkTalk since 2015, and almost certainly out of contract for years. That's worth a look, because out-of-contract prices are rarely the best ones.

If you still have a tesco.net email address somewhere: it stopped working in 2018 and can't be brought back. Update any account that still uses it as a login or recovery address, and ignore anyone offering to reactivate it.

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Key facts, verified 1 November 2026

  • Tesco launched home broadband on 31 August 2004: a 512Kbps service at £19.97 a month, sold on CD in 700 stores (Irish Times, 31 August 2004).
  • Tesco announced the sale of its broadband and home phone business to TalkTalk on 8 January 2015, and TalkTalk said about 95,000 customers would move: 75,000 broadband and 20,000 home phone (MoneySavingExpert, 8 January 2015).
  • The price was not disclosed. TalkTalk bought Tesco's Blinkbox film service in the same deal (MoneySavingExpert, 8 January 2015).
  • Tesco told customers it had "decided to no longer provide Broadband and Homephone" and that bills would move to TalkTalk during 2015 (TalkTalk Tesco FAQ, checked 1 November 2026).
  • tesco.net email closed on 27 June 2018. Tesco forwarded mail to a new address of your choice until 10 October 2018, then stopped (ISPreview, 18 April 2018).
  • Tesco Mobile is a 50:50 joint venture between Tesco and Virgin Media O2, set up in 2003 and renewed for ten years on 31 January 2024. Its plans run on O2's network (Virgin Media O2, 31 January 2024; tescomobile.com, checked 1 November 2026).
  • Tesco Mobile had 5.9 million customers at the end of 2025, with revenue of £1.23bn (ISPreview, 7 September 2026).
  • Tesco Mobile's unlimited data terms say: "You can't use it in a home router for home broadband." Tethering from your phone for personal use is allowed (tescomobile.com, checked 1 November 2026).
  • On 25 June 2026 the Financial Times reported that Tesco Mobile had held "initial talks" about offering broadband over Virgin Media O2 and nexfibre's full fibre networks. Tesco Mobile said it "currently [has] no plans to launch into the broadband market" (ISPreview, 25 June 2026).
  • Ofcom lists 34 social tariffs from £10 to £25 a month for households claiming Universal Credit, and all major providers include Pension Credit (Ofcom, checked 1 November 2026).

Who this is for: anyone who typed "Tesco broadband" into Google and wondered why nothing came up, former Tesco Broadband customers who aren't sure who they're with now, anyone with an old tesco.net email address, and Clubcard collectors wondering whether points work on broadband. We've told it through Margaret, who's 71, has shopped at Tesco for forty years and wanted broadband and a landline from a name she trusts. Margaret's an example built from the calls we take, not a real customer.

Does Tesco do broadband?

Direct answer: No. Tesco sold its home broadband and home phone business to TalkTalk in January 2015 and hasn't sold broadband since. Tesco Mobile sells phones and SIMs, not home broadband, and says it has no plans to start.

If you search for Tesco broadband today, you'll find old news stories, TalkTalk's transfer page from 2015, and directory listings like ours, which marks the brand as closed. There's no Tesco broadband website, no Tesco router and no Tesco deal to compare.

That surprises a lot of people, because Tesco was an internet provider for a long time. It launched TescoNet, a dial-up service, in 1998 at £8.99 a month (Telecompaper), and home broadband in 2004 (Irish Times). So your memory isn't wrong. Tesco did do broadband, for about eleven years, and then it stopped.

What happened to Tesco Broadband?

Direct answer: Tesco sold it. On 8 January 2015 it announced the sale of its broadband and home phone business to TalkTalk, along with its Blinkbox film service. About 95,000 customers moved to TalkTalk during 2015, and the price was never disclosed.

TalkTalk put the numbers at 75,000 broadband customers and 20,000 home phone customers, plus 400,000 active Blinkbox accounts (MoneySavingExpert). For a company the size of Tesco that was a small business, and it came at a time when Tesco was selling off side ventures to concentrate on its shops.

Tesco's own explanation to customers was short. Its FAQ, which TalkTalk still hosts, says Tesco was "committed to offering their customers the most competitive deals possible" and had "therefore decided to no longer provide Broadband and Homephone" (TalkTalk).

Customers didn't have to do anything. Bills carried on coming from Tesco Broadband until the switch date, and each customer was moved to the TalkTalk package that most closely matched what they had (TalkTalk). If you were one of them, that's why your Direct Debit quietly changed its name in 2015.

Does Tesco Mobile do broadband?

Direct answer: No. Tesco Mobile sells pay monthly phones, pay as you go and SIM only plans on O2's network. It doesn't sell home broadband, mobile broadband dongles or data-only SIMs, and its terms say unlimited data can't be used in a home router.

Tesco Mobile's menu has two product sections, phones and SIM only, and nothing for broadband (Tesco Mobile). Its unlimited data page spells out the limit: "You can't use it in a home router for home broadband." You can tether from your phone, as long as it's for your own personal use (Tesco Mobile).

It's a big business all the same. Tesco Mobile had 5.9 million customers at the end of 2025, 4.6 million of them on pay monthly, and revenue of £1.23bn (ISPreview). It's a 50:50 joint venture between Tesco and Virgin Media O2, set up in 2003 and renewed for another ten years in January 2024 (Virgin Media O2). Tesco doesn't own it outright.

Our Tesco Mobile profile has its Trustpilot score and the basics. If you want a SIM that can go in a router, our 4G and 5G home broadband guide covers the networks that sell them.

Is Tesco bringing broadband back?

Direct answer: Not that anyone has announced. The Financial Times reported on 25 June 2026 that Tesco Mobile had held early talks about selling broadband over Virgin Media O2 and nexfibre's full fibre. Tesco Mobile said it has no plans to launch into broadband.

The report, citing two unnamed sources, said the talks were at an initial stage. Tesco Mobile's response was that it has "regular conversations with potential partners about opportunities" as part of running its business, but "currently [has] no plans to launch into the broadband market" (ISPreview).

The idea isn't far-fetched. giffgaff, which also runs on O2's network, started selling full fibre broadband over the same networks earlier in 2026, and Tesco Mobile has 5.9 million customers and a loyalty scheme to sell it to. But Virgin Media O2 is reported to be cutting thousands of jobs and reviewing its own fibre plans, which we cover in Is Virgin Media in trouble?. Until Tesco announces something, there's nothing to wait for.

What happened to tesco.net email?

Direct answer: It closed on 27 June 2018. Tesco kept the email service running for three years after selling its broadband, then shut it, forwarding mail to a new address of your choice until 10 October 2018. Addresses weren't moved anywhere and can't be recovered.

The closure notice, sent from mid-March 2018, said: "We closed Tesco Broadband and Homephone back in 2015 but we kept the email service open to give customers a chance to create a new email account. As most customers have now done this, it's time for us to close the email service too" (ISPreview).

Eight years on, the problem isn't the inbox. It's the places where a tesco.net address is still the login or the recovery email: an old Amazon or eBay account, a utility bill, a pension provider, a Tesco.com account itself. If a password reset goes to tesco.net, it goes nowhere.

If you're about to switch provider and your email address comes from your broadband, read how to keep your email when you switch first.

I had Tesco Broadband. Who's my provider now?

Direct answer: TalkTalk. Every Tesco Broadband and home phone customer was moved to TalkTalk during 2015, so if you never switched, that's who you pay. Your original contract ended years ago, which means you're free to move and probably paying more than you need to.

TalkTalk itself is changing hands. BT has agreed a deal to buy it, which the BBC reported on 1 November 2026 alongside the Virgin Media O2 news (BBC News). We explain what that means for TalkTalk customers in BT buys TalkTalk: what it means for customers. Nothing about it stops you switching now.

How do you check? Look at the name on your bank statement. If it says TalkTalk and you've never signed a new contract, you're on an out-of-contract price. Ring TalkTalk for a better deal, or use One Touch Switch, where your new provider does the whole thing and you don't need to call TalkTalk at all.

See our TalkTalk profile for its complaints record, and Is TalkTalk being sold? for the background.

Why do so many people still search for Tesco broadband?

Direct answer: Trust, mostly. Our Search Console data shows Google offered our pages to people searching for Tesco broadband more than 10,000 times in the 90 days to 1 November 2026, across 148 different phrasings, including a cluster from pensioners looking for broadband and landline deals.

The biggest single search is simply "tesco broadband", followed by "tesco broadband deals" and "tesco internet". Then come the question forms: "does tesco do broadband", "do tesco do broadband", "does tesco mobile do broadband". Further down are phrases like "tesco broadband deals for pensioners" and "tesco broadband and landline deals for seniors", which tell you who's asking: people who already trust Tesco with their weekly shop, and want to trust it with their broadband too.

If that's you, the reassurance is this: the thing you trust Tesco for, a fair price without fuss, is exactly what Ofcom's switching rules now give you with any provider. Your new provider handles the move, you can't be charged for overlapping notice periods, and you get compensation if you're left without service for more than a working day (Ofcom).

Can I get Clubcard points on broadband?

Direct answer: Not on broadband, no. Tesco Mobile gives you a Clubcard point for every £1 on your mobile bill, but no broadband provider earns points, and when we looked on 1 November 2026, none appeared among the Reward Partners you can spend vouchers with.

On Tesco Mobile, pay monthly customers "collect a point for every £1" spent on the bill, and pay as you go customers get a point for every £1 of top-up (Tesco Mobile). The Reward Partners we saw were days out, streaming, car care and travel (Tesco). Broadband isn't among them.

Even if it were, a Clubcard point is worth a penny in store. A £30 broadband bill would earn 30p a month, or £3.60 a year. Switching from an out-of-contract price to a new deal typically saves more than that in a single month, so points shouldn't decide your broadband.

Prefer a provider that bundles mobile and broadband? See our guide to broadband and mobile bundles.

Which supermarkets and high street names do sell broadband?

Direct answer: Fewer than you'd think. Utility Warehouse and Your Co-op Broadband sell it under their own names, Currys sells Vodafone broadband in store, and Tesco, Sainsbury's, Asda, John Lewis and the Post Office have all stopped or never started.

Supermarket mobile brands have done well because a SIM is easy to sell at a checkout. Broadband needs an engineer, a wholesale network deal and a support team, which is why the big names that tried it, Tesco, John Lewis and the Post Office, all sold up or wound down.

The pattern matters if you're choosing on brand. A familiar name on the bill is no guarantee the company behind it stays in broadband, and when it leaves, you're moved to whoever buys the customers. What protects you is the contract and the rules, not the logo. Our guide to what happens if your provider goes bust or is sold covers your rights.

What's the best alternative if I wanted Tesco broadband?

Direct answer: The deal that's cheapest at your own address, from a provider with a decent complaints record. Compare by postcode, check whether you qualify for a social tariff from £10 a month, and let the new provider handle the switch.

Margaret, our example, wanted broadband and a landline from Tesco for about £30 a month. At her address she could choose from eight providers, and because she receives Pension Credit she qualified for social tariffs she'd never heard of. Ofcom lists 34 of them, from £10 to £25 a month, and says all major providers accept Pension Credit as well as Universal Credit (Ofcom).

If you don't qualify, the market is still kinder than it was. Full fibre from a household name starts at about £24 a month on a two-year deal, Utility Warehouse's £23.95 being one example (Utility Warehouse), and most providers now publish their mid-contract price rises in pounds, so you can see the whole cost before you sign.

Not sure what speed you need?

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Start with our social tariffs guide if you claim a benefit, our switching guide for the step by step, and our Ofcom complaints tracker before you pick a provider.

How do I spot a fake Tesco broadband offer?

Direct answer: Simply: Tesco doesn't sell broadband, so any call, text or email offering a Tesco broadband deal, a Tesco router upgrade or a tesco.net mailbox renewal isn't from Tesco. Don't click, don't pay, and report it.

Closed brands are useful to scammers because people remember them fondly and don't know they've gone. A message that says your Tesco broadband bill is overdue, or your tesco.net storage is full, is counting on that.

Genuine Tesco messages come from Tesco about things Tesco sells: your shopping, Clubcard, Tesco Mobile or Tesco Bank. If you're in doubt, don't use the number or link in the message. Go to the company's own website and contact it from there.

For the wider picture, see our guide to scam calls pretending to be your broadband provider.

What should I do now?

Today: stop searching for Tesco

There's no Tesco broadband deal to find. Compare every deal at your address instead, and note the full contract cost.

Today: check for a social tariff

If anyone in your home claims Universal Credit, Pension Credit or a similar benefit, a social tariff from £10 a month may beat anything on the open market.

This week: fix any tesco.net logins

Change the login and recovery address on any account that still uses tesco.net, starting with banking and shopping.

If you were a Tesco Broadband customer: check your TalkTalk price

You've been out of contract for years. Ask TalkTalk for a better deal, or let a new provider move you with One Touch Switch.

Ready to see what you can actually get?

Every deal at your address, cheapest first, with the full contract cost shown. Your new provider handles the switch.

  • ✓Every provider at your postcode, side by side
  • ✓Social tariffs flagged if you qualify
  • ✓No need to ring your old provider
Compare deals now →Social tariffs guide

Prefer to talk it through? Call us on 0330 122 1223

In summary

  • Tesco doesn't do broadband. It sold its 75,000 broadband and 20,000 home phone customers to TalkTalk in January 2015.
  • Tesco Mobile sells phones and SIMs on O2's network. It has no broadband product, and its unlimited data can't be used in a home router.
  • A June 2026 report said Tesco Mobile had held early talks about selling broadband. Tesco Mobile says it has no plans to, and nothing has launched.
  • tesco.net email closed on 27 June 2018 and can't be recovered. Update any account that still uses it, and treat reactivation offers as scams.
  • Former Tesco Broadband customers are with TalkTalk, out of contract for years, and free to switch to any provider at their address.

Alex's closing thought

Every week we take calls from people who want broadband from a name they already trust, and Tesco's name comes up more than any other. I understand why. But the brand on the bill tells you very little about the connection, the price or the service, and the rules now protect you whoever you choose. Compare at your own address, check whether you qualify for a social tariff, and let the new provider do the work. If you'd rather talk it through with a person, ring us. That's what we're here for.

Keep going: the guides behind this post

Cite this page

You're welcome to quote or link to this guide. Please credit BroadbandSwitch.uk and link to this page.

In a sentence: Tesco has not sold home broadband since it sold its 75,000 broadband and 20,000 home phone customers to TalkTalk in January 2015; tesco.net email closed on 27 June 2018; Tesco Mobile sells phones and SIMs only and said in June 2026 that it has no plans to launch into broadband.

Martin-Smith, A. J. (2026, November 1). Does Tesco do broadband? What happened and what to do. BroadbandSwitch.uk. https://broadbandswitch.uk/insights/does-tesco-do-broadband/

Frequently asked questions

Is Tesco Broadband still available?

No. Tesco stopped selling broadband and home phone in January 2015, when it sold the business to TalkTalk. There is no Tesco broadband website, router or deal today, and Tesco Mobile doesn't sell broadband either.

When did Tesco stop doing broadband?

Tesco announced the sale of its broadband and home phone business to TalkTalk on 8 January 2015, and customers were moved to TalkTalk during 2015. Tesco had sold broadband since 31 August 2004, and dial-up internet as TescoNet since 1998.

Who bought Tesco Broadband?

TalkTalk. It took on about 75,000 broadband customers and 20,000 home phone customers, plus 400,000 Blinkbox film accounts, in a deal announced on 8 January 2015. The price was not disclosed.

Does Tesco Mobile do home broadband or mobile broadband?

No. Tesco Mobile sells pay monthly phones, pay as you go and SIM only plans on O2's network. It doesn't sell home broadband, 4G or 5G routers, dongles or data-only SIMs, as at 1 November 2026.

Can I use a Tesco Mobile SIM in a router for home broadband?

Tesco Mobile's unlimited data terms say you can't use it in a home router for home broadband. You can tether from your phone for your own personal use. If you want a SIM for a router, choose a network that sells data plans for that purpose.

Is Tesco broadband coming back in 2026?

Nothing has been announced. The Financial Times reported on 25 June 2026 that Tesco Mobile had held early talks about selling broadband over Virgin Media O2 and nexfibre's full fibre networks. Tesco Mobile said it currently has no plans to launch into the broadband market.

Does my tesco.net email address still work?

No. Tesco closed the tesco.net email service on 27 June 2018 and stopped forwarding messages on 10 October 2018. Anything sent to a tesco.net address since then has not been delivered.

Can I get my old tesco.net emails back?

No. The mailboxes were closed in 2018 and weren't transferred to TalkTalk or anyone else. If an account still uses a tesco.net address for logins or password resets, change it to an email account you control. Any offer to reactivate a tesco.net mailbox is a scam.

Does Tesco do broadband and landline deals for pensioners?

No, because Tesco doesn't sell broadband at all. If you receive Pension Credit, every major provider offers a social tariff, and Ofcom lists 34 of them from £10 to £25 a month. Otherwise, compare deals at your postcode and look at the full contract cost rather than the brand.

Who owns Tesco Mobile?

Tesco Mobile is a 50:50 joint venture between Tesco and Virgin Media O2. It was set up in 2003 with O2, and the joint venture was renewed for ten years on 31 January 2024. Its plans run on O2's network.

Does Tesco have free Wi-Fi in its stores?

Tesco rolled out free in-store Wi-Fi, provided by BT, to its Extra and Superstore branches from late 2014. Look for the Tesco Wi-Fi or BT network on your phone in a larger store. Availability varies by store, so ask at customer services if you can't see it.

Can I earn Clubcard points on my broadband bill?

No. No broadband provider earns Clubcard points, and when we looked on 1 November 2026, no broadband provider was among the Reward Partners you can spend vouchers with. Tesco Mobile customers earn a point for every £1 on their mobile bill or top-up.

References

Written by Dr Alex J. Martin-Smith, Founder of BroadbandSwitch.uk (LinkedIn). Reviewed by Adrian James, Broadband Editor at BroadbandSwitch.uk (LinkedIn). Published 1 November 2026. Margaret is an illustrative example built from the calls we take, not a real customer. Search figures are our own Google Search Console data. We will update this post if Tesco or Tesco Mobile announces a broadband product. What's changed: 1 November 2026, first published. BroadbandSwitch.uk is an independent comparison site and is not a broadband provider. This is general information, not legal or financial advice. Corrections are logged publicly.

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