YouFibre broadband deals: Netomnia-powered multi-gig, now heading into Virgin Media O2
YouFibre is a full-fibre altnet retailer founded in 2019, running on the Netomnia XGS-PON network (part of Substantial Group). Symmetric speeds from 200 Mbps up to a genuinely extraordinary 7 Gbps consumer tier, Wi-Fi 7 Hub included free with every plan, and a fixed-price promise for the full contract term that sets YouFibre apart from almost every UK major. On 18 February 2026, nexfibre announced a £2bn agreement to acquire Substantial Group, with Virgin Media O2 separately agreeing to acquire the YouFibre and brsk retail brands for £150m; completion is expected in Q3 2026 subject to regulatory approval. Existing YouFibre customer contracts continue unchanged through the transition. This page is the honest take on the product, the Netomnia footprint, and what the Virgin Media O2 acquisition means for new customers considering YouFibre in 2026.
Runs on Netomnia XGS-PON
YouFibre is the main retail brand for Netomnia, the full-fibre wholesale network operator within Substantial Group. XGS-PON architecture supports the full symmetric multi-gig tier range with headroom for even faster future upgrades.
Symmetric multi-gig speeds
Five main consumer tiers, all symmetric: 200 Mbps, 900 Mbps, 1 Gbps, 1.8 Gbps, and 7 Gbps. The 7 Gbps tier is genuinely unmatched in UK residential broadband; only a handful of providers currently sell anything above 3 Gbps to consumers.
Wi-Fi 7 Hub included free
Every new install includes a YouFibre Wi-Fi 7 Hub (dual-band) on standard tiers, and a Wi-Fi 7 Hub Pro (tri-band including 6 GHz) on the top tier. This is leading-edge home hardware still rare across UK providers.
Fixed price for full contract term
YouFibre promises no mid-contract price rises on fixed-term contracts. Sign up at £25/mo, pay £25/mo for the full 12 or 18 months. Material differentiator versus the fixed-pound annual increases that every UK major now applies post-Ofcom-rule.
Contract buy-out scheme
YouFibre offers to reimburse exit fees from your previous provider (conditions apply) once your YouFibre service is live and your first bill paid. Genuinely removes the friction of switching before an existing contract ends.
Virgin Media O2 acquisition pending
On 18 February 2026, Virgin Media O2 agreed to acquire the YouFibre retail brand for £150m as part of nexfibre's £2bn acquisition of Substantial Group. Completion expected Q3 2026 subject to regulatory approval. Existing customer contracts continue; brand continuity post-integration is the open question.
See live YouFibre deals at your postcode
YouFibre's coverage depends on Netomnia's network, concentrated in North East England, parts of Wales, and Wednesbury. Run the exact-address check before comparing value.
Compare deals by postcodeWhat YouFibre actually is: Netomnia retail brand
YouFibre is a full-fibre broadband retailer founded in 2019. Unlike Hyperoptic, Community Fibre, or Gigaclear, which build and operate their own networks, YouFibre is primarily a retail brand running over the Netomnia wholesale network. Netomnia is a separate company within the wider Substantial Group, which has invested over £1.6 billion of equity and debt across its network-build and retail operations, backed by investors including Advencap, DigitalBridge, and Soho Square Capital.
The Substantial Group structure
- Netomnia: the wholesale full-fibre network operator, building XGS-PON infrastructure directly to homes and businesses. Approximately 3 million UK premises within its footprint.
- YouFibre: the main retail brand selling home broadband over Netomnia's network.
- brsk: a sister retail brand also within Substantial Group, consolidated alongside YouFibre's retail operations.
- XGS-PON technology: a modern full-fibre transmission standard that supports symmetric speeds up to 10 Gbps and has more than enough headroom for current and future multi-gig tiers. Newer and higher-capacity than the GPON architecture many other altnets use.
Where Netomnia (and therefore YouFibre) operates
- North East England core: Bishop Auckland, Middlesbrough, Stockton-on-Tees, Spennymoor, Peterlee, Trimdon, Durham, Darlington, and surrounding towns.
- West Midlands: Wednesbury and adjoining Black Country areas.
- Wales: selected South Wales postcodes with ongoing expansion.
- Other rollout areas: selected postcodes across England as Netomnia's build continues.
- Target: approximately 3 million premises within Netomnia's reach by 2026 year-end, with further expansion under the combined ownership structure post-acquisition.
The editorial honest take. YouFibre-on-Netomnia is a genuinely strong altnet product. XGS-PON technology, leading-edge Wi-Fi 7 hardware, symmetric speeds up to 7 Gbps, and a fixed-price promise together make a compelling package. The caveat is the ongoing corporate transition: YouFibre's retail operations are being acquired by Virgin Media O2, which means brand direction, product range, and customer service routing may change substantively after completion in Q3 2026. New customers signing up now inherit the current terms and benefit from the fixed-price commitment for their full contract, but the shape of YouFibre in 2027 and beyond is unknown.
YouFibre speed tiers and typical prices
YouFibre's current package range (March 2026 pricing, promo until 30 April 2026) spans five main consumer tiers, all symmetric. Live prices move with campaign periods; the figures below are the advertised introductory rates on the 12-month minimum term. Post-contract pricing is higher when you come to re-contract.
| Tier | Download / upload | Typical intro price (12-month) | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|
| You 200 | 200 Mbps / 200 Mbps (symmetric) | From £20/mo | Smaller households; symmetric entry-tier value |
| You 1000 | 1000 Mbps / 1000 Mbps (symmetric) | From around £25/mo | Most households: the sweet spot for symmetric gigabit at competitive pricing |
| You 900 | 900 Mbps / 900 Mbps (symmetric) | From £25/mo | Alternative near-gigabit tier at matching price |
| You 1800 | 1800 Mbps / 1800 Mbps (symmetric) | From £30/mo | Heavy multi-user households, content creators, home-office with cloud-heavy workflows |
| You 7000 | 7000 Mbps / 7000 Mbps (symmetric) | From £99.99/mo | Extreme power users, small-business needs; genuinely unmatched UK consumer speed |
The highlighted You 1000 tier is where YouFibre's value case is strongest for most households. Symmetric gigabit at £25 a month on a 12-month contract with fixed pricing is materially below equivalent Openreach-based plans (BT Full Fibre 900 typically around £48/mo, Sky Gigafast typically around £45/mo, Vodafone Full Fibre 910 typically around £40/mo), all of which are asymmetric on upload and all of which apply annual mid-contract price rises. The straight savings over 12 months on a £25 vs £48 comparison are around £276, plus the upload parity value and Wi-Fi 7 hardware value.
You 7000 at £99.99/mo deserves a specific callout: this is the highest-speed consumer broadband tier sold to UK residential customers at the time of writing, surpassing Community Fibre's 3 Gbps top tier. Realistic use cases are limited to content creators, small-business home offices, and power users with specific upload-intensive workflows, but the fact it exists as a consumer product rather than a business-only tier is genuinely notable. Most home devices cannot actually consume 7 Gbps; the value is in the headroom for multi-user, multi-gig simultaneous workloads.
The Virgin Media O2 acquisition explained
On 18 February 2026, nexfibre (a joint venture backed by InfraVia, Liberty Global, and Telefonica) announced an agreement to acquire Substantial Group for approximately £2 billion. The transaction structure separates network from retail: nexfibre acquires the Netomnia wholesale network and infrastructure, while Virgin Media O2 (a Liberty Global and Telefonica joint venture, and Virgin Media's parent) separately agrees to acquire the Substantial Group retail operations (YouFibre and brsk) for £150 million. Completion is expected in Q3 2026 subject to customary regulatory approvals.
What changes for existing YouFibre customers
- Existing contracts continue unchanged for their full term.
- Fixed-price promise remains in effect for the contract duration you signed up for.
- YouFibre branding, hub hardware, and service portals continue as-is during the transition period.
- Network performance is unaffected; Netomnia's infrastructure continues to run.
- Post-completion brand direction and product evolution are decisions for Virgin Media O2 as new owner.
What it could mean longer term
- YouFibre could be absorbed into the Virgin Media brand, with YouFibre products re-badged or consolidated over time.
- Customer service routing, portal design, and account management may migrate to Virgin Media's systems.
- Package structure and pricing decisions will reflect Virgin Media O2's broader portfolio positioning.
- The Netomnia network (separately owned by nexfibre post-deal) will continue to serve YouFibre customers on its XGS-PON infrastructure.
- nexfibre is majority-owned by Liberty Global and Telefonica, the same parent companies as Virgin Media O2, so coordination between network and retail should be smooth.
The editorial honest take. For new customers considering YouFibre today, the fixed-price promise for the full contract term means you are protected from pricing changes during that period regardless of ownership. If your household wants absolute brand certainty over multiple years, Openreach-based majors (BT, Sky, Plusnet, Vodafone, NOW) or longer-established altnets (Hyperoptic, Community Fibre, Gigaclear) offer more stable brand roadmaps. If your priority is current-generation hardware, symmetric multi-gig speeds, and competitive pricing for the next 12 to 18 months on the Netomnia footprint, YouFibre remains a strong choice regardless of the acquisition.
Fixed price promise, Wi-Fi 7 hub, and contract buy-out
Three YouFibre product features are worth understanding in detail before comparing against other providers.
The fixed-price promise
- What it means: the monthly price you sign up at is guaranteed for your entire minimum term. No mid-contract increases. No CPI adjustments. No surprises.
- How this differs from UK majors: BT Group applies £4/mo fixed annual increases; NOW applies £3; Vodafone £3.50; Sky follows similar patterns. Community Fibre's £2/mo increase is the lowest among UK majors but still exists. YouFibre's commitment is £0.
- The real-world value: over an 18-month contract, a £4/mo annual price rise compounds to £72 in extra annual cost by year two. YouFibre's fixed-price commitment removes that entirely.
- The caveat: post-contract (re-contracting) prices will be higher than the introductory rate. Set a calendar reminder to renegotiate before the end of the term.
Wi-Fi 7 hardware included
- Standard tiers: YouFibre Wi-Fi 7 Hub (dual-band, 2.4 GHz + 5 GHz), capable of handling multi-gig speeds over Wi-Fi for modern devices.
- Top tier (You 7000): Wi-Fi 7 Hub Pro (tri-band, including 6 GHz), required to genuinely saturate the 7 Gbps tier over wireless.
- Wi-Fi 7 context: introduced as a consumer standard in 2024 with wider device support landing through 2025-2026. Many UK majors still ship Wi-Fi 5 or Wi-Fi 6 hardware. YouFibre's Wi-Fi 7 default is leading-edge.
- YouMesh add-on: extra mesh nodes available for larger homes, with a minimum-Wi-Fi-speed-in-every-room guarantee on the add-on.
Contract buy-out scheme
- What it is: YouFibre offers to reimburse exit fees from your previous broadband provider (conditions apply), paid after your YouFibre service is live and your first bill paid.
- Why it matters: exit fees from mid-contract switches can be hundreds of pounds at BT, Sky, or Virgin Media. The buy-out scheme removes the financial barrier to switching early.
- The caveat: conditions apply (typically a cap on reimbursement amount, a time window for claiming, and evidence requirements); always read the current scheme terms before signing up.
YouFibre vs Openreach FTTP, Virgin Media, and other altnets
For addresses on the Netomnia footprint, the comparisons worth running are (1) against Openreach-based majors (BT, Sky, Plusnet, Vodafone, NOW) if those are also available, (2) against Virgin Media if cable or Nexfibre FTTP has reached your address, and (3) against other altnets where footprints overlap.
Where YouFibre wins
- Multi-gig top speeds: 7 Gbps consumer tier is unmatched in UK residential broadband.
- Fixed price for full contract term: £0 price rises versus £2-£4/mo annual increases at UK majors.
- Wi-Fi 7 hardware included free: most majors ship Wi-Fi 5 or Wi-Fi 6.
- Contract buy-out scheme reimburses previous-provider exit fees.
- XGS-PON technology with symmetric speeds across every tier.
- Pricing at the 1 Gbps tier is around half what Openreach-based majors charge for equivalent download speeds (and asymmetric upload).
Where others win
- Openreach majors: nationwide availability versus Netomnia's concentrated footprint, established brand continuity, TV and mobile bundles.
- Virgin Media (pre-acquisition): currently wider UK availability and established retail operations; post-acquisition the two brands will be under the same parent.
- Hyperoptic: 30-day rolling contracts available at all tiers; YouFibre has rolling options but at higher premium.
- Community Fibre (in London): direct residential competition in London where both are available; Community Fibre's footprint is far larger in that specific market.
- Gigaclear (rural England): rural-focused footprint where Netomnia has not built.
- BT/Sky/Plusnet if brand certainty is priority: no ongoing acquisition uncertainty about product direction.
The practical arithmetic worth stating out loud. Compare the gigabit tier at a typical North East England postcode. YouFibre You 1000 sits at £25/mo symmetric, fixed for the contract term. BT Full Fibre 900 sits around £48/mo asymmetric with an annual £4/mo price rise. Over 18 months, YouFibre total is £450. BT total factoring in a £4 mid-contract rise is around £888. YouFibre saves almost £440 over the contract term with better upload speed and more modern Wi-Fi hardware. For Netomnia-footprint households, the arithmetic is compelling.
What to check before ordering YouFibre
Exact-address Netomnia check
Run the postcode check at youfibre.com or in the BroadbandSwitch comparison tool. Netomnia's rollout is specific to covered streets, so confirm your exact address is live before comparing prices. Coverage is strongest in North East England, Wednesbury, and parts of Wales.
Consider the acquisition context
Virgin Media O2 is acquiring the YouFibre retail brand in Q3 2026. Existing contracts are protected by the fixed-price promise, but post-completion brand direction is an open question. Weigh current value against long-term brand preference.
Pick the right speed tier
You 1000 is the sweet spot for most households. You 1800 makes sense for heavy cloud-work families or content creators. You 7000 is niche (most home devices cannot saturate 7 Gbps over Wi-Fi). You 200 is entry-tier for smaller households who still want symmetric upload.
Use the contract buy-out if switching early
If you are mid-contract with another provider, YouFibre's buy-out scheme can reimburse your exit fees (conditions apply). Check current scheme terms and caps before committing; the buy-out makes switching mid-contract financially viable where it otherwise would not be.
Contract length: 12-month promo or 18-month fixed
Current 12-month promo pricing runs until 30 April 2026. After that, check the prevailing term and pricing. Rolling monthly contracts exist but at a premium. The fixed-price promise applies to fixed-term contracts only.
Consider social tariff if on Universal Credit
YouFibre supports eligible households (Universal Credit and similar means-tested benefits) with a social tariff at higher fibre speeds than many competitors' basic social tariffs. Check eligibility and current pricing at youfibre.com if relevant.
Compare YouFibre deals by postcode
The comparison widget below is filtered to show YouFibre home broadband only. Enter your postcode and select your exact address to see plans available at your property, ranked by recommendation. The Netomnia availability check is built into the flow.
Prefer to see the full UK market? Compare all providers at your postcode or filter by feature. Outside the Netomnia footprint, compare against Hyperoptic, Community Fibre, Gigaclear, or Openreach-based majors.
Related routes
Trust, reputation, and corporate context
YouFibre Limited was founded in 2019 and is registered at Unit H The Courtyard, Tewkesbury Business Park, GL20 8GD. The company operates as the main retail brand for Netomnia, a wholesale full-fibre network operator within the wider Substantial Group. Substantial Group was backed by investors including Advencap, DigitalBridge, and Soho Square Capital, with over £1.6 billion of combined equity and debt invested across the network build and retail operations. Following the 18 February 2026 agreements, Substantial Group is being acquired by nexfibre (owned by InfraVia, Liberty Global, and Telefonica), while the YouFibre and brsk retail brands are being acquired by Virgin Media O2. Completion is expected in Q3 2026 subject to regulatory approval.
YouFibre does not feature prominently in Ofcom's comparative complaints data (which focuses on the largest UK ISPs by subscriber base). Independent reviewer feedback through 2025 and early 2026 has been strong on speed, Wi-Fi hardware quality, and the fixed-price promise; the primary consistent criticism is coverage limitation outside the Netomnia footprint. Customer support is available 8am-8pm daily on 0330 822 2222, with 24/7 email and live chat via the app; sales support is 8am-8pm Monday-Friday and 10am-6pm Saturday on 0333 443 9694.
YouFibre FAQs
Is YouFibre broadband any good in 2026?
Yes, for addresses on the Netomnia footprint. YouFibre offers symmetric full fibre from 200 Mbps to 7 Gbps, Wi-Fi 7 Hub hardware included free, and a fixed-price promise for the full contract term (no mid-contract price rises). The 1 Gbps tier at around £25/mo is materially cheaper than equivalent Openreach-based plans, and the 7 Gbps consumer tier is genuinely unmatched in UK residential broadband. The honest constraint is footprint: Netomnia coverage is concentrated in North East England, Wednesbury, and parts of Wales, plus ongoing expansion areas.
Where is YouFibre available?
YouFibre runs on Netomnia's network, with core coverage in North East England (Bishop Auckland, Middlesbrough, Stockton, Spennymoor, Peterlee, Trimdon, Durham, Darlington), Wednesbury in the West Midlands, and parts of Wales. Netomnia continues to build in additional areas. Always run the postcode check at youfibre.com or in the BroadbandSwitch comparison tool to confirm availability at your exact address before comparing prices.
What does the Virgin Media O2 acquisition mean for YouFibre customers?
On 18 February 2026, nexfibre agreed to acquire Substantial Group (Netomnia's parent) for £2 billion, with Virgin Media O2 separately agreeing to acquire the YouFibre and brsk retail brands for £150 million. Completion is expected in Q3 2026 subject to regulatory approval. Existing customer contracts continue unchanged for their full term, including the fixed-price promise. Post-completion, Virgin Media O2 will determine brand direction and product evolution; YouFibre could over time be absorbed into the Virgin Media brand or continue as a distinct sub-brand. The Netomnia network itself is unaffected operationally.
What does YouFibre's fixed-price promise cover?
YouFibre commits to no mid-contract price rises on fixed-term contracts (12-month and 18-month). The monthly price you sign up at is the price you pay for the full minimum term. This is a material differentiator versus UK majors, all of which apply fixed-pound annual increases (BT Group £4/mo, NOW £3/mo, Vodafone £3.50/mo, Community Fibre £2/mo). The caveat is that post-contract re-contracting prices will be higher than the introductory rate, so set a reminder to renegotiate or switch before the end of the term. Rolling monthly contracts may not carry the same fixed-price protection.
What Wi-Fi hardware comes with YouFibre?
Every new YouFibre install includes a Wi-Fi 7 Hub router. Standard tiers get the dual-band YouFibre Hub (2.4 GHz and 5 GHz); the top You 7000 tier ships with the Hub Pro (tri-band including 6 GHz) necessary to handle 7 Gbps speeds over wireless. Wi-Fi 7 is the current leading-edge home wireless standard, with faster peak speeds and more consistent multi-device performance than Wi-Fi 6. YouMesh is available as an optional add-on to extend whole-home coverage, with a minimum-Wi-Fi-speed-per-room guarantee on the add-on.
How does YouFibre's contract buy-out scheme work?
YouFibre offers to reimburse exit fees from your previous broadband provider, subject to current scheme terms and caps. Reimbursement is typically paid after your YouFibre service is activated and your first bill paid. The scheme is designed to remove the financial barrier to switching mid-contract; UK majors often charge hundreds of pounds in exit fees for leaving before a contract ends. Always check the current buy-out scheme terms at youfibre.com before signing up, as caps and evidence requirements can change.
Does YouFibre offer TV or phone bundles?
YouFibre is broadband-only; it does not sell TV packages. A VoIP home phone service (YouPhone) is available as a separate add-on with three tiers: YouPhone at £5/mo (free evening and weekend UK landline calls), YouPhone Plus at £10/mo (unlimited UK landline calls), YouPhone Pro at £15/mo (unlimited calls including UK mobiles). Because it is a digital VoIP service, there is no separate line rental charge. Note that VoIP phones do not work during power cuts, which is an industry-wide issue ahead of the PSTN copper switch-off scheduled for 31 January 2027.
How does YouFibre's switching process work?
Because YouFibre runs on Netomnia (independent of Openreach), switching does not use the Openreach wholesale transfer process. You order direct with YouFibre; engineers install the fibre connection to your home; and your existing provider continues until you cancel. The One Touch Switch framework launched 12 September 2024 covers leaving your current provider. The contract buy-out scheme means exit fees from a mid-contract switch can be reimbursed (subject to scheme terms), which removes the typical financial barrier to switching mid-contract.
References
1. Ofcom on in-contract price rises
Ofcom (2025). Ban on inflation-linked mid-contract price rises.
3. ISPreview on YouFibre pricing
ISPreview UK (2026). YouFibre discounts full fibre home broadband packages on Netomnia.
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 March 2026 market observation and the advertised promotional rates in effect to 30 April 2026; confirm live figures at your exact address before ordering. The Virgin Media O2 acquisition of YouFibre's retail operations is subject to regulatory approval; we will update this page with any material changes as the transaction progresses.
See YouFibre ranked against every provider at your address
On the Netomnia footprint, YouFibre's fixed-price symmetric multi-gig is hard to match. Outside it, you have other strong full-fibre options. Run the live check and compare total contract cost across multiple providers.
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