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Best business broadband providers

In today’s fast-paced business environment, having a reliable internet connection is not just an advantage but a necessity. As businesses across the UK increasingly depend on digital operations, the choice of broadband provider becomes crucial.

This section explores six of the best business broadband providers known for their robust services, competitive pricing, and excellent customer support.

BT business broadband

BT is the world’s oldest communications company; in the past, it was the monopoly telecom provider for the UK. In modern times, BT is the internet service provider with the highest satisfaction rating, according to Ofcom.

BT business broadband uses the EE mobile networks to provide a 5G private network service that offers unparalleled wireless performance across large commercial properties.

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Sky business broadband

The Sky Group is an international broadcaster and telecommunications company. Sky’s routers are 4G enabled, providing a backup connection should there be a problem with your tethered internet connection.

Sky Business broadband offers broadband products to companies of all sizes, from small businesses to large organisations with complex connectivity requirements.

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TalkTalk business broadband

TalkTalk has invested heavily in its next-generation broadband infrastructure and is fast becoming one of the largest, most connected internet networks. TalkTalk business already provides internet services to over 180,000 British companies.

TalkTalk business broadband maintains a particularly impressive Trustpilot score with over 17,000 reviews and an excellent average score of 4.8 out of 5.

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Virgin Media business broadband

Virgin is a Reading-based telecommunications company that provides business broadband packages to small, medium and large companies nationwide. The broadband Virgin provides is backed up by Virgin’s mobile 4G network offering.

Virgin Media business broadband’s growing cable network provides speeds of up to 1,000 Mbps, now available to over 15 million UK premises.

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Vodafone business broadband

Vodafone is a UK-based global telecommunications company operating networks in over 22 countries. Vodafone won the Best for Business category at the Mobile Industry Awards 2023 for its innovative V-Hub platform.

Vodafone business broadband has over 30 years of experience keeping businesses connected across the UK.

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Hyperoptic business broadband

Hyperoptic operates its own independent full-fibre broadband network, giving businesses access to affordable Gigabit internet and can provide an even faster connection with their Leased Line business service.

Hyperoptic’s business broadband packages have dedicated customer support and workday SLAs as standard.

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Best small business broadband providers

For small businesses, selecting the right broadband provider is about finding the perfect balance between cost, reliability, and scalability.

In this section, we’ll highlight three of the best small business broadband providers:

Onebill business broadband – Onebill focuses on attracting customers by providing superior customer service to small business owners who feel neglected by the larger broadband providers.
XLN business broadband – XLN has supported small UK businesses for over 20 years. They pride themselves on being Britain’s most trusted small business supplier.
bOnline business broadband – bOnline specialises in providing connectivity solutions to SMEs. They offer an affordable commercial broadband solution using BT’s Openreach network.

For more information, refer to our full page on small business broadband solutions.

How to choose the right business broadband provider

Choosing the right business broadband provider is essential; here are three easy steps to ensure you choose the right supplier for your business.

Your business broadband needs

Understand exactly what you require from a business broadband supplier. Here are the most important aspects to consider:

Compare business broadband providers

Compare business broadband deals and review packages that fit your requirements.

💡The lowest business broadband prices are typically time-limited offers.

Choose your preferred provider

Once you’ve reviewed the selection of business internet providers, our business broadband experts can initiate your broadband switch.

Check out our guide to switching business broadband providers for more information.

Reasons to switch business broadband providers

Changing business broadband providers can seem daunting, especially for larger businesses with complex connectivity needs.

However, sometimes switching business broadband providers is the best option, and here are the most common reasons why:

Customer service needs to be better, and you are dissatisfied

It’s important to feel supported by your business broadband provider.

A disruption in your office broadband connection will quickly grind most businesses to a halt, so it’s vital to have a responsive customer service department that you trust to resolve your issues quickly.

It’s worth considering switching to a business broadband provider that offers priority customer support for companies.

Upgrading your business broadband to something faster

Full fibre broadband networks are expanding across the country and becoming available to more and more commercial properties.

Upgrading to full-fibre broadband for your business is an opportunity to consider switching business broadband providers.

To benefit from full fibre, your business broadband provider must install a dedicated fibre broadband cable and upgrade your routers, even if you stick with your existing provider.

Your broadband needs are getting more complex

As companies grow, their broadband needs become more complex. Some providers specialise in basic broadband for small businesses, while others support large enterprises.

Some business broadband providers can offer large businesses:

High-performing business broadband routers
Service Level Agreements (SLAs) that guarantee repair times.
Priority customer support

Finding a cheaper business broadband provider

Business broadband contracts typically commit your company to several years. As your contract ends, it’s a great time to consider whether there are cheaper business broadband providers that can offer an equally good service.

For small businesses, switching broadband providers is quite simple, and your connection will only have a short interruption outside of the working day.

When your contract ends, see if you can save money through a simple business broadband provider switch.

Types of business broadband provider connections

Business broadband providers use various methods to connect their customers to the internet.

When choosing your next business broadband provider, it’s essential to consider the technology they use to connect your business to the internet.

In the following section, we will explore the connection types used by different providers, ranked from fastest to slowest.

Leased line business broadband providers

Speeds: Up to 10,000 Mbps

A leased line broadband provider offers a dedicated Ethernet cable from your business directly to a local internet exchange.

Leased line broadband providers deliver unparalleled internet speeds and the highest levels of security. This service is especially recommended for large organisations that require robust and reliable internet connectivity.

Leased line broadband is typically offered by providers who manage their own fibre infrastructure, such as BT, Virgin, TalkTalk, Vodafone, and Hyperoptic.

Full fibre business broadband providers

Speeds: Up to 1,000 Mbps

A full fibre business broadband provider installs a dedicated fibre optic cable from your business to the local fibre network.

Full fibre broadband provides a connection that is ten times faster than the standard fibre-to-the-cabinet (FTTC) connection. Full fibre networks are expanding rapidly, offering significant improvements in quality at an affordable price for most businesses.

Full fibre broadband is typically offered by providers utilising the Openreach network.

Cable business broadband providers

Virgin Media alone offers a cable business broadband service.

Virgin Media uses a coaxial cable to deliver gigabit broadband speeds to businesses on their rapidly expanding proprietary network.

In some areas of the UK where Openreach full-fibre isn’t yet available, Virgin Media business broadband offers the best connection option.

Satellite business broadband providers

Speeds: Up to 220 Mbps

Business broadband internet in the UK was pioneered by Starlink, which offers nationwide coverage.

Using satellite business broadband is expensive and requires an initial investment in equipment, but it is the best option in remote areas where tethered broadband is unavailable.

More satellite business broadband providers have recently entered the market. For more information, refer to our satellite business broadband page.

5G business broadband providers

Speeds: Up to 100 Mbps

In major cities, fast 5G networks now offer potentially cheaper and better broadband services than standard fibre optic broadband.

5G business broadband is currently being offered by business mobile broadband providers such as Vodafone, EE, Three, and O2.

More commonly, business broadband routers are equipped with mobile broadband capabilities to provide an alternative if your primary connection encounters a problem.

Fibre-to-the-cabinet business broadband providers

Speeds: Up to 80 Mbps

Fibre-to-the-cabinet broadband, often just referred to as “fibre optic broadband,” utilises the existing copper landline cables in older commercial properties to deliver broadband service.

Standard fibre optic broadband is offered by the business broadband providers that use the Openreach network.

Business internet provider types

If you’ve started to review your options for your next business broadband provider, you may notice that the promises being made are very similar from one provider to the next.

However, there is an important distinction between two types of business broadband providers: internet service providers and virtual internet service providers. Let’s explore both types:

Internet Service Providers

An internet service provider is a business broadband provider that operates and maintains their own network.

BT, Vodafone and Virgin are all examples of business broadband providers that operate their fibre networks. Running their network has a significant advantage in directly fixing problems that occur on the network rather than relying on third parties.

Virtual Internet Service Providers

Virtual Internet Service Providers are business broadband providers that have their brand but use the network of another business broadband provider.

Sky, bOnline and Onebill are examples of business broadband providers using the Openreach network instead of having their own.

Virtual Internet Service Providers often focus on higher quality customer service while leaving the network provider to worry about the details of operating the actual infrastructure.

Business broadband providers – FAQs

All your questions on business broadband providers are answered by our business broadband experts:

Which business broadband supplier offers fibre optic?

Fibre optic broadband is the latest development in broadband technology, offering a fast and highly reliable broadband connection.

All of the broadband providers above offer a fibre service, but make sure you understand which one your are getting:

Fibre to the Cabinet (FTTC) is the most common but only uses fibre cables to your local street.
Fibre to the Premises (FTTP) offers a fibre connection all the way into your property but is only currently supported by a handful of the broadband providers above.

Get the best business broadband deals with Business Broadband Hub.

How reliable are business broadband providers?

The reliability of business broadband providers varies depending on the provider, the type of service, and the location of the business.

Business broadband providers are more reliable than residential broadband providers. This is because business broadband providers typically have dedicated infrastructure and support teams focused on providing a high level of service.

When looking at the reliability of business broadband providers, here are some factors that affect reliability in the connection:

The type of service – Fibre optic connections are generally more reliable than copper-based connections.
The location of the business – Businesses that are located in remote areas may experience more outages than businesses that are located in urban areas.
The provider’s infrastructure – Providers with a well-maintained infrastructure are generally more reliable than providers with an outdated infrastructure.
The provider’s support team – Providers with a responsive and knowledgeable support team are generally more reliable than providers with a slow or unresponsive support team.

Tips for choosing a reliable business broadband provider:

Get quotes from multiple providers.
Read reviews from other businesses that have used the provider.
Ask about the provider’s uptime guarantee.
Make sure the provider has a good reputation for customer service.
Choose a provider that offers service-level agreement.

Where can I find the SLA for each business broadband provider

When choosing your next business broadband provider, the two most important SLAs to consider are uptime and time to repair.

The SLAs in a particular deal will be set out in the terms and conditions on each provider’s particular package. We recommend identifying the SLA of a broadband provider before signing up for a new broadband contract.

Typically a business broadband provider will provide advanced support options on their broadband packages offering better SLAs and allowing you to tailor the deal to the requirements of your business.

Can I switch to a new business broadband provider if I’m still contracted?

Yes, it is possible to terminate a business broadband contract early, but you’ll likely need to pay a termination fee.

We recommend carefully reviewing your existing contract’s terms and conditions carefully to understand the implications. Suppose your current business broadband provider hasn’t delivered the promised speed on your contract. In that case, they may release you from your contract early or else work with their engineers to resolve the issue.

Who is the best business broadband supplier?

There’s no individual “best business broadband supplier”. As you can see from our list above, there are many different business broadband providers, each with its own strengths and weaknesses.

The best business broadband supplier for your company depends on your particular broadband needs.

If it’s a really responsive customer services department, one of the virtual internet service providers could be the answer. If it’s raw speed, then you are looking for, then a full fibre business broadband package could be the way to go.

It could be worth considering the savings your business can make by bundling your broadband with a phone and VoIP service offered by some of the broadband suppliers above.

Do I have to use business broadband?

Not necessarily; it depends on your chosen broadband provider and package.

Typically, businesses need faster broadband packages to deal with the additional bandwidth required to connect multiple employees or customers to a Wi-Fi network.

Businesses needing fast broadband use a leased line connection, which can provide a massive 10 Gbps but is significantly more expensive than a home broadband package.

Check out our guide to residential versus business broadband.

Are business broadband providers faster?

Not necessarily; it depends on your chosen broadband provider and package.

Typically, businesses need faster broadband packages to deal with the additional bandwidth required to connect multiple employees or customers to a Wi-Fi network.

Businesses needing fast broadband will use a leased line connection which can provide a massive 10 Gbps but comes at a cost significantly higher than a home broadband package.

Check out our comprehensive guide to business broadband prices for more information.