The Independent’s journalism is supported by our readers. When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn commission. Why trust us?
Our advice
If you are a BT broadband customer you can benefit from exclusive EE SIM deals, with plans ranging from 50GB to unlimited data. It’s worth noting that these deals are only available to new EE customers.
A landline is required for standard and fibre broadband, but it is not needed if you can access full fibre. Virgin Media and Vodafone offer broadband, SIM and landline deals.
You’re just a few steps away from seeing our best deals where you live.
Deals last updated: 30th December 2024
The best broadband deal won’t be the same for everyone. broadband and sim packages provide internet access alongside a sim card contract.
Below, our expert team explains everything you need to know about broadband and sim offers, including which providers offer them and how to find the best price.
As the name suggests, broadband and sim packages offer both an internet connection and a sim card plan. These deals come with varying broadband speeds at different prices, meaning consumers can choose the deal that suits them best.
The sim card can be used in a mobile device and usually comes with either 4G or 5G connectivity. Not all broadband providers are partnered with a sim company, however, so these packages are less common than other bundled broadband deals.
Broadband and sim deals are generally affordable. Virgin Media offers all its eligible plans with the option to add an O2 sim for an extra £10 per month. EE offers three sim plans with varying features, ranging from £10 to £19 per month.
As we mentioned, not all broadband providers offer sim and broadband deals. Other providers offer incentives for customers with existing sims on different broadband packages. To help you figure out the best broadband and sim deal for you, we compiled some of the biggest perks and downsides of each provider’s deals.
To help you pick the right provider for your broadband and sim deal, we have ranked the options using our Independent Advisor rating. This score was calculated based on our survey data where we asked over 2,000 broadband customers in the UK how they felt about their broadband service. To learn more about our survey and how we use it, see our methodology below.
| Broadband provider | Independent Advisor rating | Perks** |
|---|---|---|
| EE* | ★★★½ | £20 off your monthly mobile bill; Full Works plan comes with an Inclusive Extra every month |
| BT | ★★★½ | BT customers receive discounted rates on EE sim cards |
| Vodafone | ★★★½ | Access to one year of McAfee Total Protection; save up to £4 per month on broadband with a pay monthly sim plan |
| Virgin Media | ★★★ | WiFi Max Guarantee; double the mobile data on every O2 Pay Monthly plan in the household |
When choosing a broadband and sim provider, it can be useful to compare more than just the price of the plan. For instance, if customer service is important to you, then, based on our survey, EE could be your best bet. Meanwhile, if the reliability of your connection is top of your list, BT might be your ideal provider.
To find the best deal, you need to consider the criteria that are most important to you. Below, we have compiled some of the biggest factors to consider when searching for a new broadband and sim deal.
Use our postcode checker to find the best broadband in your area – simply enter your postcode to find the best speeds at the lowest cost in your region. You should also do a broadband speed test to confirm you are receiving adequate speeds from your current provider as per your contract.
Some providers offer reduced rates on your monthly broadband or sim bill when they are combined. Others offer incentives such as free subscriptions or guarantees on your service.
When looking for the best sim and broadband deals, it’s important not to be influenced purely by the incentives. You should also consider how much you can afford to spend each month. Generally speaking, faster deals will cost more. So, if you are on a budget, it may be worth scaling down your speeds.
Thankfully, broadband and sim deals come with varying speeds, giving everyone the chance to find the right speed for their household. Slower speeds will work best for households with fewer people, while faster deals can handle more devices being connected at once. Remember that faster speeds are usually more expensive, although this will vary by provider.
When it comes to broadband and sim deals, there are fewer providers to choose from than with traditional packages. However, you should still look for a trustworthy provider that operates in your area. To help you find the best provider for broadband and sim deals, use our Independent Advisor rating, which considers factors such as value for money, customer satisfaction, pricing and speed.
In a similar vein to broadband providers, you must also find the best sim provider in your area. Not every sim provider will have strong 4G or 5G coverage where you live, making it vital to check their websites to ensure a stable connection in your home when using your data.
Our survey respondents reported that price and speed were the most important factors when picking a new broadband provider. Both factors received 94 per cent of votes, followed closely by reliability with 93 per cent.
Promotions/discounts were deemed slightly less important, receiving just 77 per cent of votes. This is something that’s important to keep this in mind when comparing and choosing broadband and sim deals. While incentives and discounts can be alluring, it’s more important to ensure you are getting the best price with the right speed from a trustworthy provider.
Broadband and sim deals are not the only packages available. You will find multiple other packages on the market that cater to different services, such as a landline or multiple TV channels.
Here are some of the most popular alternatives to broadband and sim packages:
Most people in the UK use both home broadband and a smartphone that uses a sim, so it’s well worth considering a joint package that includes both services on a single bill. It’s far easier to liaise with one provider, and some companies throw in incentives for keeping all your internet needs under one umbrella.
That said, you may find separate sim and broadband plans that work better for your needs and the available internet coverage in your area.
No, mobile broadband refers to an internet router that’s powered by a sim card – much like an internet-connected smartphone. This is not the same as a traditional sim, but these deals can be useful for those with limited access to traditional broadband.
Your need for a landline will depend on what deals are available to you. If you live in an area with access to full fibre broadband, otherwise known as fibre to the premises (FTTP), you don’t need a landline – although you can still find deals that include them.
Otherwise, if you only have access to fibre broadband, also known as fibre to the cabinet (FTTC) or standard broadband, then you will need a landline to maintain a broadband connection.
Survey of broadband customers aged between 24 and 64 conducted on Censuswide, 11-14 March 2024. Survey sample: 2,003 respondents from Sky (489), BT Broadband (412), Virgin Media (396), EE (134), Vodafone (124), Other (102), Plusnet (66), NOW Broadband (45), Three (31), Hyperoptic (14), Community Fibre (8) and Unsure (7). Respondents who selected Hyperoptic, Community Fibre, Other or Unsure were discarded from our review; however, the information gathered for Hyperoptic and Community Fibre was used in our broadband providers evaluation. Respondents were asked to rate each category on a five-point scale, from “Very Poor” to “Excellent” or from “Never” to “Always”, with the option of selecting “Don’t Know” for all questions. For the third question (“What issues, if any, have you experienced with your current broadband provider?”), respondents could select from the following: “Price Hikes”, “Slow Speeds”, “High Prices”, “Frequent Disconnections”, “Poor Customer Service”, “Billing Issues”, “Other” and “N/A”. The questions used to calculate our score were: “How often, if at all, do you feel the actual speed of your broadband service matches the advertised speed?” “How would you rate your experience with customer service and support from your broadband provider?” “What issues, if any, have you experienced with your current broadband provider? (Select all that apply)”, “How easy or difficult is it/would it be to reach your provider using your preferred method?” “How do you rate the value for money of your broadband service?” and “How would you rate the transparency of pricing and additional fees in your broadband service?”
Explore our picks of the best broadband and sim deals
Deals checked by Gemma Ryles, our broadband expert
With her expert advice and knowledge, you can trust Gemma to guide you to the best broadband deal for your needs.