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When it comes to fibre optic broadband, TalkTalk has various packages to choose from, with different speeds and prices available. But which of its fibre broadband deals is right for you?
Here, we explain the details of TalkTalk’s packages, how they compare against each other as well as those of other providers in terms of speed and price, and what you can expect from TalkTalk as a provider.
TalkTalk has six fibre offers, each of which falls under one of three different levels: Fibre (previously known as Faster Fibre); Full Fibre; and Ultrafast Fibre.
Packages from each level offer unlimited downloads and a router as standard, but they vary in terms of speed and the technologies used to connect you to the world wide web. All of TalkTalk’s fibre broadband deals last for 24 months, and should you wish to cancel before this period ends, you may have to pay an early exit fee.
We’ve compared each of the packages TalkTalk has available to help you make the right choice for you:
| Fibre (Fibre 35/Fibre 65) | Full Fibre (Full Fibre 65/Full Fibre 150/Fibre 500) | Ultrafast Fibre (Fibre 900) | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Download speed | 38MBps/67Mbps | 77Mbps/152Mbps/500Mbps | 944Mbps |
| Time to download a two-hour HD movie | 14 minutes/8 minutes | 4 minutes/1 minute | 36 seconds |
| Upload speed | 9Mbps/18Mbps | 27Mbps/75Mbps | 115Mbps |
| Time to upload a 1GB file | 15 minutes/7 minutes 30 seconds | 5 minutes/1 minute 45 seconds | 1 minute 10 seconds |
| Monthly cost* | £28/£28 | £28/£29/£39 | £49 |
| Setup cost* | £4.95 | £4.95 | £4.95 |
| Contract length | 24 months | 24 months | 24 months |
TalkTalk Fibre is the company’s base level of fibre optic packages. There are two available packages within this level: Fibre 35 and Fibre 65.
Fibre 35 is the cheapest fibre optic deal from TalkTalk. It advertises an average download speed of 38Mbps and an average upload speed of 9Mbps.
This package will be perfectly sufficient if you have fewer than five devices connected to the internet at once, so we recommend it for smaller households. While you shouldn’t have any issues accessing high-definition video content from Netflix or Amazon Prime at these speeds, this entry-level package isn’t suited to heavier internet users who download and upload large files.
Although TalkTalk advertises an average download speed of 38Mbps, according to independent research by Ofcom, the average speed users across the UK usually achieve is closer to 36Mbps – above the minimum download speed of 35Mbps promised by the provider. Be aware that the speed you get will vary depending on where you live and how far away your home is from your local cabinet.
Fibre 65 is TalkTalk’s second-level fibre optic package. Downloads average at 67Mbps, and uploads average at 17Mbps, making this quite a bit faster than its Fibre 35 package.
You shouldn’t encounter any issues when more than five devices use this internet connection at the same time, so it should be sufficient for medium-sized households with multiple people using the internet at once. Downloading and uploading large files shouldn’t be too much of an issue, and if you’re an online gamer you’ll see an improvement in ping and less lag.
When compared against the 35 package, the 65 package offers greater bandwidth and speed for the same price. Considering the 65 is 76 per cent faster (on average) than the 35, we think this is money well spent.
Independent research again shows, however, that the average UK user experiences a speed around 7 per cent less than that advertised by TalkTalk on this package (62.6Mbps), but still above the minimum speed promise of 58Mbps. The speed you receive will be affected by how far your home is from the street cabinet, among other factors.
TalkTalk’s Full Fibre packages are significantly faster than the standard fibre packages. They utilise fibre to the premises (FTTP) technology, which means the fibre optic cable connects directly to the property rather than the cabinet (which is usually the case with TalkTalk’s base fibre packages).
This full fibre connection offers much faster speeds, lower ping and the ability to connect to the internet without the need for a landline.
All of TalkTalk’s Full Fibre packages come with unlimited usage (standard across TalkTalk’s fibre broadband service), its Wi-Fi Hub, a managed install and its HomeSafe web filter.
However, the technology used to connect you to these packages is not as widely available as TalkTalk’s base FTTC packages (the 35 and 65 offers), as it is newer and still being rolled out across the country.
Furthermore, none of these packages come with the ability to make calls, so if you need access to broadband and phone, we recommend you look at the base fibre packages or a different broadband provider.
With advertised average download speeds of 77Mbps and upload speeds of 20Mbps, this package is certainly on the lower end of what full fibre is capable of, but by no means is it anything to turn your nose up at. Coming in at the same price as TalkTalk’s two Fibre packages and supporting five or more devices, this is definitely worth considering, particularly if you don’t need a landline phone.
The TalkTalk Future Fibre 150 package offers average download speeds of 152Mbps and upload speeds of 30Mbps, which is perfectly sufficient for large busy households, avid online gamers and 4K movie lovers.
TalkTalk says the package will easily handle 75 or more devices at once, and we are inclined to agree. Still, this package does not come with the ability to make calls. So if this is important to you, consider looking elsewhere.
As the third of TalkTalk’s superfast Full Fibre connections, 500 offers average download speeds of 525Mbps and upload speeds of 72Mbps. An internet connection this fast should handle anything you throw at it, including large file uploads and downloads, fast-paced online gaming and streaming multiple 4K films at once in different rooms.
Compared to standard fibre, the 500 connection offers a 13-times faster download speed. However, we think the 150 deal should be sufficient for most households, so we would only really recommend you upgrade to the 500 package if downloading and uploading large files is the norm in your household, or if you feel the need to have the latest and fastest technology to connect you to the internet.
The TalkTalk Full Fibre 900 package offers speeds of up to 944Mbps on average. It comes with everything included in the Full Fibre packages, along with an upgraded Amazon eero pro 6 wifi router (which includes two routers to create a whole-house mesh system), a managed install and enhanced broadband parental controls. Like the other FTTP deals, though, this package does not come with a landline.
Starting at £49 per month for 24 months, this package is comparable to deals from rival providers with similar speeds. Unfortunately, this package is only available to homes with a full fibre connection, so it’s unlikely you’ll be able to take advantage of this offer from TalkTalk if you live in a rural or more remote area.
No – you’ll be offered a different wifi router depending on which package you choose.
TalkTalk’s basic fibre deals and the Full Fibre 65 package come with the provider’s own Wi-Fi Hub router, which uses smart technology to try to block out any signal interference in your home.
The Full Fibre 150 package comes with an Amazon eero 6 router, which retails for about £109. The eero uses WiFi 6 technology to make the most of your wifi signal, while an easy-to-use app allows you to have complete control over your home network, including parental controls and real-time troubleshooting.
Lastly, the Full Fibre 500 and 900 deals come with an Amazon eero pro 6 router, which offers all the features of the base eero 6 unit alongside support for gigabit speeds and the ability to add multiple routers to the network to create a mesh system, effectively covering your whole house in wifi signal. In fact, the Full Fibre 900 package includes a second eero to allow you to create this mesh system from day one.
Most likely. TalkTalk’s entry fibre packages are available via Openreach FTTC technology, which is currently available to 98 per cent of addresses in the UK.
However, the Full Fibre packages, which require FTTP, are currently only available in approximately 57 per cent of British homes, according to Ofcom.
When looking at TalkTalk’s entry fibre package, there is some stiff competition from other providers, and we can’t honestly say that the Fibre 35 package is the best deal available at this price point.
Both NOW Broadband and Plusnet offer pretty much the same speeds for around the same price on shorter contracts.
| Deal | Download speed | Monthly cost |
|---|---|---|
| TalkTalk Fibre 35 | 38Mbps | £28 |
| NOW Fab Fibre | 36Mbps | £21 |
| Plusnet Fibre | 31-47Mbps | £24.99 |
In terms of the 65 package, TalkTalk offers a competitive deal at a good price.
The BT Fibre 2 package is slightly more expensive than TalkTalk’s offering, and many other providers, such as Plusnet and John Lewis, are even more expensive than BT.
If you’re looking for the cheapest package available in this speed range, however, it’s difficult to match Vodafone‘s Fibre 2 deal, which is £2 a month cheaper.
| Deal | Download speed | Monthly cost |
|---|---|---|
| TalkTalk Fibre 65 | 67Mbps | £28 |
| BT Fibre 2 | 67Mbps | £29.99 |
| Vodafone Fibre 2 | 67Mbps | £26 |
The 150 package is well priced and competitive with similar offerings from other providers, including Sky and Hyperoptic.
If you’re looking for a broadband deal in this speed range, TalkTalk’s offering is on par with its rivals (as long as you only need your internet connection for data and don’t care about a landline).
| Deal | Download speed | Monthly cost |
|---|---|---|
| TalkTalk Full Fibre 150 | 152Mbps | £29 |
| Sky Ultrafast Broadband | 145Mbps | £28 |
| Hyperoptic Fast 150 | 150Mbps | £30 |
Full Fibre 500 is rivalled by Vodafone’s Full Fibre 500 deal and Virgin Media’s M500 package, which are both currently cheaper than TalkTalk. Virgin Media comes with the added benefit of being able to bundle a landline with your broadband, if that’s important to you.
| Deal | Download speed | Monthly cost |
|---|---|---|
| TalkTalk Fibre 500 | 525Mbps | £39 |
| Virgin M500 Fibre broadband only | 516Mbps | £31.50 |
| Vodafone Full Fibre 500 | 500Mbps | £33 |
The TalkTalk Fibre 900 package is similarly priced to several rival providers, such as deals offered by BT and Vodafone.
| Deal | Download speed | Monthly cost |
|---|---|---|
| TalkTalk Full Fibre 900 | 944Mbps | £49 |
| Vodafone Full Fibre 910 | 910Mbps | £39 |
| BT Full Fibre 900 | 900Mbps | £49.99 |
