Guides
Plain-English explanations of how UK broadband actually works — written so you can make a decision without reading a 40-page contract first.
Mid-contract price rises explained: how the old inflation formula worked, what the 2025 rules changed, how to work out your own 24-month total, and what you can do before the rise lands.
Read the guideThe real sequence of a UK broadband switch — order, credit check, activation, the 14-day cooling-off period — plus what breaks, what it costs, and what to arrange before you start.
Read the guideThe three networks a UK home can be connected to, what actually differs between them in use, why coverage is street by street, and how to find out which one you have.
Read the guideWhy the number on the advert is not the number your laptop sees, what the advertised figure legally represents, and how to test your own line properly before you complain.
Read the guideWhat you actually need from a landlord, which providers offer 30-day contracts, how building-wide agreements affect your choice, and what happens when you move out.
Read the guideWhich network types need a phone line, which do not, what happens to your number when copper is retired, and how to keep a landline without paying for a phone service you never use.
Read the guideA diagnosis order that separates line faults from WiFi problems, and five fixes ranked by cost and effectiveness — from moving the router to adding a second access point.
Read the guideHow the early disconnection charge is worked out, the five situations where you can leave without paying it, what to say when you cancel, and how to escalate when the provider refuses.
Read the guideWho qualifies for a social tariff, what the main ones cost, why take-up is so low, and what to do if your provider does not offer one.
Read the guideHow mobile home broadband differs from a fixed connection, the coverage and congestion traps, and the households where it genuinely replaces a line.
Read the guideWhat the annual spring rise means for your bill, exactly where to find your own figure, how the early exit charge is worked out, and the narrow set of circumstances where you can leave penalty-free.
Read the guideHow a home move works, what it costs, what happens if the new address is not covered, and how to time it so you are not offline for a week.
Read the guideWhy coverage differs by street, how to check accurately, what the realistic alternatives are, and whether it is worth asking for the network to be extended.
Read the guideThree different causes that all look like the same symptom, how to tell them apart in ten minutes, and which ones you can actually fix.
Read the guideSelf-install versus engineer visit, the waits nobody warns you about, what happens on activation day, and how to avoid the two-day gap with no connection.
Read the guideWhich broadband checks leave a mark, which do not, how missed broadband payments are recorded, and what to do if you are refused.
Read the guideJoint and several liability, what happens when a housemate leaves, how to split a bill fairly, and the practical arrangements that prevent arguments.
Read the guideWhat the mesh nodes sold by broadband providers actually do, how they compare with buying your own, and how to tell whether you need one at all.
Read the guide18 guides · updated regularly · no paid placement