Choosing the ideal provider for your student home can be very challenging because there are so many different best student broadband deals 2023 available to us.
We analyze and contrast the best value broadband bundles currently offered to students as part of our series on student bills.
In order to reveal additional costs, our broadband comparison uses effective monthly cost (e.g. router delivery).
This article discusses the top best student broadband deals 2023 and all broadband deals UK only.
For a breakdown of prices, see the link below.
Best broadband deals |
||||||
| Broadband | Avg. Speed | Contract | Effective Monthly Cost | Website | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 Virgin Media M100 |
108 Mbps FIBRE |
12 months |
£22.75 Inc. fees & reward |
|||
 NOW Broadband Super Fibre |
63 Mbps FIBRE |
12 months |
£22.42Inc. fees | |||
 Fibre 1 |
50 Mbps FIBRE |
12 months |
£32.49Inc. fees | |||
 Sky Superfast |
59 Mbps FIBRE |
18 months |
£25 | |||
 Hyperoptic Ultrafast |
500 Mbps FIBRE |
12 months |
£35 | |||
 TalkTalk Fibre 35 |
38 Mbps | 18 months |
£24 | |||
 Utility Warehouse Ultra |
38 Mbps | 18 months |
£24.33 | |||
 Plusnet Unlimited Broadband |
10 Mbps | 18 months |
£23.99 | |||
| EE Unlimited Broadband | 36 Mbps | 24 months |
£31 | |||
| Information is correct at time of writing. Prices subject to change. Please check their websites for details. | ||||||
Top student broadband deals in 2023
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TalkTalk broadband
Fibre 35
Only worthwhile taking into account if you’re content with an 18-month contract; even then, it’s expensive.
Package information
- Average download speed:Â 38 Mbps
- Contract:Â 18 months
- Advertised cost: £24pm
- Effective cost: £24pm
- Lifetime cost: £432.
Effective cost breakdown
- Broadband for 18 months: £432
- Delivery fee:Â Free
- Calculation: (£432) / 18 = £24pm.
-
Virgin Media broadband
M100 Fibre broadband
This Virgin Media broadband package is a great deal if you’re seeking for superfast fiber.
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Additionally, a £25 bill credit is available for a certain period of time and gives you a superb best student broadband deals in 2023
Although monthly rolling contracts are also available at a slightly higher cost, standard contracts are for 12 months.
Package information
108 Mbps is the average download speed.
Contract: One year
- Prize: A credit of $25
Price listed: £24 per hour
Actual cost: £22.75 per hour
Total price: £273.
Cost-effective breakdown
Internet for a year costs £288.
£10 activation fee
Prize: A credit of $25
(£288 + £10 – £25) / 12 = £22.75pm
Other products
Here, Virgin Media offers a few more bundle options, some of which include TV as well and this is one of the top best student broadband deals 2023 that are available on the internet today.
Go to the deal page »
-
Sky broadband
Sky Superfast
Sky’s no-frills package is reasonably priced but comes with a lengthy 18-month contract.
Package information
- Average download speed:Â 59 Mbps
- Contract:Â 18 months
- Advertised cost: £25pm
- Effective cost: £25pm (see below)
- Lifetime cost: £450.
Effective cost breakdown
- Broadband for 18 months: £450
- Activation fee:Â FREE
- Calculation: (£450) / 18 = £25pm.
-
Hyperoptic broadband
Ultrafast [LIMITED COVERAGE]
The area of coverage for Hyperoptic is restricted to a few key UK cities and specific buildings.
Still, it’s still worthwhile to check your postcode given the crazy 500Mbps speed and inexpensive cost!
Package details
- Average download speed:Â 500 Mbps
- Contract:Â 12 months
- Advertised cost: £35pm
- Effective cost: £35pm
- Lifetime cost: £420.
Effective cost breakdown
- Broadband for 12 months: £420
- Activation fee:Â Free
- Calculation: (£420) / 12 = £35pm.
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NOW super fiber internet
A top pick for fiber-based, high-speed internet.
You get far quicker rates than typical best broadband deals for students UK , which are necessary for streaming and communal living.
The majority of student tenancies are ideal for the brief contract term includes limitless downloads, free line rental, and no activation cost. Discounts on NOW TV passes are also available to customers.
Package information
63 Mbps is the average download speed.
Contract: One year
Cost as advertised: £22pm
Actual cost: £22.42 per hour (see below)
Total price: £269.
Cost-effective breakdown
Internet for a year costs £264.
Deliveries cost £5.
(£264 Plus £5) / 12 equals £22.42pm.
Effective cost breakdown
- Broadband for 12 months: £264
- Delivery fee: £5
- Calculation: (£264 + £5) / 12 = £22.42pm.
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Utility Warehouse
Ultra Broadband
The peculiarity of Utility Warehouse (UW) is that the more services you bundle with them (such as electricity bills), the less expensive they become.
In our comparison, we have just used their standalone ‘Ultra’ broadband package.
The broadband contract is 18 months which may not suit all students.
Package details
- Average download speed:Â 38 Mbps
- Contract:Â 18 months
- Advertised cost: £24pm
- Effective cost: £24.33pm
- Lifetime cost: £437.99.
Effective cost breakdown
- Broadband for 18 months: £432
- Delivery fee: £5.99
- Calculation: (£432 + £5.99) / 18 = £24.33pm.
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BT broadband Fibre 1
One of the best broadband deals available to students is this one from BT. a 12-month subscription with fiber broadband deals that is affordable for students.
Furthermore, BT offers faster speeds.
Package information
50 Mbps is the average download speed.
Contract: One year
Listed price: £29.99 per hour
Actual cost: £32.49 per hour (see below)
Cost for all time: £389.87.
Cost-effective breakdown
broadband costs £359.88 for a year.
£29.99 activation fee
(£359.88 + £29.99) / 12 equals £32.49 pm.
-
EE broadband
Unlimited Broadband
Customers of EE mobile receive more mobile data for less money. Alternatively, there are more affordable broadband offers available with shorter contracts.
 Package information
- Average download speed:Â 36 Mbps
- Contract:Â 24 months
- Advertised cost: £31pm
- Effective cost: £31pm (see below)
- Lifetime cost: £744.
Effective cost breakdown
- Broadband for 24 months: £744
- Activation:Â Free
- Calculation: (£744) / 24 = £31pm.
-
Plusnet broadband
High-quality customer service while maintaining broadband’s low prices and speeds.
Plusnet provides the greatest price for college students in tiny households looking for the lowest broadband.
Package details
- Average download speed:Â 10 Mbps
- Contract:Â 10 months
- Advertised cost: £23.99pm
- Effective cost: £23.99pm (see below)
- Lifetime cost: £431.82.
Effective cost breakdown
- Broadband for 18 months: £431.82
- Activation fee:Â Free
- Calculation: (£431.82 / 18) = £23.99pm.
3 considerations when choosing broadband
How to find the top student broadband offers is provided here:
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What speed do you require?
The most important element to take into account is undoubtedly download speed, especially if you share broadband with other housemates.
For the duration of the contract, buffering (and high blood pressure) will be an issue if it moves too slowly.
Standard student broadband plans are the least expensive, with “potential” download speeds of 10 to 11 Mbps (often less).
This choice is appropriate for use by three persons in a low-to-medium capacity.
Fiber broadband is the phrase you need to know if you require speed. You can anticipate 50 Mbps to 1 Gbps of speed.
Over 90% of the UK now has access to fiber-optic broadband, and costs have dropped significantly in recent years.
Overall, it offers the best value for student housing, particularly when the expense is shared among the residents.
And if you do notice that your connection is sluggish, give these advice for boosting WiFi speed a try.
   2. How long will you be in your house?
A 12-month internet contract that corresponds with short-term lease agreements is often the best option for students.
18-month contracts can occasionally provide better value if you want to stay put for a longer period of time.
There are occasionally 9-month student internet deals available; if so, we’ll mention them above.
These shorter broadband contracts may be more suitable for students who don’t attend school from September through July, but they aren’t usually more affordable overall.
   3. Are you interested in subscription TV?
The best overall value is frequently found in all-in-one TV and broadband packages, but only if you’re planning to purchase a TV package anyway.
We’re concentrating on broadband-only in this manual. For additional information, see our comparison of TV and internet bundles.
7 Ways to Save Money on Broadband
Not all of these tips will apply to your broadband provider or scenario, but a few will:
Select packages that include unlimited data (we only review these)
- Pay for broadband in advance.
- Sign up for paperless billing.
- Keep an eye out for price increases – that’s when it’s time to switch, or…
- When the contract expires, haggle!
- It may be less expensive to pay a cancellation fee than to complete a contract.
When comparing broadband, look for hidden fees (for more information, check our ‘effective monthly cost’ calculations above).
FAQs on Top best Student broadband deals in 2023
What is student broadband?
Some UK broadband providers specialize in marketing broadband packages to student homes.
They understand that students have short-term leases and share WiFi and costs with many individuals.
Mainstream broadband contracts can last up to 24 months, which is inconvenient for the majority of students.
Higher internet speeds, shorter contracts, and specific student discounts are all features of the best student broadband services.
Can I get a 9 month broadband contract?
Each summer, one or two broadband providers frequently give students with a 9-month broadband contract.
These have included Virgin Media and BT Broadband in recent years.
From July to October, keep an eye out for the offers in the table above. However, there is no assurance that a 9-month broadband deal would be available every year.
Make sure it is not truly less expensive to choose a longer 12 month contract throughout the course of the period while thinking about a 9 month contract.
Can I get a 1 month broadband contract?
The most flexibility is provided with a broadband contract that rolls over every 30 days. When they do not reside at the institution during the summer break, students will save on the cost of broadband.
The only company with a rolling contract is Hyperoptic.
But one-month contracts are frequently more expensive on a monthly basis. So, over the course of the year, a 12-month contract might actually be better for you.
You might be better off utilizing data on a budget SIM only plan if you live alone.
Can I get broadband without a phone line?
Since internet data is transferred over active phone lines, conventional broadband (ADSL) requires one.
Broadband over fiber optics travels on a different cable. This indicates that you can typically do without the phone line. To be certain, ask the service provider.
Prior until recently, internet providers would add a rental fee for phone lines to their advertised broadband pricing.
Now, the entire price must include line rental. However, that doesn’t negate the requirement for a phone line.
Before you can install broadband, BT may need to activate or reconnect your phone line if you do need one.
Do I need to buy a broadband router?
To share the broadband connection and transmit WiFi, you need a functional router.
The majority of broadband providers provide you with their own common router (sometimes at a cost).
For a better WiFi signal, it can be worthwhile to spend more on a router (browse on Amazon).
How long does it take to install broadband?
It may take up to 14 days for broadband connections over phone lines. Faster activation is possible with fiber broadband connections.
Whether you need an engineer to come out or whether anything needs to be activated will determine how long it will actually take.
How can I check my broadband speed?
You may find out your current download and upload speeds by performing a simple line test on SpeedTest.net.
Inform your broadband provider if the speeds are significantly below those that were quoted.
What happens at the end of my broadband contract?
Now, internet service providers are required to let you know when your contract is about to expire and to explain your options. This is required by law.
Previously, you could have been unaware that this date had passed.
As you might have predicted, staying still is virtually never the most affordable choice.
It would be far preferable for you to switch broadband providers or bargain for a lower price.
How can I cancel broadband?
Within the first 14 days of placing your subscription, you have the option to terminate your broadband service without incurring any fees.
Additionally, ask your provider what their early cancellation policy is. There will almost probably be a penalty cost, but in some circumstances it might be worthwhile to pay to move to a more affordable or superior service.
You often have to provide the provider a month’s notice when your student broadband contract expires (but again check your specific terms).