Unlimited broadband is broadband without usage caps. It means you can download, upload and stream as much as you like without worrying about limitations. No matter what you use the internet for, you won’t pay extra for broadband.

Fortunately, unlimited broadband is both cheap and widely available. We recommend that everyone chooses an unlimited broadband deal, and in this guide, we’ll tell you why.

The good thing about unlimited broadband is that you don’t have to worry about how much data you’re using, and there’s no risk you’ll be charged extra.

The majority of broadband providers out there will offer some sort of unlimited package. That means you’ll have plenty of choices. And it doesn’t need to cost you anything extra, either.

In the past, going with a data-capped package over unlimited broadband would have saved you money. But now, you can find unlimited deals for less than £20 a month. You’ll find that you can get an unlimited deal for less than expected, and they often include free gifts, too.

How much data we use isn’t obvious when it comes to broadband. We might have an idea of how many hours we possibly browse the internet or stream TV. But it’s not immediately clear how much data we’re using.

But it is possible to estimate how much data we use per day, week, or month.

Just remember that these numbers are only estimates, and they can vary. These are just there for you to work out an educated guess.

• 1 hour of instant messaging: 0.25-1MB
• 100 web pages: 300MB
• Download 100 emails: 1-10MB
• 1 hour Skype call: 225MB
• 1 hour Skype video call: 350MB
• Download 1 photo: 0.05-2MB
• Download 3 minute MP3 audio file: 3-8MB
• Download 1 film trailer: 50-100MB
• 1 software/game download: 5MB-50GB
• Download 1 film: 700MB-8GB
• Streaming 1 hour of video: 150-350MB
• Streaming 1 hour of HD video: 1-2GB
• Streaming 1 hour of audio: 70MB

Another thing you might want to keep in mind is how fast your internet is. A large file will take longer to download on slow internet. You can use our speed test here to see what your current speeds are to compare against any new deals.

Now you know how much you currently use, let’s get into which companies can offer you unlimited internet.

As we mentioned above, most broadband providers will offer some form of unlimited internet.

That includes:

• BT Broadband
• EE Broadband
• NOW Broadband
• Plusnet
• Sky Broadband
• TalkTalk
• Virgin Media
• Vodafone
• John Lewis
• Shell Energy Broadband
• SSE

However, out of these, only 8 of the providers offer truly unlimited broadband.

ruly unlimited broadband is what it says on the tin. You pay for your broadband monthly and have absolutely no limits on how much you can stream, browse, or download during the month. You can have multiple people using your Wi-Fi with no problem.

However, not all unlimited broadband is truly unlimited.

When discussing unlimited broadband, you’ll find that the providers and agencies like Ofcom have different views on what unlimited is. With unlimited broadband, you’ll sometimes find hidden policies to limit things, like traffic management and fair usage. These won’t affect most users, but it’s worth knowing that truly unlimited broadband doesn’t have these restrictions.

But if your policy is unlimited but not truly unlimited, it’ll help to know what these policies are.

A traffic management policy is when the provider limits the speed of the connection for certain activities at specific times.

It is used to restrict the amount of bandwidth some people may use in order to maintain network performance for the majority of people.

It’s a policy that’s meant to help users rather than hinder them. Many people won’t even notice the slowdown during peak times. So it’s not something to worry about, but it is something to be aware of. You might even want to take advantage of it.

Fair usage policies, on the other hand, are a bit different.

What fair usage policies are is in the name: they’re there to make sure everyone is using their share of broadband bandwidth fairly. This isn’t something most of us have to worry over. We don’t download much in the grand scheme of things, and when we do, it isn’t enough to have an impact on other people.

But some users may download or upload a lot. If they're doing this daily as they’re running a server or using file sharing, the fair usage policy will come into play. They’ll be warned their using too much data and may have to pay extra or find the speed of their broadband is reduced.

Fortunately, this won’t affect the majority of people. Very few of us will be downloading or uploading enough regularly for this to come into play. But it is something you should know about.

So if the traffic management and fair usage policies aren’t something to worry about, do you need truly unlimited broadband?

If you’re looking into unlimited broadband, it’s best to go for truly unlimited packages. It’s unlikely that the caps from traffic management and fair usage policies will impact you. But it doesn’t hurt to avoid them completely with a truly unlimited package.

Even if you want to focus on truly unlimited packages, there are still going to be a lot of deals out there.

There are a lot of unlimited packages available, and many of them will be very attractive. So which of these packages is best for you? There are various things that you should keep in mind.

Broadband speed: 

What speeds you need will depend on what you use the internet for. Not all unlimited broadband will offer the same speeds. You’ll want to look into the different types of broadband packages and see what deals are on offer.

• ADSL: This is suitable for one person streaming lightly or a few people browsing at the same time. This is what’s considered standard broadband, but it’s now being replaced by fibre for most as it’s very slow by modern standards.
• Entry-level fibre: A Superfast fibre broadband with download speeds of around 35Mb. It’s suitable for small household streaming or gaming.
• Faster fibre: If entry-level fibre is fast, this version is even faster. Average download speeds are around 50-70Mb and are suitable for a larger household.
• Ultrafast: This is a lightning-fast connection. If you’re going to be doing lots of simultaneous downloading or streaming, this is the type of package you’ll want. These kinds of deals can offer speeds over 100Mb.

Monthly Costs

You might think that unlimited broadband will cost you a lot of money. That’s not true. These days, unlimited broadband will cost you a similar amount to limited broadband packages.

But there will be unlimited deals that cost more money than most. For instance, if you’re looking for a TV and broadband package, it will be more expensive.

The speed of a connection will also impact the monthly cost. In general, the higher the speed the more you’ll pay.

Rewards and discounts

Providers will often have deals that include rewards and discounts for new customers. These won’t be much help if you’re already with the company and are just looking for a better deal. But they can make things a little cheaper for people interested in switching.

These rewards are often vouchers or prepaid cards. If the vouchers are for places you shop from, you can save some money in the long run. In the past, providers often used to offer free laptops or other tech, but that’s rare now.

Some companies will also offer discounts to draw in new customers. These discounts might not be large and not for long, but they can certainly save you money to start with.

Upfront costs

Some rewards might save you some money when you first get your deal, but there will still be some upfront costs. The majority of these will be admin related, though sometimes there will be a cost for equipment such as the Wi-Fi router or TV box.

What you won’t always pay for is an engineering visit. Many providers use the Openreach network run by BT. If your current and new providers are on the same network, you shouldn’t require a visit. However, if you’re switching to another network such as Virgin Media or Hyperoptic, you'll probably have to pay for an engineer's visit.

If a network connection was set up by previous homeowners and is still there, you’ll probably be able to get free (or very cheap) setup. But if a new line is required there is often a cost involved.

Switching process

Switching might seem like it could be complicated, but it doesn’t have to be. At Broadband.co.uk we help you through the process. We’ll help you find the deals, and once you sign up the provider will often do the rest.

Bundling

If you want to save money, a bundle can be the way to go. Your monthly bills might be a little more expensive, but it means you’ll have fewer bills. You can get broadband packaged with TV, a phone line or all three of them together.

Contract length

As with other broadband packages, you can get unlimited broadband with a variety of contract lengths. These deals are usually offered on 12, 18 and 24-month contracts. You can also sometimes get one-month or rolling contracts which work a little like pay-as-you-go broadband.

On this page, we’ve given you a lot to think about, but there are a few more questions that you might want to be answered.

Which providers offer the cheapest unlimited broadband?

The cheapest deals will vary depending on where you are and the packages that you’re looking at. However, Plusnet and TalkTalk often offer a variety of cheap deals. Both these providers offer truly unlimited broadband so keep them in mind.

When you’re looking for new broadband service, using a postcode checker is advised as you can see for yourself which providers offer the cheapest deals in your area.

Can I get unlimited broadband without a landline?

Yes, you can get unlimited broadband without a landline. Though most broadband packages require a phone line to access the internet, you don’t need to pay for phone calls.

All the unlimited providers will offer packages without phone deals. That will mean that you are still paying for line rental, but not for phone calls. You would be able to make landline phone calls if need be, you’d just have to pay for them at the provider’s standard per-minute rate.

If you don’t want a traditional phone line at all, you can look into Virgin Media or a full fibre provider like Hyperoptic. They don’t use the Openreach telephone network and run their own lines instead, with no requirement to get voice calling if you don’t need it. However, the availability of these kinds of providers is more limited than many others.

Can I get an unlimited broadband social tariff?

Yes, you can even get truly unlimited broadband on a social tariff. Some providers like BT and Sky offer specialised packages for people on social tariffs. These tend to be unlimited broadband as the norm, and they are truly unlimited providers. It's just a deal that will cost you less. If you're interested in one of these, you will need to check that it's available to you and be able to prove you're receiving benefits.

Can I get unlimited mobile broadband?

Yes, unlimited mobile broadband is available from both Three and Vodafone. You can also find smartphone contracts that offer unlimited data.

Overall, we’d recommend you go for unlimited home broadband over unlimited mobile broadband if you can.