Business Broadband

Compare business broadband and phone deals

Businesses need a fast internet connection they can depend on. And although business broadband plans tend to be more expensive than home broadband, you'll get more bandwidth and reliability for your money.

If you have dedicated business premises then business broadband is your only option.

But even if you run a small business from home, there are lots of reasons why you might want to choose a broadband deal that's specifically for business use.

How to choose the best broadband for your business

• Put your business postcode in the box at the top of the page and select your address
• Choose your current provider from the dropdown if they're listed
• We'll display the available deals. You can filter and sort the results based on what matters to you and your business

Price and speed are the two main factors to compare, but you should also consider:

• Does it offer good tech support and customer service? Read reviews on third-party sites like Trustpilot
• Do you want to offer guest Wi-Fi for customers?
• What's the contract length and what are the penalties for leaving early? Business broadband contracts can be as long as three years
• Are there mid-contract price rises and if so, how much and when are they?
• What security measures do they offer to keep your and your customers' data safe?
• Do you want a business landline number?

Do I need business broadband?

If you're running a small business from home, it can be tempting to go for home broadband because it's cheaper. But business broadband comes with some important benefits.

High bandwidth and reliability

Business broadband contracts usually come with a service level agreement (SLA) setting out the standard that your provider must deliver. This usually includes:

• Minimum speed
• Minimum uptime (usually over 99.9% of the time)
• How they'll deal with problems and how quickly
• How much notice they'll give you of planned outages
• How they'll make up for it if they fail to deliver on these promises

Symmetrical speeds

For business users, the upload speed can be just as important as download rates. You need a good upload speed for activities that involve sending information, like:

• Video calls
• Uploading text, images and video to your website or social media
• Using collaborative platforms like Google Drive or SharePoint
• Any other type of file sharing

As we explain in our guide to what speed you need, home broadband is mostly focused on download rates, so upload speeds are usually a fraction of this. Business broadband is different and many providers offer symmetrical speeds - equal rates for upload and download.

Priority network access

This means that at times of heavy traffic on the network, your provider will give business connections priority over other users. It helps business broadband providers achieve their typically very high standards for uptime.

Dedicated technical support

Business broadband comes with better and speedier tech support than home broadband. The type of service depends on the package. If it's very important to get problems fixed fast, it's often a sensible business decision to pay more for a higher level of support.

A static IP address

Your IP address is what identifies your device on the internet. Think of it as a cross between a postcode and a fingerprint. Broadband providers usually prefer to have a shared pool of IP addresses and assign them to different devices as needed because it's cheaper and more flexible for them. But as a business user, you could need your own fixed IP address for:

• Running a web server
• Remote desktop access (for employees working from home or when travelling)
• Hosting a VPN

A static IP address also makes some security measures easier.

Business broadband usually offers a static IP address as standard but make sure you check before signing up.

Enhanced security

Business broadband usually has better security measures as standard. These might include:

• Malware and virus protection
• A firewall to monitor traffic and restrict unauthorised access

As with tech support, the level of security you get depends on the broadband package and how much you're paying.

Data backups aren't technically a security measure. But they could be invaluable in the event that your security is compromised. It's worth checking if your provider offers secure offsite backups as part of the service.

Stronger Wi-Fi

The routers you get for business broadband are designed to serve larger premises, like an office or factory. This means a more powerful Wi-Fi signal that can cover a wider area.

What types of business broadband can you get?

Here, we'll walk you through what types of business Wi-Fi are available to help you choose the right business broadband decision for you:

Full fibre business broadband

Full fibre is also known as fibre to the premises (FTTP), which is the fastest type of broadband around. It means you'll get a speedy connection, although exactly how speedy depends on the package you buy (and how much you're prepared to pay). At the top end, you could get speeds of over 1 Gbps.

But it's not available everywhere. So make sure you use our postcode checker at the top of this page to see what speeds you can get for your business premises.

Part fibre/SoGEA

If your business doesn't have a fibre connection yet, you'll probably have a hybrid set-up for your business broadband. That means fibre from the exchange to your nearest roadside cabinet but copper telephone wires from the cabinet to the building.

The two options with this kind of set-up are fibre to the cabinet (FTTC) and SoGEA (Single Order Generic Ethernet Access). They're subtly different but it's debatable which is better for business use, so we advise you to compare all the options to find the one that's right for you.

Leased lines

A leased line is when your business pays to have exclusive use of its own internet line. Your connection goes straight to your provider's network, not via a roadside cabinet or telephone exchange. A leased line will be faster than a normal full fibre connection and always offers symmetrical upload/download speeds.

Leased lines are significantly more expensive than normal business broadband. So they tend to be used by large organisations and those that depend heavily on a super-speedy connection. Most businesses find that a normal full fibre connection is more than fast enough for their needs.

5G business broadband

Standard business broadband doesn't work for everyone. Some businesses operate in remote areas where the network isn't fast or reliable enough, while others are run from temporary buildings or even with no fixed premises at all. 5G broadband bypasses the need for physical wiring by working on the same wireless network as mobile phones. It also tends to have shorter, more flexible contracts.

5G business broadband is the perfect solution in many cases, but always check the coverage before you sign up. 5G coverage is better in urban areas, so if you're in a rural area that's too remote for good broadband, you might also lose out on 5G. If that sounds like you, check out the 4G options instead. It's a bit slower but the coverage in the UK is much more widespread.

Gigabit business broadband

If your business regularly deals with large file transfers, like design agencies or media teams or you have a lot of connected devices working at once, Gigabit business broadband could be the right solution for you. It'll help maximise your employees' productivity by giving them faster download and upload speeds for buffer-free video calls and easy collaboration.

As you'd expect, gigabit broadband is the most expensive type of connection you can get for your business and you'll need to be able to get full fibre broadband to your premises.

What's the best broadband for a small business or the self-employed?

For most small businesses, we'd recommend opting for a business broadband package that will give you fast and reliable internet. These plans usually come with symmetrical upload and download speeds, which will make a big difference to your work, particularly if you regularly use cloud storage, online collaboration tools and video calls. You'll also get better support if you have any issues and you'll get a static IP address.

If you're self-employed or you're a sole trader just starting out, you might be able to get away with a home broadband package. But even so, we'd recommend opting for a full fibre deal if it's available where you are, so you can crack on with your work without any buffering. If full fibre isn't available in your area, look at Virgin Media's cable broadband or consider 5G mobile broadband to make sure you have fast enough speeds to support your work.

What are upload and download speeds like for business broadband?

Business broadband packages usually offer symmetrical upload and download speeds, unlike most home broadband contracts, which offer much slower upload speeds. This will improve the quality of your video calls and make things like uploading files to the cloud and collaborating on Google Suite much faster and more efficient.

The speeds you're likely to get will depend on where you live and the package you choose. At the time of writing, we have plans with speeds of up to 2 Gbps, as well as more modest deals that come with 35 Mbps. We'd recommend opting for a fast full fibre contract if it's available where you are or consider Virgin or 5G broadband to ensure you're getting fast and reliable speeds for your business.

What are the main differences between business broadband and standard home broadband?

The main differences between business broadband and standard home broadband are:

• Upload and download speeds: Business broadband packages usually come with symmetrical upload and download speeds, which is ideal for making video calls, using collaboration tools and sharing large files
• Network access: Business plans get priority network access during peak times, so you can keep working even when there's a lot of congestion
• IP address: While home broadband accounts tend to have dynamic IP addresses, a business broadband plan usually has a static IP, which can be used for hosting and remote access
• Support: You should get priority technical support with business broadband. This often includes 24/7 help, with faster fix times and sometimes even compensation for downtime
• Cost: As you'd expect, business broadband packages are usually a lot more expensive than home broadband plans

Why compare business broadband with Go.Compare

Go.Compare is free to use and completely impartial. Our broadband search saves you time by using your postcode information to filter out the irrelevant stuff and only display the deals actually available for your address. In 2024, hundreds of people took out business broadband contracts after using Go.Compare to weigh up their options.

What do I need to compare business broadband and phone deals?

Before you start shopping around for a business broadband deal, make sure you've got these key pieces of information to hand:

• Location: Make sure you know the address of your business premises, including the postcode
• Speed and bandwidth: Decide on how many users, devices and cloud apps your internet will need to support
• Security: Think about what security measures you'd like, including built-in antivirus, a firewall or anti-spam protection
• Contract length: Be clear on how long you're prepared to be locked into a contract for
• Budget: Agree on your budget so you can weed out deals that won't work for you

Frequently asked questions

Is one touch switching available for business broadband?

No, we contacted Ofcom in January 2026, who confirmed that One Touch Switch currently only applies to home broadband customers. But there are rules in place to ensure that business broadband customers get a straightforward transition that is led by the new provider.

Do I need a business phone line number?

Many business owners feel that a landline number with a UK dialling code makes your business look more credible. That doesn't mean you have to have a real landline, though. Many telecoms companies offer a virtual landline service where the number diverts to the mobile number of your choice.

It's usually simpler and cheaper to get your business phone number from the same company that's supplying your broadband, so speak to them first.

Can I use home broadband for business?

If you're running a small business from home, using your existing home broadband for work purposes is definitely an option. But not all providers allow you to do this. If you're mid-contract, check the terms and conditions to make sure there's no clause excluding business use. When you come to the end of your contract, you'll have to do a bit more legwork to find a home broadband provider that's OK with its services also being used for running a business.

Can I get business broadband at home?

Yes, it's very common for sole traders and other small businesses to operate from home. Providers have no problem with supplying business broadband to residential addresses.

Why is business broadband more expensive

We've already explained the advantages of having a broadband service that's specifically tailored to businesses: more bandwidth, faster upload speeds and more technical support to name a few. Business broadband is more expensive because maintaining a higher level of service with extremely low downtime and dedicated tech support costs the providers more. Basically: you get what you pay for.

Can I claim business broadband as an expense?

Yes, if you're self-employed, you can claim your business broadband as an expense on your tax return. It doesn't matter whether the broadband supply is going to an office you're renting or your home address. What matters is that it's being used for business purposes. For more information, read the government's guide on expenses if you're self-employed.

What happens if my broadband goes down?

If your broadband goes down, your business could face financial losses, employees not being able to work, customer dissatisfaction and even reputational damage. But most business broadband providers offer priority technical support and service guarantees to help you get back online as soon as possible. Lots of packages also come with backup solutions like 5G hubs to tide you over and you might be able to claim compensation for an extended outage.

Do I need to reimburse broadband costs for employees working from home?

There is no obligation for a business to cover the costs of an employee's home broadband service. But if the employee doesn't already have a broadband connection at home and needs it to do their work remotely, your business can pay for it and then claim the cost as a taxable expense. You can learn more on the government website.

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Page last updated 3 February 2025

[1] As of 11th March 2026, there are active business broadband providers on the panel at Go.Compare