What is full fibre broadband?
Full fibre means fibre-optic cable runs all the way to your home
With part-fibre, fibre runs to the street cabinet and copper wires carry the signal from there to your home. Ofcom's guidance says providers should tell you which one they're selling, rather than just calling it 'fibre'.
Source: Ofcom guidance on describing broadband networks, in force from 16 September 2024
Full fibre vs part fibre
Full fibre is one of four main ways broadband reaches your home:
- Full fibre: fibre-optic cable all the way to your home.
- Part fibre: fibre to the street cabinet, then copper wires to your home.
- Cable: fibre to your area, then a coaxial cable into your home.
- 5G and other wireless broadband: a wireless signal instead of a cable.
Ofcom's guidance says providers should tell you which one they're selling, rather than just calling it 'fibre'.
Source: Ofcom guidance on describing broadband networks, in force from 16 September 2024; Ofcom, Choose the right broadband for your needs, last updated 25 August 2026
Can I get full fibre?
Full fibre is available to 24.9 million UK homes, 82% of the UK's 30.5 million homes.
Gigabit-capable broadband is available to 89% of homes (27.1 million).
Source: Ofcom, Connected Nations update: Spring 2026, data as of January 2026, published 13 May 2026
What speed do I need?
Ofcom says browsing and music streaming need about 1Mbit/s, an HD video call about 10Mbit/s, and one person streaming 4K about 30Mbit/s. For several people streaming 4K at once, it suggests about 300Mbit/s.
Ofcom groups broadband as standard (up to 30Mbit/s, for browsing, email and standard video), superfast (30 to 300Mbit/s, for most everyday use including working from home and streaming) and ultrafast (300Mbit/s or more, for busy homes, gaming and large downloads).
Source: Ofcom, Choose the right broadband for your needs, last updated 25 August 2026
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What are the pros and cons of full fibre?
Full fibre is gigabit-capable, so it can carry the fastest speeds providers sell. It doesn't use the copper phone line, so you don't need a landline to get it.
Things to weigh up:
- Availability: it isn't available everywhere yet. See Can I get full fibre? above.
- Installation: if your home hasn't had full fibre before, you may need an engineer visit. Openreach says most installations take between one and four hours.
- Your home phone: if you keep one, it works through your router rather than the wall socket, so it won't work in a power cut unless you have a backup. If you rely on your landline, tell your provider.
- Price: faster speeds usually cost more. Check what speed your household needs before you choose.
Source: Ofcom, Connected Nations update: Spring 2026, published 13 May 2026; Ofcom, Your landline is going digital, last updated 26 August 2026; Openreach, How is full fibre installed?, checked 17 October 2026; GOV.UK, UK transition from analogue to digital landlines, checked 13 October 2026
How to check if you can get it
Ofcom's free broadband and mobile checker shows which broadband services are available at your postcode, and mobile coverage by network.
Source: Ofcom, broadband and mobile checker, last updated 25 June 2025
What to check
- Is full fibre available at your address?
- What speed do you need for your household?
- What do you pay now, and how does it compare with typical prices for your speed?
- How long is the contract, and will the price go up during it?
Sources and dates
- Ofcom, Tackling consumer confusion about broadband technology (guidance in force from 16 September 2024)Published 13 December 2023What full fibre and part-fibre mean, and how providers should describe them.
- Ofcom, Connected Nations update: Spring 2026 (data as of January 2026)Published 13 May 2026How many UK homes can get full fibre and gigabit-capable broadband.
- Ofcom, Choose the right broadband for your needsLast updated 25 August 2026The four main ways broadband reaches your home, the speed needed for common uses, and how Ofcom groups broadband speeds.
- Ofcom, broadband and mobile checkerLast updated 25 June 2025Checking which broadband services are available at your postcode.
- Ofcom, Your landline is going digitalLast updated 26 August 2026Home phones on full fibre.
- Openreach, How is full fibre installed?Checked 17 October 2026How full fibre is installed and how long it takes.
- GOV.UK, UK transition from analogue to digital landlinesChecked 13 October 2026Home phones in a power cut.
Figures on this page are a guide, not advice. They show typical prices for new deals, not what is right for you. Prices and rules change often, so check the details with the provider before you decide.