Broadband availability checker:
what can you get at your address?
Fibre availability varies street by street across the UK. Here's how to check exactly which providers, connection types and speeds are available where you live.
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The most accurate way to check broadband availability is to enter your postcode on each provider's own checker. Availability differs by network: Virgin Media runs its own cable network, most other providers use Openreach, and altnets run separate fibre in some towns. Checking two or three providers gives you the full picture of what your address can actually get.
How to check broadband availability at your address
Availability checks are free, take under a minute, and don't commit you to anything. A postcode search tells you whether a provider serves your address, what connection type is installed, and the speeds you can realistically expect.
Enter your postcode on a provider's checker
Every major provider has one on its homepage. You'll usually be asked to pick your exact address from a list, since availability can differ between neighbouring houses.
Note the connection type on offer
The result will show either full fibre (FTTP), part fibre (FTTC), or cable. This matters more than the headline speed, since it determines reliability and what upgrades you'll get later.
Check a second network before deciding
Virgin's cable network and the Openreach network cover different streets. If one comes back with nothing or slow speeds, the other may serve your address at full speed.
Check availability with these providers
These two checkers cover the UK's two biggest networks between them, which makes them the fastest way to map what your address can get.
Virgin Media
Runs its own network separate from Openreach, with gigabit speeds available across most of its footprint. If Virgin serves your street, you can get top speeds even where the local phone-line network is slow. Coverage is concentrated in cities and larger towns.
Check Virgin Media availability
Vodafone
Uses the Openreach network, which reaches far more of the UK than cable. A strong option where Virgin doesn't serve, with part fibre and full fibre plans depending on what's installed at your address, from standard fibre up to gigabit.
Check Vodafone availabilityFTTP, FTTC and cable: what your checker result means
Availability checkers report the connection type at your address, and each type behaves differently.
Full fibre (FTTP)
Typically 100Mb to 1Gb+Fibre optic cable runs all the way to your home. The fastest and most reliable option, still rolling out street by street. If your checker shows FTTP, take it.
Part fibre (FTTC)
Typically 30Mb to 80MbFibre reaches the street cabinet, then copper covers the last stretch to your home. Fine for most households, but speeds drop the further you are from the cabinet.
Cable (Virgin Media)
Typically 130Mb to 1Gb+Virgin's own network, delivering gigabit-class speeds across most of its footprint. Availability is all or nothing: either your street is cabled or it isn't.
Nothing showing?
Alternatives existIf fixed-line results are poor, 4G or 5G home broadband can be a genuine alternative. See our mobile broadband guide for how it compares.
When will full fibre reach your area?
Full fibre rollout is ongoing across the UK, and it happens street by street rather than town by town. Two addresses a few doors apart can get different results because they connect to different cabinets or sit in different phases of the build.
There's no reliable national timetable for individual addresses, so the practical approach is simple: if FTTP isn't available at yours yet, re-check your postcode every couple of months, and register your interest with providers so they email you when your address goes live. Networks are expanding continuously and new streets are switched on every week.
How long does installation take once you order?
If your address already has the right connection installed, many providers post you a router and you're online the day it arrives. If an engineer visit is needed, typically for a first-time full fibre installation, the appointment is usually scheduled one to two weeks out and the work itself takes a couple of hours.
Running a business from a fixed premises? Our business broadband deals page covers options with stronger reliability guarantees. And if you need internet while you wait for an installation, our portable WiFi and dongle guide covers the stopgap options.
Availability questions, answered
How do I check broadband availability at my address?
Enter your postcode on a provider's website. Every major UK provider has a free availability checker that shows whether they serve your address, what connection type you can get (FTTC part fibre or FTTP full fibre), and the speeds available. Because networks differ, check two or three providers rather than one: a street served by Openreach, Virgin Media's cable network and an altnet can show three different sets of results.
What is fibre broadband?
Fibre broadband uses fibre optic cables to carry your internet connection. It is faster and more reliable than old copper-only broadband, with speeds from around 30Mb on part-fibre connections up to 1Gb and beyond on full fibre. Most UK homes can now get at least part fibre.
What is FTTP and when will I get it?
FTTP (fibre to the premises, also called full fibre) runs fibre optic cable all the way to your home instead of stopping at the street cabinet. It delivers the fastest and most reliable speeds, typically 100Mb to 1Gb or more. Rollout is ongoing and varies street by street, so if it is not available at your address yet, check your postcode with providers every few months. Networks are expanding continuously and new streets go live all the time.
How do I check if Virgin Media is available in my area?
Enter your postcode on Virgin Media's website. Virgin runs its own cable network separate from Openreach, so its availability is different from providers like Vodafone, BT or Sky. If Virgin serves your street, you can typically access gigabit speeds regardless of the state of the local Openreach network.
How long does fibre broadband installation take?
If your address already has the right connection type, many providers offer self-install: a router arrives in the post and you are online the day it turns up. If an engineer is needed, for example for a first-time full fibre installation, the visit itself usually takes a couple of hours, with the appointment typically scheduled one to two weeks after ordering.
Why can my neighbour get full fibre but I can't?
Full fibre rollout happens street by street and sometimes building by building. Your neighbour may be connected to a different cabinet, a different network operator, or a phase of the rollout that has not reached your side of the road yet. It is common and usually temporary. Keep checking your postcode, and register your interest with providers so they notify you when your address goes live.
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