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Broadband without line rental

Explore our picks of the best broadband without line rental deals

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Find the best broadband without a landline

Broadband without a landline allows you to connect to a service that doesn’t require a home phone. It’s easier than ever to do away with a landline – and if you get a plan with full fibre broadband, you should be able to access much faster internet speeds.

You can compare broadband without landline deals below. Or, if you need some help, our guide covers everything from whether broadband with no phone line is cheaper to which providers offer broadband without line rental.

Why choose broadband without a landline?

  • Broadband without a landline can be cheaper than a package that includes line rental
  • If you choose full fibre broadband, you can benefit from much faster download speeds
  • You won’t have to put up with cold callers and scammers ringing your landline

Do I need a landline for broadband?

You don’t always need a landline to get broadband. Increasingly, providers are offering deals that are broadband only, meaning you won’t have to pay for line rental as well. However, if those providers don’t offer broadband in your area, you may have no choice but to pay for line rental.

Why does broadband sometimes need a landline?

When broadband was first introduced, it used the same copper cables as phone lines to reach people’s homes. Standard fibre broadband, also known as fibre to the cabinet (FTTC), still uses these copper cables to connect your home to your nearest street cabinet, which itself is connected to the broadband exchange by fibre optic cables.

 However, this is all changing. In 2025, traditional landlines will be replaced by a digital service that uses an internet connection to make calls.

Is broadband without a landline cheaper?

Broadband without a landline can be the cheaper option, as you won’t be paying for line rental. However, certain broadband and phone deals may still end up cheaper than broadband-only offerings. So, it’s always a good idea to compare both types of packages to find the one that’s right for your household. 

The cost of your package will also depend on which type of connection you choose. For example, full fibre is typically more expensive than standard fibre broadband. Meanwhile, if you get a broadband and TV package, that would push up the price of your plan.

Types of broadband without a landline

There are four main types of broadband offered without a landline:  full fibre, Hybrid Fibre Coaxial (HFC), and mobile broadband and satellite.

Full fibre broadband

Also known as fibre to the premises (FTTP), full fibre delivers ultra-fast broadband directly into your home. It uses fibre optic cables as opposed to old copper landline wires used with asymmetric digital subscriber line (ADSL) and FTTC broadband. Full fibre broadband can typically reach speeds of up to 1,000 megabits per second (Mbps), though some providers may offer faster speeds. 

HFC

Also called cable broadband, HFC broadband is only used by Virgin Media and is delivered via coaxial cable. This service is not yet available for all UK postcodes.

Mobile broadband

Mobile broadband uses phone networks such as 3G, 4G or 5G to access the internet. It is wireless and can be used at home or on the go. Our Independent Advisor survey found that just over 10 per cent of 24- to 34-year-olds now use mobile broadband – slightly higher than those still using basic non-fibre broadband. 

Satellite broadband

Like satellite TV, satellite broadband sends a signal to a dish on your home rather than through copper or fibre optic cables. It’s typically used in areas that can’t otherwise access traditional forms of broadband. 

Which providers offer broadband without a landline?

Broadband deals with no phone line have become a popular package choice in recent years. The “big four” broadband providers in the UK – BT, Sky, Virgin Media and TalkTalk – all offer broadband without landline deals boasting superfast speeds. However, they have competition from other smaller and regional providers.

BT

BT is the largest broadband provider in the UK, so it’s no surprise it offers six full fibre broadband deals that don’t require line rental. Of the big four, BT received the highest customer satisfaction rating (85 per cent), according to our Independent Advisor survey.

Sky Broadband 

Sky Broadband is one of the largest UK providers and offers four full fibre broadband deals. Sky notes that Fibre 100, Ultrafast Plus and Gigafast are available to 49 per cent of UK homes, while 55 per cent can access Ultrafast.

TalkTalk 

TalkTalk’s broadband packages tend to be more affordable than those of Sky, BT and Virgin Media. There are four full fibre deals to choose from. Its superfast deal, Full Fibre 900, offers an average speed of up to 944Mbps – slightly faster than some others featured in this guide. 

Virgin Media

Virgin Media offers some of the fastest broadband speeds in the UK – reaching up to 1,130Mbps – but is currently only available in 53 per cent of UK homes. Virgin Media uses its own fibre optic coaxial cable system that delivers broadband directly into your home.

Vodafone

Offering both cable broadband and mobile broadband makes Vodafone a worthy contender for broadband without line rental deals. Some of Vodafone’s deals include its automatic 4G Broadband Backup, meaning you’ll never lose connection. Vodafone has a range of mobile broadband deals from unlimited data-only SIMs to 5G-powered GigaCube routers.

EE

EE, now powered by BT, offers superfast and reliable broadband without phone line deals. EE’s fastest packages range from 150 to 1,600Mbps. EE also offers mobile broadband deals using its 4G and 5G mobile networks, with 4G speeds reaching up to 40Mbps and 5G speeds reaching up to 146Mbps. 

Plusnet

Owned by BT, Plusnet offers five full fibre, broadband-only packages, starting at 74Mbps and reaching up to 900Mbps. There are no activation fees, and each plan includes Plusnet SafeGuard and Plusnet Protect powered by Norton. 

Hyperoptic

Hyperoptic offers four broadband-only deals, available on 24-month, 12-month and monthly-rolling contracts, with speeds ranging from 56 to 900Mbps. It was also named Independent Advisor’s best broadband provider. However, Hyperoptic is only currently available in Greater London, Cardiff, Bristol, Brighton, Reading, Manchester, Leeds, Liverpool, Sheffield, Birmingham, Glasgow, Newcastle and Nottingham (though this list is expanding). 

Community Fibre

Only available in London, Community Fibre has five broadband without landline plans, starting at 150Mbps fibre broadband, all the way up to 3 gigabits per second (Gbps). There’s no set-up fee, and it offers a 60-day satisfaction guarantee for all of its plans. 

Gigaclear

A specialist provider in rural areas, Gigaclear offers three full fibre broadband without landline deals: Superfast 200, Ultrafast 400 and Hyperfast 900. As mentioned, however, Gigaclear is only in certain areas of the UK. 

Other regional providers

There are other rural and regional providers that may offer broadband without a landline. These include Voneus, Country Broadband and Airband.

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Do I need a landline for Sky broadband or Sky TV?

You don’t need a landline to get Sky broadband, though many of its full fibre deals include Sky Talk Pay As You Go as standard. That means if you change your mind about having a home phone, you can plug one in and only pay for it when you use it. 

If you want Sky TV through a broadband and TV package, you still don’t need a landline – as long as you opt for a full fibre plan. If you just want Sky TV on its own, you don’t need a landline.

Is broadband without a landline quicker to install?

The majority of broadband without landline deals will involve full fibre broadband. That means, if you don’t already have full fibre at your property, you’ll need an engineer to install it for you. This can make getting broadband without a landline slower than broadband with a phone line, where you can just plug your router into the existing master socket. 

If you do already have full fibre at home, however, you shouldn’t need an engineer unless you’re switching to or from Virgin Media.

Pros and cons of broadband without a landline

Pros

You can potentially save money by not paying for a phone service Ultra-fast and reliable broadband speeds are available without a landline You can access a wider range of monthly rolling contracts You won’t be bothered by cold callers and scammers on a landline

Cons

Not all postcodes have access to full-fibre broadband yet Full-fibre deals tend to cost more than FTTC Landline phones can be more reliable than mobile phones

What are the benefits of broadband with no line rental deals?

If you have no use for a home phone, then broadband without a landline might be the right fit. You’ll just need to make sure that you can get full fibre, HTC, mobile or satellite broadband in your area. It’s also still worth comparing broadband and phone deals in case they end up cheaper than broadband without a phone line. 

If you still use your home phone or have people in your life who may find it easier to contact you on a landline, then a broadband and phone package is likely the better option.

Rachel Sadler new profile April 2024

Rachel Sadler

Home Tech Writer

Rachel is a seasoned writer who has been producing online and print content for seven years. 

As a home tech expert for Independent Advisor, Rachel researches and writes buying guides and reviews, helping consumers navigate the realms of broadband and home security gadgets. She also covers home tech for The Federation of Master Builders, where she reviews and tests home security devices. 

She started as a news and lifestyle journalist in Hong Kong reporting on island-wide news stories, food and drink and the city’s events. She’s written for editorial platforms Sassy Hong Kong, Localiiz and Bay Media. While in Hong Kong she attended PR events, interviewed local talent and project-managed photoshoots. 

Rachel holds a BA in English Language and Creative Writing and is committed to simplifying tech jargon and producing unbiased reviews.

Molly Dyson

Senior Editor

After growing up with a passion for writing, Molly studied journalism and creative writing at university in her home country of the United States.

She has written for a variety of print and online publications, from small town newspapers to international magazines. Most of her 10-year career since relocating to the UK has been spent in business journalism, writing and editing for admin professionals at PA Life magazine and business travel managers at Business Travel News Europe and representing those titles at conferences around the world.

Now an Editor at the Independent Advisor, Molly is an expert in a broad range of consumer topics, that include solar panels and renewables, home improvements and home insurance, and consumer technology such as home security and VPNs.

In her free time, Molly can usually be found exploring the outdoors with her husband and their young son or gardening.