Business Broadband UK 2026: What You Actually Need (No Jargon Guide)
Business Broadband UK 2026: What You Actually Need (No Jargon Guide)
You need internet for your business. You do not need a degree in networking to pick the right broadband.
But the industry makes it confusing on purpose. FTTC. FTTP. SOGEA. Leased lines. Contention ratios. Bearer speeds. It is a wall of jargon designed to make you feel like you cannot make this decision on your own.
You can. And this guide will help.
We are going to explain everything in plain English. What the different types of broadband are. How much speed you actually need. What to watch out for in contracts. And what we would recommend for most UK small businesses.
No jargon. No waffle.
The 4 Types of Business Broadband (Explained Simply)
There are four types of broadband available to UK businesses in 2026. Here is what each one actually is:
1. ADSL. The Old One
Speed: Up to 17Mbps download, up to 1Mbps upload
ADSL is the original broadband. It runs over your phone line, using the old copper cables. It is been around since the early 2000s.
It is slow. 17Mbps download might have been fine in 2010, but in 2026, with cloud apps, video calls, and modern business software, it is painfully inadequate. And the upload speed (1Mbps) is almost unusable for anything more than sending an email.
The verdict: If you are still on ADSL, you need to switch. It is being phased out anyway as part of the PSTN switch-off. And you are probably paying the same or more than faster alternatives.
2. FTTC. Fibre to the Cabinet
Speed: Up to 80Mbps download, up to 20Mbps upload
FTTC is currently the most common type of business broadband in the UK. The name means "fibre to the cabinet", there is a fibre optic cable running from the exchange to the green cabinet on your street, then a copper cable from the cabinet to your building.
It is a big step up from ADSL. 80Mbps download and 20Mbps upload is enough for most small businesses. But there is a catch: traditional FTTC comes bundled with a phone line. You have to pay line rental on top of your broadband cost.
That phone line is being switched off in January 2027 anyway. So FTTC with a phone line is not something you should be signing up for.
The verdict: The speed is good, but you should be getting it via SOGEA instead (see below). Same speed, no phone line cost.
3. SOGEA. The Smart Choice
Speed: Up to 80Mbps download, up to 20Mbps upload
SOGEA stands for Single Order Generic Ethernet Access. In plain English: broadband without a phone line.
It uses the same Openreach network as FTTC. Same cables. Same speeds. Same everything. The only difference is that you are not paying for a phone line on top. You get broadband on its own.
Since December 2025, you cannot order a new phone line in the UK anyway. So if you need broadband at FTTC speeds, SOGEA is your only option, and it is the cheaper option anyway.
We supply Sky Business Broadband SOGEA at £35+VAT/month. 80/20 speeds, no phone line needed, 18-month contract.
The verdict: This is what we recommend for most UK small businesses. It is fast enough, it is affordable, it is future-proof, and it does not come with baggage (a phone line you do not need).
Want the full details? Read our SOGEA broadband guide.
4. FTTP. Full Fibre
Speed: Up to 1Gbps download (1,000Mbps), up to 220Mbps upload
FTTP stands for "fibre to the premises." Instead of fibre going to the cabinet and then copper to your building, the fibre cable comes all the way into your building. No copper at all.
The result? Much faster speeds. We are talking up to 1Gbps, that is more than 10 times faster than SOGEA/FTTC.
The catch? Availability. FTTP is only available to around 60% of UK premises at the moment. Openreach is rolling it out as fast as they can, but if your area does not have it yet, you will need to wait. It is also more expensive, starting around £40-80+/month depending on the speed tier you choose.
The verdict: If FTTP is available at your address and you have heavy bandwidth needs (lots of people, lots of video, lots of large files), it is brilliant. But for most small businesses with under 20 staff, SOGEA at 80/20 is genuinely enough, and significantly cheaper.
How Much Speed Do You Actually Need?
This is the question that matters. And the answer depends on two things: how many people are using the internet, and what they are doing with it.
Here is a straightforward guide:
| Business Size | Typical Usage | What You Need | Our Recommendation |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1-5 people | Email, web browsing, cloud apps | SOGEA 80/20 | Sky Business SOGEA, £35+VAT/month |
| 5-15 people | Email, cloud apps, video calls, file sharing | SOGEA 80/20 | Sky Business SOGEA, £35+VAT/month |
| 15-30 people | Heavy cloud usage, multiple video calls, large file transfers | SOGEA 80/20 or FTTP | SOGEA works, but consider FTTP if available |
| 30+ people | Heavy everything, concurrent video calls, data-heavy apps | FTTP | FTTP or leased line |
The Reality Check
Most businesses overestimate how much bandwidth they need. Here is what common business activities actually use:
- Email: Almost nothing. Negligible bandwidth.
- Web browsing: About 2-5Mbps per person actively browsing.
- Cloud apps (Xero, Office 365, Salesforce): 1-3Mbps per active user.
- HD video call (Zoom/Teams): 3-4Mbps per call.
- File upload (1GB): Takes about 7 minutes on 20Mbps upload.
- Card machine transaction: Kilobytes. Essentially nothing.
- Streaming music (in the shop): About 0.3Mbps. Barely registers.
Add it all up for a typical office of 10 people: even with several video calls running, cloud apps open, and emails flying, you are using maybe 30-40Mbps at peak. An 80Mbps SOGEA connection handles that with room to spare.
Do not pay for speeds you will not use.
Upload Speed Matters More Than You Think
When people talk about broadband speed, they usually mean download speed. That is the big number, 80Mbps, 100Mbps, 500Mbps.
But for businesses, upload speed is often more important. Here is why.
Download speed is used when you:
- Browse websites
- Watch videos
- Receive emails and files
- Download documents
Upload speed is used when you:
- Make video calls (your camera feed is uploaded)
- Send emails with attachments
- Back up data to the cloud
- Use cloud apps (your input is uploaded)
- Process card payments (transaction data is uploaded)
- Share your screen in meetings
See the pattern? Almost everything you actively DO in a business day uses upload bandwidth. Downloading is mostly passive.
With SOGEA, you get 20Mbps upload. That is enough for most small businesses. A single Zoom call uses about 3Mbps upload, so you can have 5-6 video calls running simultaneously and still have headroom.
If you regularly upload very large files (video projects, architectural drawings, large datasets) you might want FTTP with its faster upload speeds. But for standard business use, 20Mbps is fine.
Looking for business broadband? Get a free quote for broadband, VoIP and business mobiles. Free comparison, no obligation.
What About Leased Lines?
You might have heard of leased lines. They are the premium option for business broadband. Here is the quick summary.
A leased line is a dedicated, private internet connection just for your business. Unlike SOGEA or FTTP where you share bandwidth with other users in your area, a leased line is yours alone. Nobody else uses it.
The good stuff:
- Guaranteed symmetrical speeds (same upload and download, e.g. 100/100 or 500/500)
- 99.99% uptime guarantee
- Fastest fix times (typically 4-6 hours)
- No contention, the speed you pay for is the speed you get, all the time
The not-so-good stuff:
- Expensive. Typically £200-500+/month for 100Mbps
- Long installation times (often 60-90 days)
- Long contracts (usually 36 months)
Who needs a leased line?
- Businesses with 50+ heavy internet users
- Companies that absolutely cannot tolerate any downtime (financial services, emergency services)
- Organisations running on-site servers or data-heavy applications
- Call centres with hundreds of simultaneous VoIP calls
Who does not need a leased line?
- Most small businesses with under 30 people. SOGEA at 80/20 for £35+VAT/month does the job.
If you are not sure whether you need a leased line or SOGEA, call us. We will give you an honest recommendation. We would rather sell you the right product at £35/month than the wrong product at £300/month.
Do You Need a Static IP?
You might see "static IP" mentioned when you are comparing broadband deals. Here is the plain English version.
A static IP address is a permanent internet address for your connection. It never changes. Most broadband connections have a "dynamic" IP that changes occasionally.
You need a static IP if:
- You run a VPN that staff connect to remotely
- You host a website or server on-site
- You have CCTV that you access remotely
- You have specific security rules based on IP address (some business software requires this)
You probably do not need a static IP if:
- You just use the internet for email, web browsing, and cloud apps
- You do not run any on-site servers
- You do not have remote CCTV access
Most small businesses do not need one. But if you do, static IPs are available with our Sky Business Broadband SOGEA service. Just ask when you order.
Business Broadband vs Home Broadband
You might be wondering: cannot I just use a home broadband deal? It is cheaper, right?
You can. But here is what you are giving up:
Faster Fix Times
Business broadband comes with a service level agreement (SLA). That means if your broadband goes down, your provider is contractually obligated to fix it within a set timeframe, usually within 24 hours, sometimes faster.
Home broadband? They will get to it when they get to it. Could be days.
If your broadband goes down and you cannot take card payments, access your booking system, or send invoices, every hour costs you money. Business SLAs are worth paying for.
Static IP Available
As mentioned above, static IPs are available on business broadband. Most home broadband does not offer them.
Priority Support
Call a home broadband provider's support line and you will wait. And wait. And wait. Business broadband gives you priority support queues with shorter wait times and more knowledgeable staff.
No Throttling During Peak Hours
Some home broadband providers slow your connection during busy periods (evenings, weekends) because residential usage spikes. Business broadband does not do this. You get consistent speeds all day.
Tax Deductible
Business broadband is a legitimate business expense. You can deduct it from your taxable profits and reclaim the VAT. More on that below.
The Cost Difference
A home broadband deal might save you £5-10/month compared to business broadband. But when you factor in slower fix times, no SLA, and the inability to reclaim VAT, that saving evaporates.
For £35+VAT/month, our Sky Business Broadband SOGEA gives you business-grade service, reliability, and support. For something your entire business depends on, that is excellent value.
Our Recommendation for Most UK Small Businesses
We have been comparing and supplying business telecoms since 2008. We have helped thousands of UK businesses pick the right broadband. And for the vast majority of small businesses, our recommendation is the same:
Sky Business Broadband SOGEA at £35+VAT/month.
Here is why:
- 80Mbps download, 20Mbps upload. more than enough for 95% of small businesses
- No phone line needed. saves you £15-20/month compared to FTTC with line rental
- Future-proof. SOGEA is the new standard. No switch-off worries.
- Business-grade SLA. faster fix times if anything goes wrong
- UK-based support. real people you can actually speak to
- Static IP available. if you need one
- 18-month contract. fair term, no surprises
- Tax deductible and VAT reclaimable. your accountant will approve
This is not the right choice for every business. If you have 50 staff all on video calls, you need FTTP or a leased line. But if you are a typical small business, an office, a shop, a restaurant, a trades business, a home office, this is the sweet spot of speed, price, and reliability.
What to Look Out for in Broadband Contracts
Not all broadband deals are created equal. Before you sign anything, check these things:
Minimum Contract Term
Most business broadband contracts are 18 or 24 months. Shorter is better, it gives you more flexibility. Our Sky Business Broadband SOGEA is an 18-month contract.
Be wary of 36-month contracts. That is three years locked in. A lot can change in three years.
Out-of-Contract Price Increases
What happens when your contract ends? Some providers jack up the price significantly when you go out of contract. Check what the out-of-contract rate is before you sign up.
Installation Fees
Some providers charge £50-100+ for installation. Others include it. Ask upfront so there are no surprises on your first bill.
Router Quality
A cheap router can bottleneck even the fastest broadband. Check whether a business-grade router is included or whether you will need to buy your own. Our Sky Business Broadband deal includes a router.
Support Hours
When can you actually call for help? Some providers offer 24/7 support. Others are 9-5 Monday to Friday. If your business operates outside those hours, make sure your broadband support does too.
Fair Usage Policies
Some broadband deals have "unlimited" data but with a fair usage policy in the small print. This means they can throttle or restrict you if they decide you are using "too much." Check the terms. True unlimited is what you want.
Hidden Extras
Watch out for charges like:
- Router delivery fee
- Static IP monthly charge
- Call-out charges for engineer visits
- Admin fees for changes
Ask for a full breakdown of costs before you commit.
Early Termination Fees
If you need to move premises or your business circumstances change, can you leave your contract early? Most providers charge an early termination fee, typically the remaining months of your contract multiplied by a portion of your monthly fee. Check this before you sign. Shorter contracts (18 months) reduce this risk compared to 24 or 36-month deals.
Bandwidth Limits
Some cheap broadband deals cap your monthly data usage. For a business, this is a problem. You do not want to hit a limit halfway through the month and have your speed throttled. Always choose genuinely unlimited broadband with no data caps.
Backup Broadband: Do You Need It?
If your business genuinely cannot operate without internet (and most cannot these days) you should think about what happens when your broadband goes down.
It does not happen often. SOGEA on the Openreach network has 99.9% uptime. But "rarely" is not "never."
Here are your backup options:
- 4G/5G mobile broadband dongle. keep one in the office. If your main broadband goes down, plug it in. It is not as fast, but it keeps you online for emails and basic tasks. Costs about £15-25/month on a data plan.
- Mobile phone hotspot. in a pinch, tether your laptop to your mobile phone. Not ideal for an entire office, but fine for one person to keep working.
- Second broadband line. some critical businesses install a second broadband line from a different provider on a different network. Expensive, but it gives you true redundancy.
For most small businesses, a 4G dongle kept in the drawer is enough. It is cheap insurance.
Business Broadband and Tax
Good news. Business broadband is tax-efficient.
100% Tax Deductible
Your business broadband bill is a legitimate business expense. You can deduct the full amount from your taxable profits. If you are paying £35+VAT/month, that is £420+VAT per year off your tax bill.
VAT Reclaimable
If you are VAT registered, you can reclaim the VAT on your business broadband. On our £35+VAT deal, that is £7/month (£84/year) back in your pocket.
This means your effective cost is just £35/month, less than many home broadband deals.
Working from Home
If you work from home, you can claim a proportion of your home broadband as a business expense. The proportion should reflect how much of your usage is for business.
Alternatively, HMRC allows you to claim a flat rate of £6/week (£26/month) for working from home, which covers broadband, heating, and electricity. No receipts needed.
If your home broadband costs more than £26/month and your business usage is high, claiming the actual proportion is usually better. Talk to your accountant for specific advice.
And if you want a dedicated business connection for your home office, our Sky Business Broadband SOGEA at £35+VAT/month is a clean, clear, fully deductible expense.
How Compare The Networks Helps
We are a UK business telecoms comparison service. OFCOM-regulated. Rated 4.3/5 on Trustpilot. Been doing this since 2008.
Here is what we do:
We Check Availability
Tell us your postcode. We will tell you exactly what is available at your address. SOGEA, FTTP, or both. No guesswork.
We Compare Options
We do not just sell one product. We compare the market and recommend what is right for your business. For most small businesses, that is our Sky Business Broadband SOGEA at £35+VAT/month. But if FTTP makes more sense for you, we will say so.
We Handle the Switch
Switching broadband providers sounds like a headache. We make it easy. We place the order, coordinate the installation, and make sure your old service overlaps with the new one so you are never without internet.
We Sort Your Phones Too
Need a VoIP phone system? A virtual landline? Business mobiles? We compare and supply those too. One call, everything sorted.
We Give Honest Advice
We would rather give you the right recommendation and earn your trust than sell you the most expensive product. That is how we have maintained a 4.3/5 Trustpilot rating for years. If SOGEA is enough for your business, we will say so, we will not try to upsell you onto a leased line you do not need.
Frequently Asked Questions
1. What broadband speed do I need for my business?
For most small businesses with up to 15-20 people, SOGEA at 80/20 is plenty. If you have 30+ people or very heavy internet usage, consider FTTP. See our speed guide table above for specific recommendations.
2. Can I keep my phone number if I switch broadband?
Yes. Your phone number can be ported to a VoIP service or virtual landline. It is a separate process from switching broadband, but we handle both.
3. How long does it take to switch broadband?
Typically 10-15 working days from order to installation. We overlap your old and new services so you are never without internet.
4. What is the difference between SOGEA and FTTP?
SOGEA gives you up to 80/20 speeds using fibre to the cabinet and copper to your building. FTTP gives you up to 1Gbps using fibre all the way into your building. SOGEA is available to 96% of UK premises. FTTP is available to around 60%.
5. Is business broadband tax deductible?
Yes. It is 100% deductible as a business expense, and if you are VAT registered, you can reclaim the VAT too.
6. Do I need a phone line for broadband?
Not any more. SOGEA delivers broadband without a phone line. And since you cannot order a new phone line in the UK (stop-sell happened December 2025), SOGEA is the standard way to get broadband at FTTC speeds.
7. What happens when my broadband contract ends?
Check your provider's out-of-contract rates. Some increase the price significantly. If your contract is ending, it is a good time to review your options, give us a call and we will compare what is available.
8. Can I use business broadband at home?
Yes. Many people who work from home get a business broadband connection installed. It is fully tax deductible, gives you business-grade support and fix times, and keeps your work internet separate from your family's Netflix streaming.
The Bottom Line
Business broadband does not need to be complicated. Here is what it boils down to:
- You need broadband. That is not negotiable in 2026.
- SOGEA is the right choice for most small businesses. Same speed as FTTC, no phone line cost, future-proof.
- 80/20 is enough for 95% of small businesses. Do not pay for speeds you will not use.
- Business broadband is better than home broadband for businesses. Faster fixes, priority support, tax deductible.
- The phone line is going. Switch to SOGEA now and save money immediately.
Sky Business Broadband SOGEA: 80Mbps download, 20Mbps upload, £35+VAT/month. No phone line needed.
We have been helping UK businesses get the right telecoms since 2008. OFCOM-regulated. 4.3/5 on Trustpilot. One call, everything sorted.
Check availability now or call us. We will tell you exactly what is available at your address and handle the switch from start to finish.
Need business mobiles too? See the latest business mobile deals from every major network.