Published: June 2026 | Reviewed by the FibreCompare editorial team
Vodafone has made its boldest move in the home broadband market in years. In May 2026, the operator — now trading as part of the merged VodafoneThree entity — launched Vodafone 5G Broadband, a fixed wireless access (FWA) service aimed squarely at the 3.7 million UK homes that still can't get full fibre. No engineer, no drilling, no waiting. Just a router that arrives next day and plugs in.
So is it worth switching to? We've broken down the pricing, speeds, small print, and who this service is actually built for.
Fixed wireless access isn't a new concept, but Vodafone's execution here is more ambitious than anything it has previously put in front of consumers. Rather than running a cable to your home, 5G Broadband delivers your internet connection over Vodafone's mobile network — the same technology that connects your phone, but optimised for home use via a dedicated plug-in router called the Power Hub.
The key differentiator in the 2026 launch is the network behind it. Following Vodafone's merger with Three UK, the combined business runs across more than 10,000 sites using shared network infrastructure. That means customers in areas where Three's 5G signal is stronger than Vodafone's original network can now tap into that capacity — effectively giving the service a much wider footprint than either operator had independently.
Vodafone says that combined with its existing 23.2 million home full fibre footprint, it can now reach around 26 million UK homes with broadband — more than any other provider in the country.
Vodafone offers two speed tiers:
Those are headline figures, and it's worth being clear: actual speeds depend on your local 5G signal strength. If you're in a strong urban 5G area, 150 Mbps is achievable and genuinely competitive with entry-level full fibre packages. If your coverage is marginal, you may land closer to the 50 Mbps tier regardless of which plan you're on.
For context, Vodafone itself cites the UK average for part-fibre connections (the old FTTC technology, where fibre runs to the street cabinet but copper runs to your door) at around 74 Mbps. So the top tier of this service, where achievable, beats that comfortably. The entry tier doesn't, but it will outperform many copper-heavy connections.
For renters, rural households, or anyone stuck on an ageing ADSL or FTTC line, even 50 Mbps of reliable, unlimited connectivity with no installation faff is a meaningful upgrade.
| Plan | Speed | 24-Month Contract | 30-Day Rolling |
|---|---|---|---|
| Entry | Up to 50 Mbps | £21/month | £30/month |
| Top | Up to 150 Mbps | £22/month | £32/month |
| Vodafone Together discount | Either tier | -£2/month | -£2/month |
No upfront cost for the kit. No engineer visit to book. Delivery is next day if you order before 10pm on weekdays or 8pm on weekends.
Existing Vodafone mobile customers can knock £2 a month off through the Vodafone Together bundling scheme, bringing the entry price down to £19/month on a 24-month deal — which, frankly, is remarkable value if the speeds hold up at your address.
Here's where you need to read carefully. If you sign a 24-month contract today, the £21 entry price is not locked for the duration. Vodafone has already confirmed scheduled price increases baked into the contract:
That's a 33% increase across two years. On a 24-month contract signed now, you'll pass through at least one of those rises before your minimum term ends. It's not a hidden gotcha — it's stated upfront — but anyone comparing this against a fixed-rate full fibre deal needs to account for the real cost across the contract term, not just the headline launch price.
This is genuinely one of the product's strongest selling points. There is no engineer visit. No appointment window. No drilling or cabling. Vodafone sends you the Power Hub router, you plug it in, and you're online.
For renters, this is significant. Full fibre installation often requires landlord permission and involves someone drilling through walls. A plug-in 5G router sidesteps that entirely. For students or anyone on a short-term tenancy, the 30-day rolling option means you're not locked into a 24-month commitment.
Vodafone is also working on an outdoor hub — a self-install external unit for homes where indoor 5G signal is weaker. This locks onto the strongest available 5G signal and feeds back through to the Power Hub inside. A launch date and pricing for the outdoor unit haven't been confirmed yet, but it addresses one of the structural weaknesses of indoor FWA in areas with patchy coverage.
Vodafone's 5G Broadband isn't trying to displace full fibre for households that can already get it — and in fact, if your address is already covered by Vodafone's full fibre network, you won't be eligible for the 5G product at all. The postcode checker on Vodafone.co.uk will direct you to whichever technology offers the better speed at your address.
The target audience is clearly defined:
For all of these, a product that delivers up to 150 Mbps, arrives next day, plugs straight in, and starts at £21/month is a serious option.
Geoff Pestell, CEO of FibreCompare, said:
"This is a smart play from Vodafone. For years, fixed wireless has been the bridesmaid of UK broadband — technically capable but never quite pushed hard enough to matter commercially. What's changed here is the network behind it. Post-merger, Vodafone can draw on Three's 5G estate, which gives them genuine coverage depth they simply didn't have before. The pricing is competitive, the setup story is compelling for renters, and the postcode checker approach is the right way to guide customers. My one watch-out for switchers: model the real cost over 24 months, not just the launch price. That £21 becomes £28 by year two, and on a fixed wireless product where you can't guarantee the speeds you're paying for, that's a meaningful consideration."
Vodafone 5G Home Broadband is a genuinely good product for the right customer. The setup experience is as frictionless as broadband gets, the pricing is competitive especially for existing Vodafone mobile customers, and the merged network gives it coverage depth that makes it worth checking at your postcode even if you've dismissed fixed wireless before.
The caveats are real but manageable. Speeds are signal-dependent, so check your local 5G coverage before committing. The pre-baked price rises mean the 24-month contract costs more than the launch price implies. And if full fibre is available at your address, this product isn't for you — Vodafone itself will tell you that via the postcode checker.
For the millions of UK households still on ageing copper or part-fibre connections, though, this is the most accessible fast broadband option to have arrived in some time.
FibreCompare verdict: 4/5 — Excellent value for non-fibre households, with a caveat on the price increase schedule.
Use FibreCompare's broadband comparison tool to check full fibre and 5G broadband deals available at your postcode.
Tags: Vodafone, 5G Broadband, Fixed Wireless Access, Home Broadband, Broadband Deals, VodafoneThree, Broadband Review 2026
