Plusnet is a great no-thrills option for anyone looking for a good, reliable broadband service. There aren’t all the extra bundle phone or TV options that some of the other big providers offer, but not everyone is looking for these.
In our full review we take a look at the pros and cons of each area in more detail: speed, full fibre review, cost, setup and customer service.
There are a wide range of speeds available across its product range. But remember, where you live will also play a factor. We’ll list everything below, but you’ll also need to check your postcode to see what is currently available with BT.
Speed is often the biggest consideration when choosing a broadband package. If you have multiple people using the internet at one time, then a higher speed and bandwidth will be essential. Equally, if it’s a small household using the internet for everyday usage, paying for business-grade bandwidth will be a waste.
You should decide what speed is right for you, based on your broadband habits at home. Here’s a handy guide to help show what bandwidth usage your different applications need.
When you put your postcode in, the packages that come up will depend on your postcode. If you are still in an area that isn’t yet connected to Plusnet’s full fibre network, you’ll only see the slower first option shown below. This is FTTC broadband, also known as part fibre or fibre to the cabinet, it still needs copper telephone lines for some of its delivery which makes the maximum speed for your home around 71Mbps.
A part fibre broadband package with average download speeds of 67Mbps and includes unlimited monthly usage. It’s the best option for anyone unable to connect to full fibre. It will take you 3 minutes, 13 seconds to download an HD movie on this broadband. And is able to handle around 8 devices simultaneously.
The following packages will be shown to anyone that can access full fibre from their postcode.
With a 74Mbps average download speed, this plan is fine for most family homes and can easily cope with 5-8 devices being used at one time. It will take 2 minutes 37 seconds to download an HD movie.
This 145Mbps average download speed plan is the sweet spot for households of 3-5 people and can easily cope with 5-8 devices at the same time for mixed everyday use. It will take 1 minute 43 seconds to download an HD movie.
An impressive plan that powers an average download speed of 300Mbps. This choice manages the demands of even the heaviest data users, whether you’re streaming constantly or running a business from home. It can manage 9-12 devices and get your movie downloaded in 1 minute 8 seconds.
This powerful plan has an average download speed of 500Mbps. These serious speeds make it possible to download an HD movie in 23 seconds and can easily handle 9-12 devices simultaneously.
Plusnet’s fastest gigabit-capable service offers users an impressive average download speed of 900Mbps which will easily cover all high-use working and gaming internet usage in busy households. It can download your movie in 13 seconds and cope with 20+ devices all being used together.
Full fibre offers the fastest available broadband – it’s possible to see speeds exceeding 1,000Mbps (1Gps).
Around 85% of homes in the UK can now access this ultrafast broadband via fibre-optic technology also known as ‘Fibre To The Premises’ (FTTP).
Full fibre removes the need to rely on copper phone lines and instead connects fibre cables straight to your home. This means there’s no slowdown on the data between the street cabinet and your property and the speed and strength are much more powerful than any previous broadband technology as a result.
This technology will future-proof homes and businesses across the UK because, once it’s installed, properties won’t need to install new cables for their broadband for decades.
Don’t have access to full fibre yet? Hopefully you will soon. The government target is to have gigabit-capable broadband available to 99% of the country by 2030.
Find out whether your postcode has Plusnet full fibre availability
Plusnet uses the well-established Openreach network for all its packages. Openreach is the physical network (the wires under the street and the boxes on the street) and the biggest telecommunications network in the UK.
Ofcom’s latest report shows that Plusnet customers were more likely than average to be satisfied with their broadband with a reliability rating review of 87% satisfaction (81% average score) with speed of service.
The report also found that Plusnet had the fewest number of faults, recording just 20 fault for every 1000 customers each month.
Plusnet provide their customers with personalised speed estimates and a guaranteed minimum download speed upon signup. If the customer isn’t reaching these for at least three days or more, and Plusnet can’t resolve the issue within 30 days of notice, the customer has the right to leave their contract early without a penalty.
Unlike some of the other big providers, Plusnet does not offer a WiFi guarantee. WiFi guarantees promise to boost WiFi signal to a minimum level in all rooms of a customer’s home. Whilst this service does come at an extra cost, it can be useful for larger properties.
Plusnet is one of the best big providers when it comes to value. There are no entertainment or mobile extras to choose from. It keeps things simple and just focuses on getting the basics right – good, reliable broadband.
It costs less than most of the other main players (Sky, BT, Vodafone). At the time of writing this article, you can get Full Fibre 145 at a very competitive £26.99 a month.
24-month contracts with no chance of early release seems to be the new normal for Plusnet. Last year 12 and 18-month options were also available, but we can no longer see these being advertised.
No, Plusnet TV is no longer available. It ended its partnership with YouView in January 2021 and its option to include a full range of freeview and paid TV channels as a bundle no longer exists.
Sometimes Plusnet has offers that include an extra element such as cashback, a gift card or a Plusnet Reward Card. These are normally a pre-paid credit card between £50-100, or a third party gift voucher that you can claim for when signing up. These will be dependent on postcode and package.
Yes. Plusnet terms announce price rises for almost all of its customers on the 1st April every year. Even if you're mid contract, you'll see your prices go up from this date.
In 2026 they are due to rise by £4 a month, then in 2027 they’ll go up by £4 again, so, something you should factor in when looking at any packages price.
Find out more about mid-contract price rises
If you’re a new customer, Plusnet aim to get you up and running within two weeks.
Plusnet will handle the switching process, so you won’t even have to contact your current broadband provider to tell them you’re leaving. Plusnet will manage the whole transfer for you.
Will you need an engineer visit? Maybe, it depends on what connection your home currently has. For example, if you need a new full fibre installation, an engineer visit might be necessary. But Plusnet will be able to tell you whether this is necessary during your ordering process and book this in for you.
If this isn’t needed, your service will likely be self-installed. You’ll receive a router in the post and this will need to be connected on the activation date.
Anyone now signing up to a BT broadband package will get the perfectly capable Plusnet Hub Two. These give great coverage to multiple devices and you should get speedy and reliable connection throughout your home. The downside is that this router is not Wi-Fi 6 supportive.
Wi-Fi 5 (802.11ac) ready network: This router is part of the fifth generation (not Wi-Fi 6) in networking standards that supports higher data rates, allowing for quicker downloads, smoother streaming, and more responsive online gaming.
Free with any BT contract: Whether you are signing up for the most basic ADSL package or full fibre, this router will be provided and comes at no extra charges.
7 antennas: These multiple built-in aerials (more than any previous BT routers) are uniquely positioned to make sure you get the best all-round performance.
4 gigabit ports, 1 USB port: The gigabit ports are 10 times faster than Ethernet ports, perfect for plugging devices directly in and gaming. The USB port is there to help with charging phones or tablets.
Dual band: This router can transmit on two different frequency bands, 2.4GHz and 5GHz. Both bands offer different benefits and having these options means a more versatile and efficient network than a single-band router.
According to Ofcom’s latest customer service report Plusnet scores well. An overall satisfaction score of 89% (average broadband score is 82%) with a call waiting time of 2:08 (average waiting time 2:37).
Plusnet performed better than average on satisfaction with complaints handling with a score of 53% (average score 51%).
Along with EE and Sky, Plusnet customers were more likely than average to recommend their broadband provider to a friend. While BT and TalkTalk customers were less likely than average to do so.
Plusnet has also been named Which? Recommended Broadband Provider of the Year in 2025. A high accolade based on customer satisfaction surveys and expert analysis.
Plusnet customer service is open daily 8am to 8pm Monday to Sunday.
Call Plusnet broadband customer service: 0800 432 0200
Very helpful forum manned by experts and other customers: Plusnet Community Forum
X: @PlusnetUK
Facebook: www.facebook.com/plusnet/
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