Home broadband is the name given to the high-speed communications system in our homes that links our computers, mobile phones and other digital devices to the internet, allowing us to access the web, email, streaming tv and countless other online services at high speeds. Home broadband uses a cable, DSL or satellite modem that is hooked up to an Internet Service Provider (ISP), and the home network uses wired Ethernet and wireless Wi-Fi technologies, both of which are considerably faster than the broadband speeds of most internet connections.

Standing out above the rest is fibre broadband, which uses fibre optic cables that are a lot better at transferring data than your standard copper cables. In a nutshell, you can do all the things you love like online gaming and streaming movies and music a lot faster with fibre home broadband – find great deals on fibre home broadband today here at G Network. 

Copper broadband

Copper broadband uses a traditional copper telephone line to connect from a local telephone exchange, onto a green street cabinet, and then to your home. With copper the broadband signal gets slower over distance - so if you live a long way from the nearest green cabinet - slower speeds are inevitable! 

Fibre to the cabinet (FTTC) 

Fibre connections are different to copper because they use fibre-optic cables instead of traditional copper. Fibre cables are made up of a bundle of thin glass ‘fibre’ threads which can carry broadband signals quicker and more efficiently. Fibre to the cabinet broadband carries your connection from the local telephone exchange to the street cabinet. The final connection from the street cabinet to your home is usually over an older copper wire telephone line - this is sometimes known as ‘partial fibre’. 

Fibre to the premises (FTTP) 

This is commonly known as ‘full fibre’ broadband. A full fibre-optic broadband connection uses the newest technology fibre-optic cables to carry your broadband all the way from the local exchange to your home. Full-fibre offers the fastest speeds and the best reliability broadband. 

The short answer is yes – you can get home broadband without a phone line but your choices will be somewhat limited. Most UK providers work on the Openreach network which carries the broadband signal into your home via the old copper telephone wires, so if you wish to get broadband without a phone line you will have to choose a provider that does not use Openreach. 

There are many different things to consider when trying to choose the correct broadband package for your home. The most important things to keep in mind are the speed, usage and the cost of the package, and to determine this you will need to first understand the exact type of broadband user you are:

• How and why you will need to connect to the internet
• How important broadband speed is to you
• How many people in your household will be using the internet
• How many devices will be connected to the internet. 

The ideal home broadband speed depends on how you and your household use the internet. Here’s a quick guide to help you choose the right package:

Gamers

Online gaming doesn’t always need huge download speeds, but a fast, stable connection can make a big difference. For smooth gameplay and fast downloads, aim for at least 50–100 Mbps. A Gigafast 1Gb connection ensures low latency and lightning-fast updates, especially if you're downloading large titles or using a next-gen console.

Streamers

Love your box sets? Buffering can ruin the moment. Streaming in HD requires around 3 Mbps, while UHD (4K) needs 15 Mbps per device. If multiple people are streaming at the same time, especially in 4K, 300Mb or higher is ideal to keep things smooth across the house.

Working from Home

For remote working, including emails and web browsing, 10-15 Mbps is often enough. But for video calls, large file uploads and screen sharing, we recommend at least 40-100 Mbps per person. If your household has multiple people working from home, a Gigabit connection gives you the headroom you need.

Busy Households

If you’ve got multiple users doing all of the above - streaming, gaming, video calling, and smart home usage - you’ll benefit from a higher-speed package, like our Gigafast 1Gb or Gigafast Extra, to avoid slowdowns and maintain peak performance.