Altnets explained: the full fibre providers beyond BT and Virgin
An altnet (“alternative network”) is a company that builds its own full fibre network, separate from Openreach (BT’s network) and Virgin Media. Most big-name providers, including BT, EE, Sky, TalkTalk, Plusnet and Vodafone, sell broadband over Openreach. Altnets lay their own cables, often to fewer streets but with faster speeds.
Why they matter
- Price: altnets compete hard against the big names. Their entry deals are often the cheapest full fibre in the area.
- Upload speed: many offer the same speed up and down, such as 500Mbps both ways. Openreach-based deals usually upload at a fraction of the download speed.
- Choice: some altnets sell their own broadband, while others let big providers sell over them. Vodafone, Sky and TalkTalk all sell on CityFibre in some areas.
The biggest networks
Premises each network can reach, as of April 2026:
| Network | Premises | Sold by |
|---|---|---|
| CityFibre | 4.4 million | Vodafone, TalkTalk, Sky, Toob and others |
| Netomnia | 3.2 million | YouFibre and others |
| Community Fibre | 1.5 million | Community Fibre (London only) |
| Hyperoptic | 1.4 million | Hyperoptic (mainly flats) |
| Gigaclear | 642,000 | Gigaclear (rural areas) |
| Toob | 288,000 | Toob |
For comparison, Openreach’s full fibre reaches about 22.4 million premises. About 85% of UK premises can now get full fibre from at least one network.
Things to check
- Coverage is street by street. Your neighbour may have it and you may not. Always check your exact address.
- New installs need an engineer if the network hasn’t been to your home before.
- Price rises: altnets follow the same Ofcom rules as the big names, so any rise must be shown in pounds and pence when you sign up. Some fix the price for the whole contract.
- Landline: many altnets offer a digital phone line as an add-on rather than including one.
- Smaller companies: a few altnets have merged or been sold. If that happens, your service normally continues under the new owner.
Switching to an altnet works the same way as any other switch. You only contact the new provider. See how to switch broadband.
Compare broadband deals, including altnets.
Sources: ISPreview: the largest UK full fibre networks by coverage, H1 2026 (thinkbroadband data, April 2026) · Ofcom: simpler broadband switching. Checked 12 October 2026.