Find the right broadband provider: a guide to smaller and regional ISPs

There's been a big increase in the number of smaller and regional broadband providers either building their own fibre network or using the Openreach broadband network to provide a rival service. 

Sometimes, these providers offer much better prices and may also offer a more reliable connection and better customer service than you're used to. To help weigh up your options, we've listed a range of providers below. Many of these are available on the Which? broadband Compare tool, which makes it easy to search, switch and save. 

Read our guide to the best and worst broadband providers to see how your current provider measures up.

What to consider when choosing a smaller broadband provider

Our research suggests that smaller broadband providers can offer very competitive prices, particularly for faster speeds. However, it all depends on whether the cheaper providers have a fibre network in your area. You can use Ofcom’s tool to find out.

The providers on this page aren't part of our regular broadband survey, but as with choosing any broadband provider, there are a few things to weigh up when deciding whether to switch:

• Be wary of cheap prices for new customers – some providers hike prices considerably when contracts end, so make sure you know how it will change at the end of a contract.
• What’s availability like in your area? Plan ahead so you know what your options are to switch if prices rise at the end of a contract.
• What's the customer service like? It may be worth calling the provider in advance to discuss your options and get a sense of how helpful they are. 
• Providers vary in the range of broadband speeds they offer, so look for one that best suits your needs. Read our guide to broadband speed for some tips.
• Discover more about the pros and cons of regional providers below.

A guide to smaller internet service providers (ISPs)

Most of the providers below are available on the Which? broadband Compare tool, where you can weigh them up against rivals. Below, we explain the regions where the provider is available, what speeds they offer, details of typical contracts and a selection of the deals available from each provider. 

4th Utility (pockets of the UK)

4th Utility offers ultrafast broadband in a range of major UK cities, but it doesn't have full coverage in all of them. It's also available in pockets across England, Wales and Scotland. Its deals look enticing, but be aware that the prices for new customers are significantly lower than those for existing customers, so you may want to shop around when your contract ends to see if you can get a better deal by switching. 

• Speeds 50Mbps to 900Mbps.
• Contract length Monthly, 12 months, 24 months.
• Price Competitive for 24-month contracts – for example, 250Mbps broadband with an effective monthly price of £23. Introductory offers are competitive, particularly for the fastest speeds, but prices for existing customers are similar to other providers
• Mid-contract price rises 4th Utility reserves the right to increase prices mid-contract.

Airband (southern England, the Midlands and Wales)

Airband has its own fibre and fixed wireless broadband network, available in parts of Devon, Cheshire, Gloucestershire, Herefordshire, Oxfordshire, Shropshire, Somerset, Warwickshire, Wales and Worcestershire. 

• Speeds 150Mbps to 900Mbps fibre broadband, 40 to 400Mbps fixed wireless broadband.
• Contract length 24 months.
• Price: Introductory offers can be very competitive – for example, 150Mbps for £33 with the first six months at half price.
• Mid-contract price rises None.

B4RN (East and North West)

B4RN exclusively provides ultrafast broadband in the North West and East of England. Its work is made possible by groups of volunteers to install and expand its own fibre network. As B4RN specialises in very rural areas, customers told us the opportunity to massively upgrade their broadband speeds has allowed them to live a more modern lifestyle. The B4RN customers we spoke to are also pleased by the quality of locally based customer service. 

• Speeds: 1-10Gbps
• Contract length: 12 months
• Price: Very competitive pricing for speeds, 1Gbps speed for £33 per month
• Mid-contract price rises: B4RN reserves the right to increases prices (no more than once every 12 months)

BeeBu (United Kingdom)

BeeBu offers full fibre broadband services using several different alternative networks such as the CityFibre network and other smaller localised providers, but also offers partial fibre services via the Openreach network in areas where it doesn't have a different full fibre partner. This means the speeds - and prices - available depend on where you live.

• Speeds 80Mbps to 1000Mbps.
• Contract length 24 months.
• Price Competitive compared to big providers but similar to other small providers - for example, £28 for 160Mbps broadband.
• Mid-contract price rises BeeBu increases its prices by £3 per month each April.

BeFibre (northern England, the Midlands)

BeFibre is building its own fibre network, which has pockets of coverage across much of northern England and the Midlands. This means it doesn't offer slower speeds, unlike other smaller providers that use the Openreach Broadband network. 

• Speeds 150Mbps to 2300Mbps (2.3Gbps).
• Contract length Monthly, 12 months, 18 months.
• Price Prices for monthly contracts are competitive – for example, £30 for 150Mbps broadband on a monthly contract. Introductory offers are very competitive, particularly for the fastest speeds. Prices for existing customers are similar to other providers.
• Mid-contract price rises Now advertises fixed prices during the minimum contract period. Customers who took a deal prior to January 2025 may see their deal increase by CPI +3.9% with one month's notice.

Brsk (Birmingham, North West England)

Brsk is building its own fibre network in parts of North West England and in pockets around Birmingham. It offers a condensed range of broadband packages, with 150Mbps, 500Mbps, 900Mbps or 2Gbps to choose from. Brsk’s monthly contracts are very competitively priced compared to other monthly rolling contracts, with 150Mbps only £24 per month.

• Speeds: 150Mbps-2,000Mbps (2Gbps)
• Contract length: 18-month and rolling monthly contracts
• Price: Very competitive prices - from £24 per month for 150 Mbps on an 18-month contract, and renewing customers can get the same price shown on the website to new customers at the time of renewal. Brsk fixes prices for the duration of a contract and does not have mid-contract price rises.
• Mid-contract price rises: None

Connect Fibre (East England)

Connect Fibre is an independent provider that builds its own dedicated full-fibre infrastructure. It currently operates in parts of Cambridgeshire, Derbyshire, Essex, Nottinghamshire, Staffordshire, and Yorkshire. Connect Fibre’s network offers symmetrical speeds - meaning your upload speed is just as fast as your download speed.

• Speeds 250Mbps to 2000Mbps (2Gbps).
• Contract length 12 months or 24 months.
• Price Competitive introductory offers such as 250Mbps for £25 per month, £19 for the first 6 months.
• Mid-contract price rises None.

Cuckoo (England, Scotland)

Cuckoo uses the CityFibre network to provide ultrafast broadband. Similar to many other smaller providers, Cuckoo only offers three broadband packages – 150Mbps, 500Mbps and 900Mbps. However, unlike many smaller providers, Cuckoo doesn’t offer monthly rolling contracts. There is a £5 premium if you opt for a 12-month contract instead of a 24-month contract.

• Speeds 150Mbps to 900Mbps.
• Contract length 12 months, 24 months.
• Price Competitive – for example, 900Mbps for £35. 12-month contracts are pricier.
• Mid-contract price rises Prices increase by £3 per month from April 2026.

Earth (United Kingdom)

Earth is slightly different to other broadband providers. It says it wants to help its customers to do their part for their planet and does so by planting mangrove trees in Madagascar each month, with more than 50,000 planted so far. It uses the Openreach network, so is available to most households in the UK.

• Speeds 76Mbps to 950Mbps.
• Contract length 12 months, 24 months.
• Price Not the cheapest we've seen when compared with other small providers – 109Mbps for £33.99, for example. If you want to contribute towards mangrove trees, this costs an extra £4.99 per month, although the first month is free.
• Mid-contract price rises None.

Fibrus (North West England, Northern Ireland)

Fibrus has extensive coverage of Northern Ireland, offering fibre broadband in all six counties. It also offers more limited coverage in North West England. If you are in contract and wish to switch to Fibrus, it will offer to buy you out of your existing contract. Fibrus has confirmed that it won’t implement inflation linked mid-contract price rises.

• Speeds: 106-982Mbps
• Contract length: 18 months 
• Price: Very competitive pricing, 518Mbps speeds for £23.99 per month
• Mid-contract price rises: None

Gigaclear (South and Midlands)

Gigaclear has built its own full fibre network in more than 22 counties in the South West, the Midlands and the South East. We found the introductory offers to be excellent value, with 200Mbps speeds for only £17. However, the customers we spoke to reported large price hikes following the end of the initial 18-month contract. 

• Speeds: 200-900Mbps
• Contract length: 18 months
• Price: Great introductory prices, but be wary of price increases after the end of the initial contract 
• Mid-contract price rises: Gigaclear reserves the right to increase prices during your contract

Hey!Broadband (South England)

Founded in 2019, Hey broadband is an independent full-fibre provider. They mainly operate in South England, serving areas of Oxfordshire, Hertfordshire, and Buckinghamshire, as well as other nearby towns and counties.

• Speeds: 150Mbps to 900Mbps
• Contract length: Monthly, 12 or 24 months
• Price: Very competitive high speed offers such as 900Mbps for £27 per month with the first 3 months free.
• Mid-contract price rises: Prices will increase by £2 starting from 1st April 2026.

iTalk telecom (United Kingdom)

iTalk is a smaller broadband provider that uses the Openreach network, making it accessible to most households in the UK. However, it doesn’t offer the fastest speeds you'll see from providers with their own fibre networks and its broadband speeds can be particularly slow in rural areas.

• Speeds 10Mbps to 900Mbps.
• Contract length 18 months.
• Price Very expensive for faster speeds. Can have good offers for slower speeds – for example, 80Mbps for £25.99 per month
• Mid-contract price rises None.

Kcom (North East)

Kcom is a long established telecoms and broadband provider in the North East of England. Many customers in parts of Hull can only access fixed-line broadband via Kcom. We have seen deals with significant price drops on Kcom’s website. It applies mid-contract price rises, but Kcom customers said the contract prices are reasonable when compared with larger providers, such as Virgin Media.

• Speeds: 100-900Mbps
• Contract length: 24 months
• Price: Full price is more expensive than other smaller providers we analysed, 100Mbps speed is available for £37.99 per month 
• Mid-contract price rises: Kcom has mid contract price increases of £1-3 depending on the broadband package (not including its Flex social tariff)

LightSpeed (Midlands, North of England)

LightSpeed has its own full fibre broadband network available in parts of Cheshire, East Midlands, Essex, Lincolnshire, Norfolk, Staffordshire and Suffolk. 

• Speeds 75Mbps to 2000Mbps (2Gbps).
• Contract length 12 months, 24 months.
• Price Very reasonable - 75Mbps is just £18.99 per month. On top of this, there can also be competitive introductory offers – for example, £29.99 per month for 500Mbps with the first four months discounted to just 99p.
• Mid-contract price rises None.

Lit Fibre (Midlands, South of England)

Lit Fibre offers ultrafast broadband in parts of Birmingham, Essex, London, Gloucestershire, Somerset and Suffolk. It does this by building its own fibre network. It doesn't implement mid-contract price rises, but be aware that the price of 1,000Mbps broadband for existing customers is almost double the introductory rate. 

• Speeds 100Mbps to 1,000Mbps.
• Contract length 18 months, 24 months.
• Price Similar to other smaller providers – for example, 100Mbps for £28 per month. Prices for existing customers rise significantly for the fastest speeds.
• Mid-contract price rises None.

Lothian & Highland Broadband (Scotland)

Lothian and Highland Broadband offer superfast broadband to parts of Fife, Lothians, Highlands and Stirlingshire. Its prices are more expensive than other regional broadband providers we have analysed, however if this is your only option for superfast broadband it may still be worth it, especially as Lothian and Highland Broadband offer speeds all the way up to 2,000Mbps.   

• Speeds: 100-2000Mbps(2Gbps)
• Contract length: 12 or 24 months
• Price: Around the same price as the larger national providers, £39.99 per month for 500Mbps. It's worth keeping an eye out for special offers
• Mid-contract price rises: None

Ogi Fibre (South Wales)

Ogi provides fibre broadband to large parts of South Wales at a competitive price, with 200Mbps for only £17 a month. However, it is important to consider that Ogi does reserve the right to implement mid-contract price rises each April.

• Speeds: 200-900Mbps
• Contract length: 12 months
• Price: Very competitive pricing and great introductory prices, 900Mbps speeds for £30 per month
• Mid-contract price rises: None

Pop Telecom (United Kingdom)

Pop Telecom doesn't operate its own network, like many other providers it piggybacks on the one offered by Openreach making it available in the majority of properties throughout the country. Full fibre services are available to households in certain areas.

• Speeds 11Mbps to 1000Mbps.
• Contract length 18 months, 24 months.
• Price Relatively expensive when compared to other small providers – for example, £32.99 for 67Mbps
• Mid-contract price rises Prices will increase by £3 per month annually, starting from April 2026.

Quickline (North East England)

Quickline offers broadband to customers in Yorkshire and Lincolnshire via its own full fibre network or its wireless 5G network, depending on your location. Its standard prices are in line with other regional providers though it can offer attractive special offers on its 24-month contracts - half price for 12 months, for example.

• Speeds: 100-1,000Mbps(1Gbps)
• Contract length: Monthly, 24-month contract
• Price: Good value, starting from £22 per month for 100 Mbps. Keep a look out for special offers, too
• Mid-contract price rises: None

Rebel (United Kingdom)

Unlike regional broadband providers that generally build their own fibre network, Rebel uses the Openreach broadband network. This means that it's available to the majority of households nationwide. However, it's less likely to be available in rural areas. 

• Speeds 115Mbps to 1,000Mbps.
• Contract length Monthly, 12 months, 24 months.
• Price More expensive than other smaller providers – for example, 115 Mbps for £35 per month 
• Mid-contract price rises None.

Rise Fibre (pockets of the UK)

Rise Fibre is a flexible provider that offers full-fibre services by operating on multiple networks, including CityFibre and Openreach, alongside its own expanding infrastructure.

• Speeds 50Mbps to 2300Mbps (2.3Gbps).
• Contract length Monthly, 12 months, or 24 months.
• Price Competitive prices for 24-month terms, 250Mbps per month, £23 for the first 12 months.
• Mid-contract price rises Prices will increase by £3 starting from 1st April 2026.

The One (United Kingdom)

The One Broadband positions itself as a versatile service provider by utilising a combination of both CityFibre and Openreach to provide coverage across much of the UK.

• Speeds 550Mbps to 2200Mbps (2.2Gbps).
• Contract length 18 months.
• Price Competitive prices, £27.50 per month for 900Mbps
• Mid-contract price rises Prices will increase by £3 starting from 1st April 2026.

Toob (United Kingdom)

Toob is a full-fibre provider, initially launched in Southampton before expanding across pockets all over the UK. It delivers broadband through its own dedicated fibre network as well as their partnership with CityFibre.

• Speeds 150Mbps to 900Mbps.
• Contract length Monthly or 18 months.
• Price Very competitive high speed offers such as 900Mbps for £25 per month.
• Mid-contract price rises None.

Trooli (South)

Trooli originated in Kent and now offers broadband to parts of Berkshire, Buckinghamshire, Cambridgeshire, Dorset, East Sussex, Hampshire, Kent, Norfolk, Sufolk, West Sussex and Wiltshire. Trooli only offers 24-month contracts, but over the past year we have seen it offer deals of reduced prices for a number of months or even three months free. Trooli doesn't apply mid-contract price rises, and the customers we spoke to were impressed by its quality of customer service.

• Speeds: 150-2000Mbps(2Gbps)
• Contract length: 24 months
• Price: Competitive prices when it offers deals, 500Mbps for just under £30 
• Mid-contract price rises: None

Truespeed (South West England)

Truespeed offers fibre broadband to South West England. It does this by building a new fibre network, focusing in the areas around Bristol. Be aware that it offers very competitive introductory offers for its 12-month contracts but the price more than doubles following the end of the introductory offer. 

• Speeds: 150-900Mbps
• Contract length: Monthly, 12 or 24-month contract
• Price: Great introductory prices, £25 a month for 150Mbps. Expensive standard prices, £45 per month for 150Mbps
• Mid-contract price rises: None

V4 Consumer (pockets of the UK)

V4 Consumer is available in pockets across the UK. Be aware that it only offers 24-month contracts and its prices are more expensive than other smaller providers we've analysed. 

• Speeds 21Mbps to 950Mbps.
• Contract length 24 months.
• Price More expensive than other smaller providers – for example, 100Mbps for £31.99.
• Mid-contract price rises None.

WightFibre (Isle of Wight)

WightFibre specialises in providing fibre broadband to the Isle of Wight. Unusually, it exclusively offers monthly rolling contracts. It offers a wide range of fibre packages with particularly competitive prices for faster speeds. Be aware that Wightfibre has yet to announce how it will implement price rises following Ofcom's decision to ban inflation linked mid-contract price rises, but has confirmed that it will implement price rises annually in April.

• Speeds: 100-900Mbps
• Contract length: Monthly rolling contracts
• Price: Excellent prices for faster speeds, £31.95 for 300Mbps 
• Mid-contract price rises: WightFibre reserves the right to increase your charges within your minimum contract period

Youfibre (pockets of the UK)

Youfibre offers fibre broadband to almost 100 towns across the UK using its own fibre network. It offers among the fastest speeds we've seen for residential broadband, with packages going up to 7,000Mbps, and has excellent prices for new customers, especially at the faster speeds. However, it's unclear how much the prices increase for existing customers after the initial contract ends. 

• Speeds 150Mbps to 7,000Mbps.
• Contract length One Month, 18 months.
• Price Excellent – for example, 150Mbps for £23.99 per month.
• Mid-contract price rises None.

Zzoomm (pockets of England)

Zzoomm offers fibre broadband in small pockets across England through its own network. Its packages go up to faster speeds than some other smaller providers, reaching 2,000 Mbps. The majority of packages offer a £10 monthly discount for new customers. 

• Speeds 150Mbps to 2,000Mbps.
• Contract length 12 months.
• Price Competitive – for example, 200Mbps for £32.95.
• Mid-contract price rises None.

Pros and cons of regional broadband providers

While the providers on this page aren't part of our annual broadband survey, we reached out to Which? members who are signed up with regional providers, to find out more about their experiences overall. 

Advantages of regional providers

The main advantages of regional broadband providers given by the Which? members we spoke to were:

• Access to broadband speeds not offered by national providers 
• Local help centres (only with some providers)
• Helpful and accessible customer service
• Easy switching process.

By building their own fibre networks, regional providers are able to provide superfast and ultrafast broadband speeds in areas where larger providers still rely on older, slower copper cables. In rural areas, a regional provider can in some cases dramatically increase your potential broadband speed from an underwhelming 11Mbps to a whopping 1,000Mbps (1Gbps). One member told us that the faster broadband speed offered by a local provider ‘has transformed our lives’ and allows for the joys of countryside living alongside a modern connected lifestyle. Head over to our guide if you’d like to find out more about the benefits of fibre broadband. 

Many Which? members were also pleased with the locally based help centres. One told us that when they spoke to their regional broadband provider ‘you get a local person on the other end, no computerised "press 1 for this, 2 for that”’. Many of the responses we received also indicated that regional providers offer helpful, good-quality customer service. One member told us that they felt smaller local providers offer ‘truthful and informative’ customer service that can be superior to larger providers. 

Due to the nature of the fibre networks built by regional providers, the process of switching will usually require physical connection from your home to the fibre network, which can make an engineer appointment necessary. Despite this, many of those we spoke to described the switching process to a regional provider as ‘easy’. One was particularly impressed by the ‘incredibly fast and efficient fibre installation crew’.   

Disadvantages of regional providers

Although we received positive feedback on the broadband speeds that members achieved once they'd switched, some found that the expansion of regional providers' fibre networks to their area was slow. This is a downside of smaller providers building their own fibre networks. Whether regional providers offer packages in your area at all can also be determined by demand.

Some members we spoke to were disappointed that they're unable to easily incorporate broadband, phone and TV deals with their regional provider. However, one calculated that due to the reduced price of broadband the overall cost of their bundled subscriptions was similar.

Another consideration is that no regional broadband providers are currently signed up to Ofcom’s automatic compensation scheme or its Broadband Speeds Code of Practice, designed to ensure a fairer broadband market. Automatic compensation should mean those who experience poor service get money back when things go wrong – without having to chase it. The Broadband Speeds Code of Practice requires the providers that have signed up to give customers clear indications of the speed they can expect and a personalised minimum speed that’s guaranteed. 

Other providers don’t always offer the same protections. You can still ask a regional provider for a minimum speed, although it may not be guaranteed in the same way. 

How can I get fast broadband in rural areas?

Which? members have reported being pleased with speeds offered by regional broadband providers, and in some cases they can dramatically improve on the potential broadband speed offered by bigger rivals. The key is to check the details of any package carefully, and to know what speed you're currently receiving. 

• Use our broadband speed test to find out what speeds you're getting, and weigh up whether these are enough, or you'd benefit from a faster connection.
• Find a regional broadband provider that serves your area to see what packages they offer. We hand pick a selection of the best regional broadband deals each month. 
• Pick a deal that offers the best speed for you – you should see details of the speeds delivered to your area on the provider page, after entering your postcode. You can also call the provider to check what average speeds you'd expect to receive at your home, so you can compare them with the results of your speed test.

Head over to our deals page to find out more about the best broadband deals.

Do regional providers offer social tariffs?

Social tariffs are discounted deals available for certain low-income customers. They're generally cheaper than typical broadband tariffs, starting at just £12 per month and usually aren't subject to price rises or exit fees. You're likely to be eligible for a social tariff if you receive a means-tested state benefit, such as universal credit, pension credit or legacy equivalents. Read our guide to social tariffs to find out more.

Some regional providers have social tariffs. For example, B4RN offer an impressive 1Gbps for £15 per month. In fact, these providers are more likely than larger ones to offer faster speeds in their social tariffs. Grayshott Gigabit, Hey! Broadband, Lothian Broadband, RunFibre, WightFibre and Wildanet all offer 100Mbps broadband or more in their social tariff. If you’re eligible, it's worth checking if a regional provider offers a social tariff in your area, as they can represent excellent value for money.