1. Introduction to TalkTalk Broadband
In 2003, TalkTalk Telecom Group plc entered the UK telecoms market as a rival to BT. Today, it has become the country’s fourth largest broadband, home phone and TV provider, serving approximately 4.3 million customers. With a reputation for affordable prices, TalkTalk is often cited as the leading value for money telecoms provider in the UK, particularly for their cheap triple play deals that bundle broadband, phone and TV services. However, despite its competitive pricing, TalkTalk is also infamous for its subpar customer service. In this review, we’ll take a closer look at TalkTalk Broadband to see how it performs and whether it’s a good option for consumers. Read on to determine if a TalkTalk Broadband deal, TV, phone and broadband bundle is suitable for your needs. When you’re ready, you can easily order from the page.
2. TalkTalk: In Brief
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- In terms of speed, TalkTalk Broadband offers an average of 11Mbps with their Fast Broadband ADSL package, 38Mbps with their Fibre 35 Broadband package, and 67Mbps with their Fibre 65 Broadband package. They also offer faster speeds, such as 147Mbps with their Ultrafast Fibre 150 Broadband package, 250Mbps with their Ultrafast Fibre 250 Broadband package, 152Mbps with their Full Fibre 150 package, 525Mbps with their Full Fibre 500 package, and 944Mbps with their Full Fibre 900 package. However, the faster packages have limited availability.
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- TalkTalk Full Fibre packages, previously known as TalkTalk Future Fibre packages, come in three tiers: Full Fibre 150, Full Fibre 500, and Full Fibre 900. These packages utilize the Openreach Fibre-To-The-Premise (FTTP) network, which currently covers over 9.6 million homes in the UK and is expected to reach 25 million homes by 2026. Additionally, TalkTalk Full Fibre is available in select areas, such as Aberdeen, Bournemouth, Bolton, Cambridge, Coventry, Derby, Doncaster, Leeds, Leicester, Milton Keynes, Peterborough, and Stirling, using CityFibre’s network. The Full Fibre 150 package starts at £32 per month, and TalkTalk offers a checker to determine availability in your area.
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- TalkTalk offers two plan types: Fibre and Pro II Fibre. Xtra, their TV offering, can be added to any of the Pro II plans. Fibre Broadband includes unlimited usage, an intelligent Wi-Fi hub, landline, no upfront fees, and a Vodafone Together discount. Pro II Fibre Broadband includes all of the Fibre features, plus the UK’s first Wi-Fi 6E Ultra Hub and Booster for the fastest Wi-Fi technology throughout the home, automatic 4G broadband backup, dedicated Wi-Fi experts on call 24/7, and 12 months of free Norton 360 Premium security.
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- TalkTalk Broadband offers competitive pricing on their packages. There are no setup fees for all fibre packages, and Fibre 35 costs £26 per month, Fibre 65 costs £27 per month, Full Fibre 150 costs £32 per month, Full Fibre 500 costs £39 per month, and Full Fibre 900 costs £49 per month. You can add TalkTalk TV anytime to any fibre or full fibre package for £5 per month, and a one-time fee of £25 may apply for the new TalkTalk TV Hub, available to customers on or taking a TalkTalk full fibre package.
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- TalkTalk Broadband offers standard features such as unlimited usage, security, privacy, and parental controls, with Homesafe and Callsafe, and a 30-day Great Connection Guarantee with all fibre packages.
- According to the latest Ofcom Telecoms & Pay TV Complaints Report, published in January 2023, TalkTalk received 18 broadband complaints per 100,000 customers, which is higher than the industry average of 11.
3. TalkTalk Broadband Speed Performance
The broadband download speeds offered by TalkTalk for Fast Broadband, Fibre 35 and Fibre 65 are 11Mbps, 38Mbps and 67Mbps respectively, and are the average speeds available to at least 50% of their customers during peak times of 8pm to 10pm. TalkTalk’s ADSL and fibre broadband uses the Openreach network, the same as BT, Plusnet, Sky and EE, and its speeds are in line with those providers. However, Virgin Media, which operates its own network, offers faster speeds at a higher cost.
According to the Ofcom UK Home Broadband Performance Chart Data (measurement period March 2022, published in September 2022), the advertised speeds for TalkTalk’s fibre broadband packages are slightly lower than the actual real-world 24-hour average speeds. The real-world average 24-hour speeds for TalkTalk’s Fibre 35 and Fibre 65 packages were 36.6Mbps and 63Mbps respectively, with a latency/ping of 12.1 milliseconds. Meanwhile, TalkTalk’s Full Fibre 150Mbps and 500Mbps packages had real-world average 24-hour speeds of 159.9Mbps and 451.6Mbps respectively, with a ping/latency of 10ms and 9.1ms. Currently, there is no Ofcom speed research data available for TalkTalk’s Full Fibre 900 package.
It’s important to note that your TalkTalk broadband speeds may vary based on different factors. Before purchasing TalkTalk online, you can check the estimated broadband speed for your property.
4. TalkTalk Broadband Packages
| Package | TalkTalk Fibre 35 Broadband | TalkTalk Fibre 35 TV |
|---|---|---|
| Average download speed | 38Mb | 38Mb |
| Monthly download usage allowance | Unlimited | Unlimited |
| Call plan | Not included (pay for what you use) or choose a flexible landline call plan | Not included (pay for what you use) or choose a flexible landline call plan |
| Contract duration | 18 months | 18 months |
| Wi-Fi router | New Wi-Fi Hub router worth £100 | New Wi-Fi Hub router worth £100 |
| Great Connection Guarantee | 30-day guarantee to leave | 30-day guarantee to leave |
| Technical support | From a TalkTalk phone line | From a TalkTalk phone line |
| Anti-virus protection | SuperSafe | SuperSafe |
| Online security service | HomeSafe with parental controls | HomeSafe with parental controls |
| TalkTalk TV | Not included | Included |
| TalkTalk TV set top box | Not included | TalkTalk TV 4K Ultra HD set top box with no one-off charge |
| Catch-up TV | 7 day catch up TV for BBC iPlayer, ITV Hub, All4, Demand5 and TalkTalk Player | 7 day catch up TV for BBC iPlayer, ITV Hub, All4, Demand5 and TalkTalk Player |
| Rewind TV | Watch what was on last night or last week, even if you did not record it | Watch what was on last night or last week, even if you did not record it |
| Channels | Watch, pause and rewind up to 80 Freeview channels, including many in HD | Watch, pause and rewind up to 80 Freeview channels, including many in HD |
| Streaming apps | Access to other streaming apps like Netflix, Amazon Prime and NOW (subscriptions required) | Access to other streaming apps like Netflix, Amazon Prime and NOW (subscriptions required) |
| P&P fee | £0 | £0 |
| Price per month | £26 for 18 months, pricing may change | £31 for 18 months, pricing may change |
| Additional Information | Click here for further information at talktalk.co.uk | Click here for further information at talktalk.co.uk |
5. Broadband Customer Service Performance, Satisfaction and Support
TalkTalk offers customer service and technical support via phone, live chat, and an online community. The TalkTalk Customer Service team can be reached for free at 0345 172 0088 between 8am and 8pm, with 24/7 technical support available at the same number. Customers who are deaf, hard of hearing, or speech-impaired can use the Text Relay Service by dialing 18001 followed by 0345 1720 088. According to Ofcom, TalkTalk’s average call waiting time was 1 minute and 2 seconds in 2021, which is faster than the industry average of 2 minutes and 16 seconds.
In addition to phone support, customers can contact TalkTalk’s Customer and Technical Support team through Live Chat, the TalkTalk app, or by writing to them at TalkTalk Correspondence, PO Box 675, Salford, M5 0NL. The TalkTalk website also has an online community with helpful articles and a Service Centre with online repair tools.
Although TalkTalk has improved its customer complaints rate, Ofcom’s Q2 2022 data shows 18 broadband complaints per 100,000 customers, which is higher than the industry average of 11 per 100,000. However, in Ofcom’s Comparing Customer Service Report 2021, the overall customer satisfaction with TalkTalk Broadband was found to be 78%, slightly lower than the industry average of 83%, but higher than their 2020 score of 77%.
6. Final Verdict on TalkTalk Broadband
Consider TalkTalk if you’re searching for a reasonably priced broadband package or a value-for-money triple play bundle of TV, phone, and broadband. While you won’t get the ultra-fast speeds of Virgin Media or the extensive TV channels offered by Sky, you can enjoy more affordable prices. However, it is worth noting that TalkTalk’s customer service has a negative reputation, as seen in Ofcom reports, so this is something to keep in mind. Despite this, TalkTalk has made improvements and is no longer the most complained-about broadband supplier, which could be an indication of better service in the future.
FAQ and Questions By Our Users Section
There can be several reasons why your broadband connection may be slow. Some of the most common causes include:
Network congestion: If many people are using the same network at the same time, it can cause network congestion and slow down your broadband speed.
Distance from the exchange: If you live far away from your broadband provider’s exchange, it can result in slower broadband speeds.
Interference: If there is interference from other electronic devices, such as microwaves, cordless phones, or baby monitors, it can impact your broadband speed.
Outdated equipment: If your modem, router, or other equipment is outdated, it may not be able to handle faster broadband speeds, resulting in slower connections.
To check your actual broadband speed, we recommend using popular third-party speed testing services such as Ookla, Speedtest.net, or Fast.com. These services allow you to test your internet connection speed quickly and easily from any device with an internet connection.
It is definitely possible to switch your broadband internet provider at any time, but it is generally recommended to do so when your contract period comes to an end, as this will allow you to avoid any cancellation charges. If you’re not sure when your contract ends, simply get in touch with your current provider and they should be able to provide you with this information.
It’s also worth noting that if your existing provider notifies you of an upcoming price increase for your broadband package, you have the right to terminate your contract without any penalties within 30 days of receiving the notice, in accordance with Ofcom regulations.
While most parts of the UK have access to standard ADSL copper broadband with average download speeds of 10Mbps, faster fibre optic broadband options such as ‘Superfast Broadband’, ‘Ultrafast Broadband’, and ‘Full Fibre’ or ‘Gigabit capable’ Broadband can offer a significantly better experience with average speeds ranging from 36Mbps to 1Gbps (1 Gigabit per second). Currently, Superfast Broadband is available to 95% of UK homes with an average fibre speed of at least 30Mbps, while around 70% of UK homes can access Ultrafast/Gigabit Broadband with average speeds of 1Gbps, largely thanks to the Virgin Media network. Various providers including Virgin Media, Openreach (used by the likes of BT, Sky, TalkTalk, Vodafone, Plusnet & others), CityFibre (used by Vodafone, TalkTalk and others), Gigaclear and Hyperoptic are rolling out Ultrafast and Full-Fibre broadband networks with speeds capable of 1 gigabits per second (1Gbps) in different areas across the country. For more information, check out our fibre broadband guide.
At Broadbandpicker, we make every effort to ensure that the costs displayed on our website are checked regularly and completely accurate.
The broadband speeds we display are average speeds and may vary depending on the package.
Please note that the monthly costs displayed may change during the contract period.
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