EE Broadband Review 2026
EE broadband combines Openreach part fibre and full fibre services with Wi-Fi 7 routers, optional whole-home Wi-Fi support, EE TV and benefits for eligible EE mobile customers. Its main range reaches 1.6Gbps, while selected locations can order new 2.3Gbps and 8Gbps connections.
The service has plenty of useful features, but buyers need to check two things: the connection speed and the benefit level. Core, Standard, Premium and Ultimate can include different Wi-Fi, security and fault-support features even when the broadband speed is similar.
EE is most appealing for homes that can receive Openreach full fibre and will use its newer router or Wi-Fi extras. Most deals have a 24-month term and scheduled annual increases, so compare the total contract cost rather than the starting monthly price alone.
EE broadband at a glance
Uses the Openreach network for part fibre and full fibre broadband.
36Mbps to 1.6Gbps in the main range, with faster services in selected areas.
Most current broadband and EE TV offers use a 24-month minimum term.
Smart Hub 7 Plus or Smart Hub 7 Pro with current eligible full fibre packages.
Extenders, traffic controls and 4G backup are available with selected benefit levels.
Annual increases and premium extras can raise the total contract cost.
Best EE broadband deals this month
| Plan | Speed | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Full Fibre 150 24 months |
150Mbps download 30Mbps upload |
£22.99 a month £30 setup No reward shown See deal |
| Full Fibre 300 24 months |
300Mbps download 50Mbps upload |
£23.99 a month £30 setup No reward shown See deal |
| Full Fibre 500 24 months |
500Mbps download 75Mbps upload |
£24.99 a month £10 setup No reward shown See deal |
| Full Fibre 900 24 months |
900Mbps download 110Mbps upload |
£26.99 a month £10 setup £130 Reward Card See deal |
| Full Fibre 1.6Gbps 24 months |
1.6Gbps download 115Mbps upload |
£34.99 a month £30 setup £160 Reward Card See deal |
Contract costs and social tariff
- Current broadband charges rise by £4 a month on 31 March each year during the minimum term.
- The out-of-contract rate is higher. Check the end date early enough to renegotiate or switch.
- Rewards have claim deadlines and can be withdrawn if the order is cancelled.
- EE has no fixed-broadband social tariff. Eligible customers can ask to move to BT Home Essentials without an EE early termination charge.
Households suited to EE broadband
EE is worth considering for
- Homes with Openreach full fibre availability.
- Families using several streams, calls and downloads together.
- Customers who want Wi-Fi 7 hardware.
- Larger homes that may need WiFi Extenders.
- Eligible EE mobile customers who can use EE One.
Other providers may suit
- Anyone seeking a short or rolling contract.
- Homes that only need low-cost basic broadband.
- Customers who want similar download and upload speeds.
- People unwilling to accept a scheduled contract increase.
- Homes outside EE’s limited multi-gigabit coverage.
EE plan selector
Select the connection, busiest use and most valuable extra for your home.
Smart Hub 7 Plus and Smart Hub 7 Pro
Both current Smart Hub 7 models support Wi-Fi 7. The Smart Hub 7 Plus covers most full fibre homes, while the Pro adds tri-band Wi-Fi and more multi-gigabit Ethernet ports.
| Feature | Smart Hub 7 Plus | Smart Hub 7 Pro |
|---|---|---|
| Wi-Fi | Wi-Fi 7 Dual-band |
Wi-Fi 7 Tri-band |
| LAN ports | One 2.5Gbps Three 1Gbps |
Four 2.5Gbps |
| Suitable use | Most full fibre households | 1.6Gbps, Ultimate and other eligible services |
Wi-Fi 7 benefits require compatible phones, laptops or adapters. Older devices still connect, but they remain limited by their own Wi-Fi standard. EE may supply the Wi-Fi 6 Smart Hub 6 Plus with part fibre or some older package combinations.
WiFi Extenders
Selected Premium and Ultimate services include a matching extender and a whole-home commitment. The Pro extender includes a 100Mbps room-speed promise, subject to EE’s checks and exclusions.
WiFi Optimiser
Work, Game and Stream controls let the customer prioritise selected traffic when several devices compete for capacity.
Connectivity Backup
Eligible Ultimate services can switch to EE 4G during a fixed-line fault. It depends on indoor mobile coverage and is much slower than the main fibre service.
Realistic speed and Wi-Fi expectations
The speed arriving at the hub is not the same as the speed received by every device. Distance, walls, router placement, nearby networks and the device’s Wi-Fi standard all affect wireless performance.
For better Wi-Fi
- Keep the hub in the open and away from metal objects.
- Use Ethernet for consoles, televisions and work computers where practical.
- Place an extender between the hub and the weak room.
Before choosing gigabit speeds
- A 1Gbps Ethernet port cannot receive more than 1Gbps.
- Faster packages mainly improve shared capacity and large downloads.
- EE’s standard full fibre upload speeds remain lower than its download speeds.
Overview of EE broadband
EE offers three connection families. Availability determines the services shown at the address.
| Connection | Average download/upload speeds | Suitable use |
|---|---|---|
| Part Fibre | Fibre 36: 36/10Mbps Fibre 50: 50/10Mbps Fibre 67: 67/18Mbps |
Everyday browsing, streaming and smaller households |
| Full Fibre | 74Mbps: check upload estimate 150/30Mbps 300/50Mbps 500/75Mbps 900/110Mbps 1.6Gbps/115Mbps |
Small homes through to busy households and large downloads |
| Advanced Full Fibre | 2.3Gbps/230Mbps 8Gbps: check order result |
Specialist multi-gigabit networks in selected areas |
Part Fibre uses copper for the final connection into the home. Full Fibre uses fibre to an Openreach optical network terminal. EE’s Advanced Full Fibre service uses Openreach XGS-PON and initially covers selected parts of Guildford, Woking and nearby areas.
Full Fibre 150, 300 or 500 provides enough capacity for most homes. Full Fibre 900 and 1.6Gbps are more useful for large downloads and many simultaneous users. The 2.3Gbps and 8Gbps services need multi-gigabit networking equipment to deliver their main benefit.
Core, Standard, Premium and Ultimate benefits
| Benefit level | Main inclusions | Suitable use |
|---|---|---|
| Core | Smart Hub WiFi Controls WiFi Intelligence Advanced Web Protect |
Customers who mainly need broadband and the router |
| Standard | Core features Extra security WiFi Optimiser Additional fault support |
Work, gaming or streaming prioritisation |
| Premium | Standard features Compatible WiFi Extender Whole-home Wi-Fi commitment |
Larger homes and weak Wi-Fi rooms |
| Ultimate | Premium-style support EE Guide home visit Connectivity Backup on eligible services |
Setup help and greater support during faults |
Inclusions can vary by connection and offer. Confirm the router, extender, Keep Connected Promise, Connectivity Backup and Wi-Fi commitment in the order summary.
Installation and switching
Full fibre installation
A new full fibre installation can take up to three hours. An Openreach engineer may fit an external connection point, run fibre into the home and install an optical network terminal near a power socket. Someone aged 18 or over must be present.
If the premises already has a suitable Openreach optical terminal, EE may offer self-installation. Decide on a practical router location before the appointment because placing it centrally can improve Wi-Fi coverage.
Switching to EE
Under One Touch Switch, most residential customers only need to order the new service from EE. EE and the existing provider coordinate the transfer. Do not cancel the old broadband separately unless instructed.
Check the existing contract end date first. Leaving early can trigger a termination charge. Automatic compensation may apply to delayed activation, missed appointments and eligible total loss-of-service faults.
EE TV, Digital Home Phone and EE One
EE TV packages
EE TV is optional and normally has a 24-month agreement. Package details can change, so confirm the included memberships before ordering.
| Package | Main services | Suitable use |
|---|---|---|
| Entertainment | NOW Entertainment Netflix with adverts |
Series and general entertainment |
| Entertainment Plus | Entertainment services HBO Max with adverts |
A broader on-demand catalogue |
| Sport | TNT Sports through HBO Max | TNT Sports coverage |
| Sport Plus | TNT Sports NOW Sports and Boost |
A wider range of live sport |
| Full Works | Entertainment Cinema Sports services |
Homes using most included memberships |
Box choices can include Apple TV 4K, EE TV Box Pro and EE TV Box Edge. Recording and connection options vary by box. EE allows some package changes after the first 30 days, but restrictions apply near the end of the contract.
Digital Home Phone
Digital Home Phone works through the broadband router rather than an analogue wall socket. It needs mains power and a working connection. Calls to 999 will not work during a power cut without suitable battery backup.
EE One
EE One links eligible EE broadband and pay-monthly mobile services on the same account. Benefits can include an unlimited mobile data boost and a discount on an eligible new or upgraded mobile plan. Compare the combined cost of both contracts before joining.
Is EE broadband any good?
Yes, particularly when the home can receive full fibre and will use EE’s router or Wi-Fi extras. The underlying connection uses the Openreach network, but EE differentiates its service through hardware, app controls, extenders and fault support.
Overall score in the 2026 Uswitch broadband customer survey.
Home equipment score in the same survey.
Ofcom broadband complaints in the first quarter of 2026, equal to the industry average.
Performance and speed guarantee
Full fibre removes copper from the final connection and should deliver more consistent performance than part fibre. EE provides a personal speed estimate and minimum guaranteed speed for the line arriving at the hub, not every Wi-Fi device.
Fault support
The Keep Connected Promise can provide temporary 4G WiFi during an eligible fault. Connectivity Backup can switch automatically on relevant Ultimate services, subject to an indoor EE 4G signal.
Customer service
EE’s Ofcom complaint level matched the industry average in early 2026. This is acceptable rather than outstanding, although survey respondents rated its home equipment highly.
Value
Core can offer the lowest total cost. Premium becomes more useful when the extender solves a genuine coverage problem. Ultimate is harder to justify unless the home visit or 4G backup will be used.
Our verdict
EE offers capable Openreach full fibre with some of the best router hardware available from a major UK provider. The Smart Hub 7 Plus covers most homes, while Premium and Ultimate add practical support for weak Wi-Fi or fixed-line faults.
The main drawbacks are 24-month terms, annual increases and much lower average upload speeds than average download speeds. Multi-gigabit packages remain restricted to selected areas and require compatible equipment.
Main advantages
- Wide Openreach full fibre coverage.
- Wi-Fi 7 routers on current eligible services.
- Useful extender, optimisation and backup options.
- EE mobile and TV benefits for customers who need them.
Main disadvantages
- Most offers use a 24-month minimum term.
- Scheduled price increases apply during the contract.
- Advanced Full Fibre has very limited availability.
- Premium extras increase the monthly cost.
BroadbandAnalyst rating: 4.2 out of 5
EE is a good option when its total contract cost is competitive and the included router or support features solve a real need. Full Fibre 150 to 500 covers most households; Premium is the clearest upgrade for homes with Wi-Fi coverage problems.
EE broadband alternatives
| Provider | Reason to compare | Main difference |
|---|---|---|
| BT Broadband | Premium Openreach broadband | Different routers, Wi-Fi services and rewards |
| Sky Broadband | Broadband with a large TV service | Different TV hardware and channel bundles |
| Virgin Media | Gigabit cable and full fibre | Uses a separate network with different coverage |
| Vodafone Broadband | Openreach and CityFibre packages | CityFibre areas may provide faster uploads |
| Plusnet Broadband | Simpler Openreach broadband | Fewer premium extras can reduce the cost |
| Community Fibre or Hyperoptic | Alternative full fibre networks | Limited coverage, often with faster uploads |
Check the latest broadband deals available at the address before deciding.
EE broadband FAQs
Is EE broadband the same as BT broadband?
No. Both brands are part of BT Group and use the Openreach network, but their packages, routers, benefits and offers can differ.
Does EE broadband use a phone line?
Part fibre uses copper for the final connection. Full fibre connects through an Openreach optical network terminal and does not need the old analogue line for broadband.
Which EE broadband speed should I choose?
Full Fibre 150 is enough for many households. Full Fibre 300 or 500 gives busy homes more capacity. Full Fibre 900 and faster services mainly benefit frequent large downloads and many simultaneous users.
Does EE broadband include Wi-Fi 7?
Current eligible full fibre packages include the Wi-Fi 7 Smart Hub 7 Plus or Smart Hub 7 Pro. Part fibre and some older services may use the Wi-Fi 6 Smart Hub 6 Plus.
Can EE guarantee Wi-Fi in every room?
Eligible Premium and Ultimate services include an extender and whole-home commitment. The exact promise depends on the equipment and requires completion of EE’s support process.
Will EE broadband work during a power cut?
Not normally. The hub and full fibre optical terminal need mains power. Digital Home Phone also needs power unless suitable battery backup is installed.
Can I keep my landline number with EE?
A transfer is usually possible with a compatible Digital Home Phone service, but it is not guaranteed in every case. Supply the existing number during the order.
Does EE offer a broadband social tariff?
EE does not have its own fixed-broadband social tariff. Eligible customers can ask to move to BT Home Essentials without an EE early termination charge, subject to benefit checks and conditions.
Does EE increase broadband prices during the contract?
Yes. Current terms apply a fixed monthly increase on 31 March each year during the minimum term. EE TV has a separate annual increase.
Do I have to return EE equipment?
Yes, when requested after cancellation, replacement or an upgrade. Hubs, TV boxes, extenders and backup equipment remain on loan. EE normally allows 60 days for returns and can charge for missing devices.
