Airband Broadband Review 2025

Features

• Symmetrical upload and download speeds on all plans
• No mid-contract price rises
• Installation and router included
• 24-month minimum contract
• Limited availability (rural only)
• No TV or phone bundles
• No weekend support

Packages and Speeds

Airband currently offers four full fibre broadband plans. All of them come with symmetrical speeds — so the upload speed is the same as the download. This is different to most providers, where uploads are usually much lower.

Here’s what’s available:

These prices are introductory rates, with 50% off for the first 24 months. After that, the price switches to the full standard monthly charge, which is exactly double. So Fibre 150 goes up to £33/month, Fibre 300 becomes £38/month, and so on.

All plans are on a 24-month contract. There are no shorter terms or rolling monthly options. Installation is included and the router comes as part of the package.

There’s no phone line or TV add-on. This is broadband-only, with no extras. The service is aimed at homes that just want an internet connection — nothing bundled in.

Upload Speeds

All Airband full fibre plans come with the same upload and download speeds — also known as symmetrical speeds. This is quite different to most other UK broadband providers, where upload speeds are usually much slower, often just a fraction of the download speed.

A symmetrical connection can be useful if you regularly upload large files, back up data to the cloud, or use services like Google Drive or iCloud. It also helps if you’re often on video calls, especially in households where more than one person works from home. The extra upload speed can make those calls smoother and reduce lag or quality drops.

That said, not every household will make full use of the upload bandwidth. If most of your time online is spent streaming, browsing, or downloading, then having matching upload speeds might not make a big difference day to day. But it’s good to have — and it future-proofs the line as more apps rely on the cloud.

Where is Airband broadband available?

Airband’s full fibre broadband is currently available in selected rural and semi-rural areas across parts of the UK. Their network focuses on harder-to-reach locations that are often underserved by the major broadband providers.

At the moment, coverage is concentrated in the following regions:

• South West England – including parts of Devon, Somerset and Gloucestershire
• West Midlands – such as Worcestershire and Warwickshire
• Shropshire – including towns and villages across the county
• Wales – especially rural parts of South and Mid Wales

The rollout is not nationwide, and many areas — even within the above regions — may still be out of range. To confirm availability, you need to check your postcode on the provider’s website. The availability tool checks against their live network and planned builds.

Airband used to offer fixed wireless broadband in some areas. This used a mast-based signal rather than a cable to reach properties without fibre. However, the wireless service is now being phased out. New customers are only being connected to full fibre, and the older wireless products are no longer advertised.

Over time, Airband is moving more customers onto fibre as it expands its infrastructure. If you were previously on a wireless plan and fibre is now available in your area, you can switch to full fibre service.

Installation and Router

Airband installs full fibre directly to the property (FTTP) using a dedicated fibre optic cable. The installation is free of charge and includes a home survey as the first step. An engineer visits the property to confirm whether a fibre connection can be delivered. If the address is confirmed as serviceable, the fibre is routed to a wall-mounted optical network terminal (ONT) inside the premises.

Once the ONT is installed, it acts as the termination point for the incoming fibre connection. From here, the customer connects to broadband via the included Nokia WiFi 6 mesh router, which is bundled with all fibre packages.

Router Specifications

The router supplied by Airband is the Nokia WiFi Beacon 2 (or equivalent), a mesh-compatible router designed to support modern Wi-Fi 6 (802.11ax) standards. This helps deliver stronger, more stable Wi-Fi connections across the home.

Key features of the Nokia WiFi 6 mesh router include:

• Wi-Fi 6 support (802.11ax) for improved throughput and efficiency
• Dual-band operation (2.4GHz and 5GHz) with intelligent band steering
• Top speeds of up to 1.8Gbps combined across both bands
• Gigabit Ethernet ports for wired devices (usually one WAN + two LAN)
• Mesh capability: Multiple units can be added to improve coverage in larger homes
• MU-MIMO and OFDMA technology for better performance with multiple devices
• Simple browser-based interface to adjust SSID, password, and basic settings

Unlike some routers from other providers, the Nokia unit does not come with a branded mobile app for remote management. However, settings can be changed via a web browser interface on a connected device.

There is no separate modem provided or required. The router connects directly to the ONT using Ethernet. Users can also replace the router with their own if they prefer, as long as it supports PPPoE (if required) and can connect to the ONT.

For households with larger footprints or dead zones, additional mesh nodes may be needed to achieve full coverage — these are not included in the standard package but can be added separately.

Contract Length

All plans come with 24-month contract. There are no 12-month or rolling options. The contract does not include CPI-linked annual price rises. The price remains fixed for the full two-year period.

At the end of the 24 months, the monthly cost switches to the standard (non-discounted) price. Customers can renew, cancel, or switch at that point. There is no loyalty discount.

Early cancellation fees apply if you leave mid-contract. These are calculated based on the remaining term and monthly charges.

Customer Support

Support is available by phone and email during weekday working hours only. There is no support on weekends or bank holidays.

There is no mobile app or live chat option. Users can log in to the web portal to view account information or report issues.

Technical support is limited to broadband-related faults. There is no support for third-party equipment or extended troubleshooting.

Comparison to Other Providers

Airband’s promotional pricing makes it one of the more affordable options for full fibre broadband — especially when compared to Openreach-based FTTP providers offering similar speed tiers. During the current 50% off period (which applies for the full 24-month contract), its Fibre 150 and Fibre 300 plans undercut most mainstream brands like BT, Plusnet, and EE. Even the higher-speed Fibre 600 and Fibre 900 options are priced lower than average, making Airband good value for those within its network footprint.

However, coverage remains a limiting factor. Unlike providers that use the national Openreach network, Airband’s infrastructure is limited to select rural and semi-rural postcodes — mainly in parts of the South West, West Midlands, Shropshire, and Wales. This makes it more of a niche provider in terms of availability.

One of the standout technical benefits is the inclusion of symmetrical upload and download speeds across all packages. This is rare in the UK market — even among Openreach-based services — and is mostly seen with alternative networks such as Community Fibre, Hyperoptic, or Zzoomm. For users who need fast upload speeds for video conferencing, cloud backup, remote desktop use, or content uploading, this makes Airband a strong alternative if available in the area.

That said, the service does lack a few features typically offered by larger or bundled providers. There’s no bundled landline or digital phone service, no TV options, and no mobile SIM or data add-ons. There’s also no support for static IP addresses, which may matter to those running servers or remote desktop setups from home. Support is limited to specific hours on weekdays, so 24/7 customer service isn’t included either — something that may be important if you rely heavily on your connection at odd hours or during weekends.

So while Airband offers aggressive pricing and technically strong performance, particularly in the upload department, it’s not a one-size-fits-all provider. It works best for households that just want a fast and reliable broadband-only service, and don’t need any extras like phone, TV, or enhanced support.

Who is it suitable for?

Airband’s broadband is a niche fit — ideal for certain households but not for everyone. Here’s where it fits well, and where it might fall short.

Best suited for

Homes in rural or semi-rural locations
Airband’s coverage is focused on areas that are typically underserved by the larger networks. If you’re in a countryside village or an edge-of-town location where Openreach or Virgin Media haven’t rolled out full fibre yet, Airband might be one of the only fibre-to-the-premises (FTTP) options available.

Users who need upload speeds for work or backups
Every plan comes with symmetrical speeds, which means upload speeds are just as fast as downloads. This is particularly useful for users who regularly upload large files, use cloud storage for backups, run remote desktops, or participate in high-quality video conferencing — all of which are limited by slow upload speeds on standard FTTC or asymmetrical FTTP plans.

People looking for fixed-price broadband without extras
The pricing is simple: just broadband, no landline, no TV, no bolt-ons. This works well for households who don’t want bundled services and prefer a lower monthly price with no mid-contract increases. Airband keeps the costs steady throughout the full 24-month term, which is increasingly rare in the current UK broadband market.

Properties that need full fibre but can’t get it from BT or Virgin
In locations where Openreach or Virgin Media don’t offer FTTP, Airband can sometimes be the only alternative for getting a proper fibre connection. If your current speeds are limited by old copper lines or if you’ve been told FTTP isn’t available yet, checking Airband’s availability might be worthwhile.

May not be suitable for:

Users who want weekend or 24/7 support
Customer service is limited to weekday working hours (Mon–Fri). There’s no 24-hour line or weekend availability. That’s fine if you rarely need to call support — but may be an issue if you’re running a home office or depend on your connection round-the-clock.

Homes that need landline or TV bundles
There’s no digital voice add-on or VoIP bundle, and no option to add TV services like Sky, NOW TV or Netgem. If you still rely on a landline number or want to combine broadband with entertainment, you’ll need to look elsewhere or set up those services independently.

People looking for short-term contracts
All Airband fibre plans come on a 24-month fixed-term contract. There’s no 12-month or rolling monthly option. That could be a barrier for renters or anyone who might move house within the next year or two.

Households in cities or areas with wider FTTP options
In urban areas — where providers like BT, Sky, Vodafone, and Community Fibre are available — there’s a wider range of FTTP packages, often with more extras or flexible terms. In those cases, Airband may be less competitive, especially since it doesn’t offer any bundled incentives or loyalty perks.

Is Airband broadband any good?

Airband provides full fibre broadband aimed at households that are often left out by the bigger providers. Every plan comes with symmetrical speeds — meaning upload is just as fast as download — and the prices are fixed for 24 months with no mid-contract rises. There are no complicated bundles or hidden extras, and installation is free if your property can be connected.

The current promotional rates make the service cheaper than most Openreach-based alternatives, especially for the speeds on offer. But it’s important to remember that coverage is limited to specific rural and semi-rural areas. You’ll need to check the postcode directly on Airband’s site to confirm availability.

This is not a one-size-fits-all service. The lack of 24/7 support, no landline or mobile options, and no short-term contracts means it won’t suit every household. If you’re looking for flexible bundles, weekend tech support, or broadband tied in with a TV deal, it’s probably not the right match.

But for homes that can get it — and want a straightforward, broadband-only plan with matched upload speeds — it’s one of the more competitive options in that niche. It’s especially useful for people who work from home, back up large files, or simply want fast speeds without having to pay for things they won’t use.