BT Full Fibre 500 Broadband Review
BT Full Fibre 500, also known as BT Ultrafast Full Fibre 500, is a high-speed broadband plan that brings fibre directly into your home, avoiding the speed drops common with copper-based fibre connections.
It’s part of BT’s FTTP range and delivers better reliability, especially during busy periods.
Aimed at larger or more connected households, it supports heavy usage such as 4K streaming and online gaming across multiple devices.
BT Broadband Deals in Your Area
Full Fibre 500
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Full Fibre 500
Broadband and Phone
Speeds
BT Full Fibre 500 offers average download speeds of 500 Mbps and upload speeds of 73 Mbps, based on peak-time performance across BT’s network. Delivered over Openreach’s FTTP infrastructure, the plan ensures consistent speeds and low latency.
| Speed | BT Full Fibre 500 |
|---|---|
| Average Download Speed | 500 Mbps |
| Average Upload Speed | 73 Mbps |
| Minimum Guaranteed Speed | 425 Mbps (download to router) |
| Latency (Ping) | 8–15 ms |
BT Stay Fast Guarantee is included, promising a minimum download speed of 425 Mbps to the router. If speeds fall below this for three consecutive days and aren’t fixed within 30 days, you can exit the contract without penalty.
The 73 Mbps upload speed is ideal for uploading large files, video conferencing, and streaming, while latency under 15 ms provides a smooth gaming experience.
- Includes the Stay Fast Guarantee and the BT Smart Hub 2 router.
- If you also want a phone line with digital voice calling, the price goes up to £49.99 per month.
- BT often runs promotions where the price drops to £34.99/month and includes a £50 Reward Card. These deals usually appear online.
- There are no setup charges, but expect an annual price rise every March based on CPI + 3.9%.
For eligible low-income households, BT offers a social tariff called Home Essentials:
- £15/month for 36 Mbps (FTTC)
- £20/month for 74 Mbps (FTTC)
No Full Fibre 500 option is currently available under Home Essentials.
BT Full Fibre 500 Router
The plan comes with the BT Smart Hub 2, which is standard across all BT fibre packages.
Key features:
- Wi-Fi 5 (802.11ac) dual-band
- 7 antennae for extended range
- 4 x Gigabit Ethernet ports
- Supports BT Complete Wi-Fi (for mesh)
- Built-in DECT base station for Digital Voice
The Smart Hub 2 performs well in most homes. However, for very large properties or Wi-Fi intensive users, BT recommends pairing it with their Wi-Fi Disc system (Complete WiFi).
The router is pre-configured and auto-connects during installation. BT also provides parental controls and advanced security settings via the MyBT app.
Complete Wi-Fi
BT’s Complete Wi-Fi add-on guarantees Wi-Fi coverage in every room, or you get £100 back.
- Provided via BT Wi-Fi Discs (mesh extenders).
- Supports up to 3 discs depending on home size.
- Works exclusively with Smart Hub 2.
- Costs £10/month extra (or included free with BT Halo 3+).
In independent testing, the system improves speeds in hard-to-reach areas by up to 80%. It’s especially useful in properties with thick walls or multi-storey layouts.
Halo 3
BT Halo 3 is an optional upgrade to your BT broadband plan. With it, you get:
- 4G Mini Hub for Broadband Backup
If your BT broadband goes down, the 4G Mini Hub kicks in automatically. It connects to the EE mobile network, giving you internet access while BT fixes the issue. This helps avoid disruption during outages, especially if you work from home or need constant internet access. - Home Tech Expert Setup and Support
BT Halo includes visits from a Home Tech Expert. They help with broadband setup, check your Wi-Fi performance, and suggest ways to improve signal around your home. This is useful for large households or homes with Wi-Fi dead spots. - Price Freeze with BT Halo
As long as you stay on a BT Halo plan, your monthly broadband price won’t go up. BT won’t apply the usual annual increase (CPI + 3.9%), so you get more stable pricing over time.
There’s also Halo 3+, which includes:
- BT Complete Wi-Fi
Complete Wi-Fi includes additional Wi-Fi discs that extend signal coverage across your home. These discs connect with your Smart Hub 2 to reduce dead zones. BT guarantees a strong Wi-Fi signal in every room or offers £100 back. - Hybrid Connect
Hybrid Connect works alongside your Smart Hub 2. If your fixed broadband goes offline, it automatically switches to EE’s 4G network. This keeps your devices connected until the main line is restored. - Advanced Fault Resolution
BT prioritises fault resolution for eligible plans. If you report a problem, their support team handles it faster, and you may get access to backup equipment like the 4G Mini Hub during the fix. This reduces downtime in case of service issues.
BT Full Fibre 500 Installation
BT Full Fibre 500 uses FTTP (Fibre to the Premises), which means a physical fibre line must be installed directly into your home. An engineer from Openreach will handle this process. Here’s how the setup works:
- Engineer Visit
A trained Openreach engineer will visit your home on the scheduled date. You’ll be given a time slot in advance, and appointments typically run smoothly if access points are clear. - Fitting the ONT (Optical Network Terminal)
The engineer will install a small white ONT box inside your property—usually near your front room or where your existing broadband equipment is located. This device converts the fibre-optic signal for use with your broadband router. - Connecting to the BT Smart Hub 2
Once the ONT is in place, it’s connected to your Smart Hub 2 via an Ethernet cable. The router must be plugged into a nearby power socket, and it’s best positioned in a central location for optimal Wi-Fi coverage. - External Cable Routing
If no fibre line is currently present, the engineer will run a fibre-optic cable from the nearest distribution point outside (typically on a nearby pole or pavement box) into your home. This might require drilling through an exterior wall to feed the cable in cleanly. - Time Required
Standard installations usually take 2 to 3 hours, depending on property layout and whether fibre is already installed externally. - Cost
There is no installation charge for standard work. If your home needs extra construction—such as long cable runs, internal trunking, or specialist access—it may incur additional costs, but this will be quoted in advance. - Switching Providers
If you’re moving from another Openreach-based provider (like BT Fibre 2, Plusnet, or Sky), the transition is typically seamless. Most users experience little to no downtime. - Booking and Setup
During checkout, you can choose your preferred installation date. You’ll receive confirmation by email or SMS, and BT will send reminders closer to the appointment.
BT Full Fibre 500 vs Other BT Full Fibre Plans
BT’s Full Fibre 500 is one of the mid-to-high options in the range. It’s a big jump up from the Full Fibre 150 and 300 plans, giving you far quicker downloads and, more importantly, much faster upload speeds. At the same time, it’s cheaper than BT’s top-end Full Fibre 900, so it sits neatly in the middle for people who want more speed without going all the way to gigabit.
To put it in context, Full Fibre 500 gives you over three times the download speed of Full Fibre 150, and nearly double what you get on Full Fibre 300. But the bigger story is uploads. With 73 Mbps upload, you can send files more than twice as quickly as on the 150 plan, and noticeably faster than the 300 plan too. That makes life easier if you’re working from home, uploading to the cloud, sharing big video files, or livestreaming.
The price step is also worth looking at. Going from Full Fibre 300 to 500 costs only a little more each month, but the boost in performance is very noticeable.
Going from Full Fibre 500 to Full Fibre 900 is a much bigger leap in headline speed than most homes actually use day to day. Full Fibre 500 already handles several 4K streams, large game downloads, cloud backups, and video calls running at the same time. Jumping to 900 mainly shortens big downloads (think: 100GB games or OS updates) and gives you more headroom if lots of people hammer the connection at once.
There are two practical differences to weigh up. First, the upload speed increase: 73Mbps on 500 vs 110Mbps on 900. If you regularly upload large files to the cloud, sync RAW photos or 4K video, or livestream, that extra upload can save real time. Second, the minimum guaranteed speeds: BT quotes around 250Mbps on 500 and roughly 700Mbps on 900. If you want very high throughput even at busy times, that higher guarantee is useful.
Also consider your devices and home setup. A wired gigabit Ethernet port tops out around 940Mbps, so you’ll never see the full “900” on speed tests over Ethernet, and many Wi-Fi 5/6 devices won’t consistently reach 900 either.
Content servers and consoles often throttle below 500Mbps in real life, so downloads won’t always scale linearly with your plan. For most households, 500 already feels fast; 900 makes sense if you’ve got a lot of heavy users, need faster uploads for creative work, or simply want maximum headroom for the next few years.
| Plan | Average Download Speed | Average Upload Speed | Monthly Price |
|---|---|---|---|
| Full Fibre 150 | 150 Mbps | 30 Mbps | £32.99 |
| Full Fibre 300 | 300 Mbps | 50 Mbps | £39.99 |
| Full Fibre 500 | 500 Mbps | 73 Mbps | £44.99 |
| Full Fibre 900 | 900 Mbps | 110 Mbps | £54.99 |
In real use, Full Fibre 500 is the sweet spot. It’s perfect for larger households with lots of devices, people who game online, or anyone who needs reliable, high-capacity broadband for both downloading and uploading. It gives you enough speed to run several 4K streams, handle video calls, and keep cloud backups ticking over — all without paying gigabit-level prices.
BT Full Fibre 500 with TV
BT offers the option to combine Full Fibre 500 broadband with a choice of flexible TV packages. These bundles are tailored for households seeking both high-speed internet and premium TV content, including sports, entertainment, and streaming integrations.?
Unlike some providers that separate broadband and TV into independent contracts, BT’s bundles are billed together, often with discounts compared to taking services separately.?
Bundle Pricing (Broadband + TV):
Full Fibre 500 + TV | Monthly Price | Channels & Extras |
|---|---|---|
| Entertainment | £59.99 | AMC, Comedy Central, Sky Atlantic (via NOW), Discovery |
| Big Entertainment | £64.99 | Entertainment + NOW Entertainment + Netflix Basic |
| Sport | £64.99 | TNT Sports (BT Sport), Eurosport, Freeview |
| Big Sport | £69.99 | Sport + NOW Sky Sports |
| VIP | £79.99 | All content – Entertainment, Sport, Netflix, Sky Cinema |
- Contract term: 24 months
- Setup cost: £0 (standard), unless custom installation is required.
- Flexibility: TV packages can be switched monthly using BT’s flexible TV model (1-month commitment per package).?
What’s Included with BT TV + Broadband Bundles:
- BT Smart Hub 2: Dual-band Wi-Fi 5 router with Smart Scan, 4x Gigabit Ethernet ports, Parental controls, and full MyBT app support.
- BT TV Box Pro: 4K HDR support, 1TB storage (record up to 600 hours of TV), Pause, rewind, and record live TV, Access to Freeview and subscription services in one interface, Supports both aerial and internet-based channel delivery.
- BT TV App: Watch subscribed channels and streaming content on smartphones, tablets, and web, Download content for offline viewing (on supported apps like Netflix and NOW).
- BT Virus Protect & Parental Controls: Free virus protection for up to 2 devices (powered by Norton), Optional parental controls for both broadband and TV usage.?
Additional Features:
- Flexible TV Model: Switch between TV plans every 30 days using BT’s online account management.
- 4K Content: Available on selected channels and streaming platforms (Netflix, Sky Cinema via NOW, and TNT Sports Ultimate).
- Multi-room: Available via BT Mini Connect Box, but requires an additional monthly cost (£10/month).
- Digital Voice (Optional): Add a home phone plan using BT’s Digital Voice system over broadband — no copper line required.?
BT Full Fibre 500 and gaming
If you play fast online games, two things matter more than raw download speed: latency (ping) and jitter. Latency under about 40–60ms is generally fine; the closer to 20ms, the better. Jitter should be low and steady so your ping doesn’t spike during a match.
That’s where BT Full Fibre 500 helps. The fibre-to-the-premises connection keeps delays low and consistent, and the 73Mbps upload is generous enough to handle voice chat, game updates, and even livestreaming without choking the line. Guidance from consumer and security sites lines up with this: aim for sub-60ms ping, ideally nearer 20ms for twitchy shooters.
Bandwidth isn’t usually the limiting factor for gaming—the data you send and receive while playing is tiny—but headroom does help when a household is doing lots at once. BT Full Fibre 500 gives you more than enough download speed for big patches and multiple 4K streams in the background, while upload throughput keeps your inputs and voice comms snappy. In busy homes, that extra headroom can be the difference between a smooth lobby and rubber-banding when someone starts a big cloud backup.
User feedback around BT’s fibre and gaming is broadly positive on latency—UK players often report pings in the teens or low 20s to local game servers—but experiences can vary by title and routing. One FIFA/EA player on BT 500 mentioned 15ms ping with near-zero jitter yet still felt input delay in-game (likely server or netcode rather than the line). Threads across gaming subreddits and forums also show that 50–60ms is still very playable, and that consistency often beats chasing the lowest number on paper.
The main caveat isn’t the fibre line—it’s usually the router and home setup. Some BT Smart Hub 2 users have posted about latency spikes and bufferbloat under load (uploads saturating the line causing ping to surge). Swapping to a third-party router with smart queue management (SQM/Cake) or using Ethernet instead of Wi-Fi are common fixes discussed by gamers. If you stick with the Hub 2, keep background uploads in check during matches, and wire your console/PC where possible.
Bottom line: BT Full Fibre 500 has the ingredients competitive players want—low latency, low jitter, plenty of upload, and enough bandwidth for a busy household. For the sharpest feel, prioritise Ethernet over Wi-Fi, enable QoS/SQM on a capable router if you have one, and keep an eye on background traffic. That combination gives you the best chance of a fast, responsive connection with minimal packet loss during play.
BT Customer Service
BT’s customer service receives mixed feedback depending on the source. Independent regulator Ofcom gives BT a solid performance score, while consumer review platform Trustpilot paints a less favourable picture. Here’s how BT performs across the board in 2025.
Ofcom Broadband Report (Jan 2024)
BT scores slightly above the industry average in most categories:
| BT | Industry Average | |
|---|---|---|
| Overall satisfaction | 82% | 81% |
| Speed satisfaction | 85% | 83% |
| Complaints per 100,000 users | 50 | 59 |
| Average call wait time | 2 min 34 sec | 2 min 36 sec |
| Complaint handling satisfaction | 53% | 50% |
(Source: Ofcom – Comparing Customer Service, Jan 2024)
BT performs well on speed satisfaction and has fewer complaints than average. However, there is still room for improvement when it comes to resolving issues efficiently.
Based on Ofcom’s latest complaints report for Q3 2024 (July–September), published on 13 February 2025, here’s how major UK providers compare in terms of complaints per 100,000 customers for both broadband and pay-TV services:?
Complaints per 100,000 Customers (Q3 2024)
| Provider | Broadband Complaints | Pay-TV Complaints |
|---|---|---|
| Sky | 5 | 2 |
| Plusnet | 8 | N/A |
| BT | 10 | 8 |
| Vodafone | 11 | N/A |
| Virgin Media | 12 | 9 |
| NOW Broadband | 12 | N/A |
| EE | 13 | 8 |
| TalkTalk | 14 | 2 |
- Sky received the fewest complaints for both broadband and pay-TV services, indicating strong customer satisfaction.?
- TalkTalk had the highest number of broadband complaints but matched Sky with the lowest number of pay-TV complaints.?
- BT and EE had broadband complaint rates aligning with the industry average but higher complaint rates for pay-TV services.?
Trustpilot Score (April 2025)
- Overall rating: 1.6 out of 5
- Based on: 9,000+ customer reviews
- Most common complaints: Billing issues, long call queues
- Most frequent praise: Reliable broadband, fast engineer callouts
BT Full Fibre 500: How It Compares to Other Providers
BT Full Fibre 500 offers solid download and upload speeds (500 Mbps / 73 Mbps), making it a balanced choice for households that need reliable performance without stepping into gigabit pricing. But how does it stack up against similar broadband packages from major UK providers and alternative full-fibre networks?
Below is a breakdown comparing BT’s Full Fibre 500 with both mainstream competitors and full fibre altnets.
| Provider | Speeds (Download/upload) | Monthly Price | Features |
|---|---|---|---|
| BT Full Fibre 500 | 500 / 73 Mbps | £44.99 | Stay Fast Guarantee, national coverage |
| Virgin Media M500 | 516 / 36 Mbps | £45.99 | DOCSIS 3.1 tech; variable latency; fast download speeds |
| EE Full Fibre 500 | 500 / 73 Mbps | £39.99 | EE mobile discounts; full fibre connection |
| Plusnet Full Fibre 500 | 500 / 75 Mbps | £39.99 | No phone line; basic but reliable FTTP |
| Vodafone Full Fibre 500 | 500 / 70 Mbps | £38.00 | Lower price; no major extras |
| Community Fibre | 500 / 500 Mbps | £27.99 | Symmetrical speeds; London-only |
| Hyperoptic | 500 / 500 Mbps | £29.00 | Symmetrical speeds; focused on urban buildings and flats |
What you need to know:
- BT offers the best upload guarantee among national providers and includes helpful features like Smart Hub 2, Stay Fast Guarantee, and BT Halo compatibility.
- Virgin Media delivers excellent download speeds, but its cable-based network can struggle with higher latency during peak hours.
- Vodafone, Plusnet, and EE offer lower pricing, but with fewer extras and slightly lower upload performance.
- Community Fibre and Hyperoptic offer full symmetrical speeds at significantly lower prices, but only serve limited urban areas.
- For nationwide reliability, BT Full Fibre 500 remains a strong choice. For price or symmetrical speeds, altnets are more attractive—if available in your location.
Is BT Full Fibre 500 Any Good?
BT Full Fibre 500 offers a reliable, ultrafast broadband that fits the needs of medium to large households. It’s not the cheapest plan on the market, but it comes with nationwide availability, reliable speeds, and useful extras.
Pros:
- 500 Mbps average download, 73 Mbps upload
- Real-world tests confirm close to advertised speeds
- Excellent for UHD streaming, online gaming, and remote work
- Available across most of the UK
Cons:
- Annual price rises (March CPI + 3.9%)
- No Wi-Fi 6 support with included router
- Altnet providers offer symmetrical speeds at lower cost
- Support experience can be inconsistent
Conclusion:
BT Full Fibre 500 is fast enough for most families and professionals working from home.
- It’s well suited for heavy use, especially when upload speed and reliability matter.
- It balances performance and support while offering flexibility with add-ons like BT TV and Complete Wi-Fi.
- But in areas covered by Community Fibre or Hyperoptic, there are faster, cheaper alternatives to consider.
