TalkTalk is not the absolute cheapest provider, and it is not chasing the high-end providers either. It offers FTTC and full fibre plans, with speeds reaching a 900Mbps average download speed. All deals come with a 24-month contract and no setup cost.
TalkTalk is a great option for households that want to keep upfront costs low, pick their own extras, and don’t mind a 24-month contract. Faster plans come with Wi-Fi 6, and you can add TV or call options as needed. But the pricing changes later on, so it’s worth double-checking what you’ll pay after year one..
Overview
Speeds
- FTTC: 35Mbps and 65Mbps average download speeds
- Full Fibre average download speeds: 77Mbps, 152Mbps, 525Mbps and 900Mbps
- Full Fibre average upload speeds: 20Mbps, 30Mbps, 72Mbps and 110Mbps
Entry prices (full fibre)
- Full Fibre 65: £23 per month
- Full Fibre 150: £24 per month
- Full Fibre 500: £30 per month
- Full Fibre 900: £30 per month
Contract and extras
- 24-month contract
- No setup fee
- TV add-on: £5 a month
- Digital phone line add-ons which will cost extra.
- Call plans and SuperSafe security both run on a rolling monthly contract.
TalkTalk broadband options
Fibre 35 and 65
These plans use part-fibre, part-copper (FTTC). The fibre runs to the cabinet on your street, but the rest uses old phone lines. That limits the speed, so you get either 35Mbps or 65Mbps on average. You’ll also need a landline for these plans.
Full Fibre (65 to 900Mbps)
TalkTalk’s full fibre plans send the fibre cable right into your home. This gives you much faster speeds — up to 900Mbps download and 110Mbps upload — and a better connection for things like streaming and gaming. You’ll get a Wi-Fi 6 router, and you don’t need a phone line unless you want one.
TalkTalk U
This is a new type of plan where your home is placed in a speed group depending on how you use the internet — from 65Mbps to 900Mbps. The speed can go up or down, but the monthly price stays the same. It’s meant to match your usage without you having to think about upgrades or switching plans.
Performance and reliability
Minimum speed for full fibre connections
TalkTalk is one of the few providers that shows both average and minimum download speeds for its full fibre plans. That gives you a clearer picture of what to expect — not just at peak times, but day-to-day:
- Full Fibre 65: 77Mbps average / 55Mbps minimum
- Full Fibre 150: 152Mbps average / 120Mbps minimum
- Full Fibre 500: 525Mbps average / 440Mbps minimum
- Full Fibre 900: 900Mbps average / 725Mbps minimum
The faster plans in particular stay close to their top speeds even when the network’s busy. Full Fibre 500 and 900 will easily support heavy usage — like several 4K streams, online gaming, large file transfers and cloud backups all running at once.
FTTC (Fibre 35 / Fibre 65) performance
There are no minimum speeds listed for these, and that’s typical for FTTC. The final connection into your home runs over copper wiring, and performance depends on how far you are from the local cabinet. Fibre 35 is fine for lighter usage, but if your household has multiple users or streams in HD, Fibre 65 is the better option.
TalkTalk Routers
Which router do you get with TalkTalk?
It depends on the broadband plan. If you’re on full fibre, you’ll get the Wi-Fi Hub 3, which is their newer router. It supports Wi-Fi 6, handles up to 128 devices, and is designed to push signal further into your home — not just give fast speeds in the same room.
On the older Fibre 35 and Fibre 65 plans, you’ll usually get the standard Wi-Fi Hub. It doesn’t support Wi-Fi 6 but works well for the speeds FTTC offers. It also includes built-in security.
Some TalkTalk packages use Amazon Eero instead, especially if you choose mesh or boosted Wi-Fi options. If you’ve been with TalkTalk for years, you might still have a Huawei router — and that’s fine too, as they still support those.
What you need to know:
- You get the router for free when you sign up.
- If you upgrade and your router can’t handle the new speed, they’ll send you a new one.
- You can use your own router, but TalkTalk won’t support third-party kit if something breaks.
TalkTalk TV
If you want live channels and streaming in one place, TalkTalk TV is a £5-per-month add-on for broadband customers. It’s not tied to a long contract, so you can cancel whenever.
You’ll get a TalkTalk TV Hub box that connects to your TV and broadband. It combines:
- 70+ live TV channels
- Freeview features
- Streaming apps like iPlayer and ITVX
- Over 10,000 apps through Google Play
- 4K and Dolby Atmos support (if your TV supports it)
- Chromecast built in
- A voice remote using Google Assistant
It doesn’t come with Netflix or Disney+ — you’ll need to sign in with your own accounts — but it makes everything easier to manage on one screen.
TalkTalk Phone
If you want a home phone with your full fibre broadband, TalkTalk offers a digital voice line. This is not a traditional landline — it works over your broadband connection.
Once the line is active, you can pick from three rolling monthly call plans:
- Unlimited UK Calls – Includes landlines and mobiles, up to 60 minutes per call.
- UK Evening & Weekend Calls – Free calls after 7pm on weekdays, all day at weekends.
- International Max Calls – 1,500 minutes per month to mobile and landline numbers in over 50 countries.
Cost
- Full Fibre 65: £2 extra
- Full Fibre 150: £3 extra
- Full Fibre 500: £1 extra
- Full Fibre 900: £12 extra
These charges apply on top of the base broadband price, including after the price rises.
Should you choose TalkTalk?
TalkTalk is a good choice if you’re happy with a two-year contract, want full fibre speeds, and like the idea of picking your own extras — like TV or security — rather than paying for everything upfront.
- Fibre 35 and 65 are suitable for light use in FTTC areas
- Full Fibre 65 and 150 are ideal for average households
- Full Fibre 500 and 900 are excellent plans for heavy use, gaming and multiple devices
- TalkTalk U adds flexibility by adapting to how your home uses the internet
It’s not ideal if you want a shorter contract, need your price locked for the full term, or prefer a single bundle with everything included.
