Full Fibre broadband: Pros, cons and if you really need to upgrade

Dan Howdle • November 4th, 2025

If you’re on Standard Fibre, you’ve probably had the emails, the letters, the leaflets, and maybe even a call or two — your provider telling you it’s time to ‘upgrade to Full Fibre’. They make it sound urgent, like your current broadband’s about to go off and create a lingering odour.

It’s not, by the way. But there’s more than a grain of truth in the push nonetheless: Full Fibre is faster, more reliable, built for the future , and eventually, whether now or later, you're going to have no choice. The question then is whether it’s worth switching right now. Let's talk about that.

I’m being pressured to get Full Fibre – is it worth it?

The short answer? In most cases, yes — but not always. It depends how you use your broadband, how happy you are with your current speeds, and whether you’re ready for a small bit of disruption to get the faster line installed. Let’s look at when it makes sense to upgrade, and when it’s perfectly fine to stay put.

That said, if your current Standard Fibre deal is still doing the job and you’re not running into buffering, lag or reliability issues, there’s no rush and we completely understand why you might feel the desire to resist. You’re not missing out on new features or being cut off from the internet — it’s simply that Full Fibre is the newer, better version of what you already have. So while it’s usually worth moving to it when the time’s right (and the price looks fair), you don’t absolutely have to cave to the pressure, even though it's probably a good idea.

Why you should upgrade to Full Fibre

There are plenty of reasons why Full Fibre is being pushed so hard, and to be fair, while most of them are good ones, a big part is that if everyone's on Full Fibre, it makes things cheaper and more efficient for the providers. The old copper-based network that powers ADSL and Standard Fibre is gradually being retired, and Full Fibre isn’t just faster, it’s more reliable, more consistent, and built to handle everything modern homes throw at it. So here’s what makes the upgrade worth saying yes to:

• Much faster speeds and future-proofing – Full Fibre can deliver speeds anywhere from 75Mbps right up to 1Gbps (1,000Mbps) and beyond, depending on your provider. That’s far beyond what Standard Fibre can manage, topping out at around 65Mbps. Even if you don’t need gigabit speeds right now, upgrading gives you headroom for future technology and speed-hungry devices you could find yourself adding over the next few years
• Better reliability and fewer dropouts – Full Fibre runs entirely on fibre-optic cables, all the way from the exchange to your home. Unlike Standard Fibre (which still relies on older copper phone lines for the final stretch), Full Fibre isn’t affected by distance from the cabinet or electrical interference. The result is a more stable, consistent connection that doesn’t slow down or cut out at peak times. Some 70% fewer faults, in fact
• Lower latency for gaming and real-time use – If you play online games, make video calls, or stream live content, you’ll notice the difference instantly. Full Fibre has lower latency – the time it takes data to travel to and from the internet – meaning less lag, smoother video, and faster response times all round
• Ideal for busy households and heavy streaming – With more people working from home, streaming 4K, gaming, and syncing cloud devices, Standard Fibre can start to struggle. Full Fibre provides plenty of capacity so everyone can do their thing at once without bottlenecks, buffering, or complaints about slow Wi-Fi
• Preparing for the big, ominous copper switch-off – The UK’s old copper network is being phased out by 2027 as part of the move to Full Fibre and digital landlines everywhere. That means everyone will eventually need Full Fibre anyway. Upgrading now puts you ahead of that curve and ensures you won’t face disruption when the switch happens, at which time you might find yourself in one very, very long queue

Why you might want to stay on Standard Fibre

Full Fibre is clearly the future, but that doesn’t mean everyone needs to rush out and upgrade right now. If your current Standard Fibre connection’s reliable and fast enough for what you do, sticking with it can make at least some sense – for now. Here are some perfectly valid reasons to hold off on the switch.

• You’re happy with the speeds you have – If your current broadband easily handles everything you throw at it – streaming, work calls, browsing and gaming – then there’s no urgent need to change it, obviously. Standard Fibre packages offering 35–65Mbps are still fast enough for small households with moderate needs, and that might be you!
• You need to keep your analogue landline – Full Fibre doesn’t support traditional copper landlines. If you rely on an analogue phone service (perhaps for alarms, medical devices, or just out of preference), switching to Full Fibre means moving to a digital voice service instead, and some of those devices are not going to be compatible. It’s not difficult to switch though, it just means your phone will need to plug into your router instead of directly into the wall, and won’t work during a power cut like analogue lines do, bless 'em
• You don’t own the property or can’t get installation permission – Full Fibre installation involves running a new cable into your home, which can mean drilling through a wall. If you rent, live in a flat, or your landlord or management company doesn’t allow alterations, that could stop you upgrading for now. It's going to be extremely rare for a landlord to not want the latest broadband coming into the property they own, but getting permission might be a hassle in some cases
• Installation concerns and disruption – While most Full Fibre installs are quick and tidy, they can occasionally mean an engineer visit, external cabling, or even a short outage while the new connection is set up. If you work from home or can’t afford downtime, it might be better to wait for a convenient window before making the switch
• Budget and contract considerations – Full Fibre doesn't really cost any more than Standard Fibre, except at much higher speeds than you were getting on Standard. If you’re mid-contract on a good deal, there’s no harm in sticking with it until it ends. When you do switch, you’ll likely get better prices and more choice as competition between Full Fibre providers is extremely healthy

The bottom line

So, is it worth upgrading to Full Fibre? For most households, yes – and probably sooner rather than later. You’ll get faster speeds, better reliability, and a connection that’s ready for your next decade of internet use. It’s a clear step up in quality and peace of mind, and since the UK’s copper network is being retired completely in the next few years, it’s not so much a question of if you’ll switch, but when.

That said, there’s no need to rush if your current setup still does the job. Standard Fibre isn’t obsolete quite yet, and if your household isn’t pushing your connection to its limits, you’re not missing out on a life-changing difference. But when your contract’s up, that’s the perfect time to move over and take advantage of a juicy switching deal.

In short: if Full Fibre’s available to you, it’s almost always the smarter long-term choice. It’s faster, cleaner, and built for what’s coming next – from 4K streaming to homes with a million smart lights. Make the move when it makes sense for you, but know that when you do, you won’t be regretting it any time soon.