Your guide to 12 month broadband packages
Dan Howdle
Once the most common contract length, 12 month broadband deals are now somewhat of a rarity. So much so that most national providers now only offer contracts of 24 months, with even Virgin Media now having made the move to longer contracts. So who's left?
Well, among those remaining providers offering 12 month broadband deals, only one, Rebel Internet, is national, while the other three – Hyperoptic, Community Fibre and BeFibre – are smaller, alternative networks (or 'altnets') – where availability arrives in small pockets at various locations around the country.
We'll talk about those providers in more detail a bit further down, but first let's cover the basics of choosing a 12 month deal.
Checking availability
As mentioned in the intro, there is one one national provider currently offering 12 month broadband deals and that's industry newcomer Rebel Internet. You can read all about Rebel in our in-depth review. You can almost certainly get a 12 month deal from Rebel, but as you'll see in our review, we're not completely enamoured with its pricing.
Beyond that, there's a slim chance you'll be able to get a deal from Hyperoptic, Community Fibre or BeFibre, and although these providers have much smaller footprints, all of them are excellent in their own way. How do you check? Well, you're already on the right page, you only need enter your postcode at the top there and we can show you what's available.
Choosing a speed
Whether you're looking for a 12 month deal or something else, choosing a speed is essentially the same proposition. this handy table should be seen as a starting point rather than an absolute set of rules. That because different household members will have different needs. It's quite possible for a person living a lone to make full use of 1Gbps. This is a pretty good place to start figuring it out though.
What our expert says...
"My personal opinion is that unless you have a compelling reason why your broadband package has to be on a 12 month contract, you should put that aside and open the door to longer contracts. Doing that vastly expands the providers, deals, prices, and bundling options available to you."
Dan Howdle, Broadband and mobile expert
12 month broadband providers
As far as BestBroadbandDeals.co.uk is concerned there are only four providers offering 12 month deals at this current time. Here's what you need to know about them, bearing in mind that we have full, impartial reviews of all four of these providers elsewhere on the site – just follow the links if you need more in-depth information on each.
Benefits of a 12 month broadband deal
If you think you might need your broadband contract to be 12 months rather than the 18 or 24 month packages offered by a wider range of providers, here are some possible reasons why that might be the case, as well as the ways it limits your choice.
- Short-term living arrangements – A good idea if you're renting or planning to move in the near future, though a 31 day rolling contract may suit you even better, depending on your timeline
- More manageable commitment – A year-long contract can feel less daunting than longer agreements, but at the same time it will heavily reduce your options
- Good altnet options – Providers like Community Fibre and Hyperoptic may only offer 12 month plans, however the chances of these altnets being available where you live are slim
Fixed price 12 month contracts
One potential benefit worth mentioning on its own is that you're far less likely to have to deal with a mid-contract price rise on a 12 month deal compared to an 18 or 24 month deal. The reasons for this are two-fold. First, on a 12-month contract you're only going to pass through one price rise period (1 April each year), where on an 18 or 24 month contract you're going to most likely pass through two.
Second, all of the providers offering 12 month contract promise no price rises during the length of it. It's no coincidence either. Shorter contracts simply make this an easier promise to make.
Deals and offers
12 month broadband deals are, from time to time, offered with a number of different new customer incentives. Of course, it's unlikely you'll have a huge amount of choice of provider if you are sticking steadfastly to comparing only those offering 12 month deals, but it's still worth talking briefly about the sorts of deals you can expect to find.
Discounted monthly pricing
Many providers offering 12month contracts, such as Rebel Internet and Hyperoptic, entice new customers with discounted rates for the first year. These introductory prices can significantly reduce your monthly bill, making it a great time to switch and save. Be sure to check the standard pricing that kicks in after the initial term ends, though.
Cashback and reward cards
Some providers sweeten their deals with cashback offers or reward cards, giving you money back or a prepaid card to spend as you like. Hyperoptic, for example, frequently includes cashback offers with their 12 month packages, while BeFibre sometimes adds shopping vouchers. Always check the terms to see how and when these rewards will be issued.
Free extras or upgrades
With 12 month deals, you might also come across free extras or upgrades. These can range from higher speed boosts at no additional cost to included features like free installation. Community Fibre, for instance, occasionally offers a free speed upgrade for the first year, giving you more value without raising your bill.
Other contract lengths
There are of course other contract lengths available. If less of a long-term commitment is what you're after, then 31 day rolling contracts are available in some circumstances, while at the other end, you open up the potential providers and deals available to you if you're willing to take on a contract of up to two years.
One month rolling contracts
Perhaps unsurprisingly, providers offering one month rolling contract you can leave any time with 30 days notice form an even smaller list. Rebel Internet, BeFibre and Hyperoptic all offer these, though you will pay a premium for the privilege, which can take the form of the £100 up-front fee from Rebel Internet, for example, or a higher monthly price from BeFibre. Virgin Media also offers one month rolling contracts, but it doesn't advertise them, and the monthly cost is substantially more than a contracted rate.
18 month contracts
While 18 month contracts used to be more common, they are increasingly being replaced by 24 month terms among larger providers like BT, Sky and Virgin Media. That said, you will still find deals available for 18 months from one or two smaller providers. These contracts offer a middle ground for those who don’t want to commit to two years but prefer lower monthly pricing than rolling contracts.
24 month contracts
The most widely available contract length is now 24 months. For example, you’ll find 24 month options with BT, Sky, EE Broadband, Vodafone, Virgin Media and others, and they are often offered as bundles with extras TV and/or phone services. The main drawback is the long-term commitment, which might not suit those who expect to move or want the freedom to switch providers more often.