Compare broadband deals in Croydon

Broadband options in Croydon

Homes in Croydon can come across four kinds of service, and which one you can buy depends on the network that reaches your property.

• Full fibre (FTTP) — a fibre cable all the way to your home. Usually the fastest and most reliable option, and the one most providers are expanding into.
• Part fibre (FTTC) — fibre to the street cabinet, then the existing copper line to your home. Widely available, with speeds usually up to around 70Mb.
• Cable — Virgin Media's own network, which runs alongside the Openreach one in many parts of London and offers some of the fastest widely available speeds.
• Mobile broadband — 4G or 5G box that uses the mobile network. No engineer visit, but the speed you get depends on signal strength at your home.

Providers use different networks, so the mix available at one Croydon address is not the same as the next. Check your own address before ruling any option in or out.

How to compare broadband deals

A monthly price on its own does not tell you what a deal costs. Work through these before you choose:

• Monthly price — and whether it is an introductory price that changes later.
• Contract length — 12, 18 and 24 months are all common; longer terms usually lock in a cheaper rate.
• Average speed — providers quote an average download speed, which is not a promise for every hour of the day.
• Setup and delivery charges — some offers advertise £0 setup while the small print mentions a router delivery or activation charge.
• Price rises during the contract — under Ofcom's rules providers must show in pounds and pence what any mid-contract increase will be, so look for that figure before signing.

Our monthly cost calculator adds setup fees and stated price rises to the headline price, so you can compare the true cost of two deals.

How to check availability at your home

Broadband availability varies by address. Please check your postcode on the provider's website before ordering. Here is how:

• Enter your postcode on the provider's own website.
• Select your property from the address list it shows — the results are for that property, not the whole postcode.
• Repeat with two or three providers, because they use different networks.
• Confirm the price, speed and contract terms on the provider's page before you order.

The step-by-step version is in our broadband availability guide.

Choosing the right broadband speed

Match the speed to what your household actually does at its busiest time, rather than buying the biggest number on offer.

• Browsing and streaming in HD — up to about 70Mb is usually enough for one or two people.
• Streaming, gaming and video calls together — look at 150Mb to 500Mb full fibre.
• Working from home — check the upload speed as well as the download speed, especially if you back up files or join video calls; full fibre gives much faster uploads than part fibre.
• Several connected devices at once — the higher end of full fibre, from 500Mb upwards, keeps things steady when everyone is online.

The speed you receive can be lower than the average advertised speed because of your line, your router's position and what else is using the network. Our free speed test shows what you are getting right now.

Broadband in areas around Croydon

The same checking applies in the areas around Croydon — South Norwood, Addiscombe, Thornton Heath, Purley, Selsdon and Coulsdon each have their own mix of networks, and streets can differ from one another. Nothing here is a coverage claim: confirm the services at your own address with the provider before ordering.

Check your bill, not just the deal

Switching is often the quickest saving. Our broadband savings guide covers how to read your bill, when your contract ends and what to ask for before you move.