The short answer: you do not need a phone line to get broadband in the UK. Full fibre (FTTP), Virgin Media cable, 4G and 5G home broadband, and satellite broadband all work without any landline connection. Even on older copper-based connections, you can get broadband-only deals today without paying for a phone service.
Why people think a phone line is required
For decades, getting broadband in the UK meant paying for a BT phone line whether you wanted one or not. This was called line rental, and it added around £18 to £20 a month on top of the broadband cost. Providers bundled it in because the signal for ADSL and early "fibre" broadband travelled over BT's copper telephone network, so the copper line was a technical requirement.
BT removed the mandatory line rental requirement in 2017, and the rest of the industry followed. Today, broadband-only deals are standard. You can sign up with BT, Sky, Vodafone, TalkTalk, Plusnet, and most other providers without taking a phone service alongside your broadband.
Line rental is no longer a compulsory add-on. If a deal you are looking at still shows a separate line rental charge, check whether it is an optional phone package or a legacy pricing quirk. Most current deals are priced as broadband only.
Connection types that need no phone line at all
Full fibre (FTTP)
Full fibre broadband, also called Fibre to the Premises (FTTP), runs a fibre optic cable directly from the street cabinet into your home. There is no copper telephone wire involved at any point in the connection. You get a small optical network terminal (ONT) fitted to an internal wall, and your router plugs into that.
Because there is no copper telephone line in the chain, a traditional BT phone line has nothing to do with your full fibre service. You do not need one, and you do not pay for one.
Full fibre is now available to over 70% of UK premises as of 2026, with coverage continuing to expand. Providers include BT, Sky, Vodafone, Hyperoptic, Community Fibre, Toob, and many others depending on your area. Speeds typically start at around 150 Mbps and go up to 2 Gbps or higher on some networks.
Virgin Media cable broadband
Virgin Media runs its own entirely separate cable network across roughly 60% of UK addresses. It does not use BT's copper telephone network at all. A coaxial cable runs from the street into your home, and your router plugs into a cable modem. No phone line is required.
Virgin Media does offer phone services as an add-on, but they are optional. Broadband-only deals are available.
4G and 5G home broadband
4G and 5G home broadband uses a mobile network signal rather than any fixed line into your property. A router with a built-in SIM card picks up the signal from nearby masts and distributes it as Wi-Fi around your home. There is no engineer visit, no cable running into the building, and no phone line of any kind.
Providers include Three, EE, Vodafone, Sky Mobile, and several smaller operators. Typical download speeds range from around 50 Mbps to 300 Mbps depending on your location and the network. 5G home broadband, where available, can reach speeds comparable to full fibre.
4G and 5G home broadband suits people who cannot get a fixed-line connection, renters who want flexibility, and anyone in an area where fixed-line coverage is poor. Most deals are on rolling monthly contracts, making it easier to leave than an 18-month fixed-line deal.
Satellite broadband
Satellite broadband works by connecting your home to a satellite in orbit rather than any ground-based infrastructure. Starlink, operated by SpaceX, is the main consumer option in the UK. A small dish is installed outside your property, and a router inside receives the signal via the dish.
Starlink covers the entire UK, including very remote rural locations where no other service reaches. Monthly costs run to around £75 to £100, plus a one-off hardware cost of around £300 to £499 for the dish and router. Speeds are typically 50 to 200 Mbps download, though they vary more than fixed-line services.
No phone line is involved at any stage.
Fixed wireless access (WISP)
In some rural areas, local wireless internet service providers (WISPs) deliver broadband via a small antenna fixed to the outside of your property, which connects line-of-sight to a nearby mast. No phone line or underground cable is needed. If you are in a rural area with limited options, it is worth searching for local WISP coverage. See our rural broadband guide for more detail.
Connection types that do use a phone line
Two common broadband technologies do rely on copper telephone cabling, though you still do not need to pay for a phone service on either of them.
ADSL
ADSL (Asymmetric Digital Subscriber Line) sends broadband over the copper wire that traditionally carried phone calls. The copper line is a physical necessity for ADSL to function. Without an active copper line running to your property, ADSL cannot be installed.
However, you do not need to use the phone service or pay for calls. Providers sell ADSL as broadband only, with the copper line used purely as a signal carrier.
ADSL is now an older technology. Maximum speeds are around 17 Mbps download, and real-world averages are lower. Most providers are phasing it out as full fibre coverage expands.
FTTC (superfast fibre)
FTTC (Fibre to the Cabinet) is the "superfast fibre" product that providers have sold for the past decade or so, offering speeds of around 35 to 80 Mbps. Fibre runs from the exchange to the green street cabinet, and then copper runs from the cabinet to your home. That final copper stretch uses the telephone line infrastructure.
As with ADSL, you do not need a phone service. You can buy FTTC broadband only. The copper is used for the signal, not for telephone calls.
FTTC is being replaced by full fibre across the country, so if your area has FTTP available, it is worth switching rather than staying on FTTC.
To summarise: ADSL and FTTC use a copper telephone line as part of the infrastructure, but you do not have to take or pay for a phone service. Full fibre, Virgin Media, 4G/5G home broadband, and satellite use no telephone line whatsoever.
What the switch away from line rental means in practice
Before 2017, your broadband bill had two components: line rental (around £18 to £20 per month) and broadband (typically £10 to £25 per month). The total was often £35 to £45 per month even for a basic connection.
Today, providers publish a single monthly price that includes everything. If you are on an old contract that still shows line rental as a separate line item, it is worth checking whether switching to a current deal would save you money.
The change also means that if you never use a landline phone, you do not have to pay for one. Providers no longer require phone line subscriptions as a condition of getting broadband.
What you do not need
- A BT phone line. If you are getting full fibre, Virgin Media, 4G/5G, or satellite broadband, no phone line infrastructure is needed or used.
- A phone service or phone subscription. Even on ADSL or FTTC, you do not have to take a phone service. Broadband-only deals are standard across all major providers.
- A landline handset. You do not need a physical telephone or a phone number. Many households have not used a landline for years and do not need one.
- Line rental as a separate charge. This was abolished as a mandatory add-on in 2017. If you see it listed separately on a current deal, it should be an optional phone package rather than a compulsory fee.
Frequently asked questions
Can I get broadband without a BT line?
Yes. Full fibre providers, Virgin Media, 4G/5G home broadband providers, and satellite broadband all operate without any BT line involvement. Even providers that use the Openreach (BT) network for FTTC or ADSL broadband do not require you to have a phone service alongside the broadband.
Is it cheaper to get broadband without a phone line?
In most cases, a broadband-only deal is cheaper than a bundle that includes a phone service. If you do not use a landline, there is no benefit to paying for one. Most current broadband deals are priced without a phone service included.
What is the best broadband without a phone line?
Full fibre is the best option if it is available at your address. It offers speeds from around 150 Mbps upwards, a stable wired connection, and no reliance on any phone line infrastructure. If full fibre is not available, Virgin Media cable is a strong alternative in areas it covers. Where neither is available, 4G or 5G home broadband is a reliable option in most urban and suburban locations.
Do I need a phone socket to get broadband?
For ADSL and FTTC, your router connects to the master phone socket in your home (often with a microfilter). For full fibre, the router connects to an ONT (Optical Network Terminal) that is installed during the engineer visit. For 4G/5G home broadband, no socket is needed at all. You plug the router into a power socket and that is it.
What happened to line rental?
Line rental was a monthly charge, historically around £18 to £20, that BT and other providers required customers to pay for the copper telephone line infrastructure. BT stopped making it mandatory in 2017. Other providers followed. Today broadband deals include a single monthly price, and taking a phone service is optional.
Can I get full fibre broadband without a landline?
Yes. Full fibre (FTTP) has no connection to the telephone line network. A new fibre cable is installed directly to your property. No landline, no phone line, and no phone service are needed or involved.
Does 4G home broadband work without any fixed line?
Yes. 4G and 5G home broadband connects via the mobile network, not any fixed infrastructure. No cables need to be run into your property. The router uses a SIM card to connect to mobile masts, exactly as a mobile phone does. See our mobile broadband guide for more detail on how it works.
What are my options if I live in a rural area with no full fibre?
If full fibre is not available at your address, the main alternatives that need no phone line are 4G or 5G home broadband (if you have a reasonable mobile signal) and satellite broadband via Starlink. Some rural areas are also served by local wireless providers (WISPs). Our rural broadband guide covers all of these in detail and explains what government schemes may be able to help.