The UK’s landline network is changing. It’s being replaced with a new system that uses internet technology.
Some providers still offer landline only deals, though others only include them in a bundle with broadband. These offers are easy to put together and are frequently cheaper than landline-only deals.
1. BT Home Essentials
BT Home Essentials is a great choice if you’re on certain benefits and want a low-cost home phone line alongside broadband. The landline only deals package is available to Universal Credit recipients and offers a variety of benefits including shorter contracts, no cancellation fees and eligibility reviews after 12 months.
Using your National Insurance number, you can check whether you’re eligible to sign up for a Home Essentials plan before you buy. This is an instant process that will ensure you get the best deal on your broadband and call package.
You can choose from a range of BT home broadband plans including unlimited, fibre and fibre Lite. Alternatively, you can also add a BT TV package for an extra discount. All of BT’s home broadband plans include call features such as Call Protect and Caller Display which shield you from nuisance calls and show you who’s calling you free of charge.
2. Direct Save Telecom
Direct Save Telecom is one of the cheapest providers in the UK for broadband and home phone deals. It offers no-contract deals and is also one of the few to offer a broadband service without credit checks, so it can be a good choice for people with poor credit histories or those receiving benefits who want to keep their bills as low as possible.
Their entry-level broadband deal, the ‘Unlimited Broadband Deal’, gives an average download speed of 11Mbps, which is sufficient for most households. If you’re looking for a faster connection, they also offer ‘ultrafast’ fibre broadband that uses their own ‘Fibre to the Premises’ (FTTP) network.
Its ‘full fibre’ packages can give download speeds up to 1Gbps, which is more than many other providers offer. However, these are only available in a few locations and can only be offered by newbuild homes that are connected via Direct Save’s FTTP network.
3. TalkTalk
If you want to save money and get a great home phone deal, TalkTalk is one of the best providers. It offers a range of cheap broadband deals and home phone deals, as well as TV bundles.
TalkTalk’s broadband is primarily delivered over the BT Openreach network, and it has a good reputation for delivering fast speeds in most locations. It also offers fibre broadband, enabling faster download speeds than standard ADSL.
Its copper ADSL packages offer average download speeds of 11Mbps, which should be sufficient for most small households to browse and stream content. However, this will depend on how many devices you have and what types of files you download.
The firm also offers a range of add-ons, including online security software and an internet speed boost. The add-ons are separate to your contract and can be cancelled at any time without penalty.
4. Sky
Sky is the UK’s second-largest broadband provider, and it also has one of the biggest and best TV packages. Its broadband deals are popular for their fast speeds, reliable service, and a range of add-ons.
Sky also offers an inclusive phone package with its broadband services, so you don’t need to worry about paying extra for calls. You’ll get free evening and weekend calls to UK mobiles and landlines.
Alternatively, you can pay more each month for an unlimited call bundle. This gives you unlimited calls to UK numbers, plus free calls to 22 international countries.
However, you’ll still have to pay line rental from Sky. You can also add additional features to your talk deal, including call diversion, three-way calling and call waiting.
