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If you’re planning to get broadband for the first time, are moving house, or have recently gained the option for broadband in your area, the process can seem quite daunting. There are a lot of technical terms, lots of things to learn and consider when making your choices. That’s why we put this no-nonsense guide to broadband installation together.

In this guide, we break down the entire process after signing up for a broadband deal to having the engineer come to install it. We cover broadband installation from end to end and show you how long the leading broadband providers need to set up everything, and what’s involved in the process.

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If you’re thinking of having broadband installed, this is the only guide you’ll need!

How does broadband installation work?

First, let’s cover the mechanics of broadband installation. What happens, how long it takes, and the installation process for both ADSL and fibre optic broadband.

Your choice of broadband provider is your own, but there are things out of your control that will have an impact on your decision. Are you in a Virgin Media cable area or not? Do you have a landline already? Can you get fibre optic broadband?

If you’re in a cabled area, you can consider Virgin Media as a potential provider. If not, you will not be able to have Virgin broadband.

And while fibre optic is now available to a majority of homes, not everyone can get it.

You can discover what kind of broadband you can get by entering a postcode here:

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You'll also find a postcode check on any of our broadband deal pages.

If you already have a line, then setup and installation will be cheaper and quicker. If you don’t have a landline installed or the line is present but inactive, the entire process will take longer and cost more as additional work is required. Check out our guide to new phone line installation for more information.

For a Virgin connection, Virgin engineers will carry out the work.

Most other providers use the Openreach telephone network, so an Openreach engineer will attend. This is because BT Openreach owns the infrastructure, but other companies like TalkTalk or Plusnet buy access and resell it as their own. So if you buy broadband from another provider, don’t worry if BT Openreach suddenly calls asking for a time for an engineer to visit!

If you are lucky enough to be able to get an FTTP provider such as Hyperoptic or Community Fibre, their own engineers will attend to complete the installation process.

The broadband installation process for any fixed-line broadband is similar, and goes something like this:

Once you sign up with a provider, you will be given an approximate installation date.
Your provider will likely confirm the exact date and approximate time.
The engineer will arrive and inform you they are working on your connection. They may not need access to your home immediately as they may have preparation work to do outside first. They will likely ask where you want your connection to enter your home.
Once ready, the engineer may need access to your home to install a box on the wall. This box connects your house to the network.
The engineer will check the connection, and perhaps provide a modem or router, which may also be tested. Some providers will send you the router before the visit.
Once complete, you will be asked to sign for the work and to confirm everything is working. Don’t sign until you have seen for yourself that all is well.

The process is the same from a customer perspective whether you have fibre broadband or ADSL, and whether using Virgin Media, BT Openreach, or another network. Most of the work is done either outside in the street, leading up to your property and in the network.

The actual installation time varies but should be between an hour and two hours depending on the property and what is being installed. Your engineer should give you an idea of how long it will take.

Openreach provider activation times

The following are some approximate broadband installation times and costs broken down for the major providers who use the Openreach network. Lead times are counted as the time between signing the contract and being connected.

BT installation and activation times

BT Broadband requires approximately two weeks lead time to book an engineer to connect you. If you have a landline, this can be less. If you need a landline installed as well as broadband, it could take around 15 days to arrange.

A new landline costs around £140 to install and BT Infinity costs around £60 to install. There are often discounts to be found on these prices so that may not be the price you pay. BT TV also takes approximately two weeks for installation.

Sky Broadband installation times

So how long does Sky take to activate broadband? Well, Sky broadband uses the BT Openreach network and requires similar lead times. If you have a landline already, installation takes approximately two weeks. If you don’t have a landline, it could take up to three weeks.

A new Sky Broadband connection costs £20 if you need a new landline and is free if you already have one. There may also be a setup cost depending on the bundle you choose; this is often around £9.95 to cover the delivery cost of your router.

Sky TV also takes around two weeks and will require a working phone line or broadband connection. The installation can happen at the same time. Installation can be free or cost up to £60 depending on your package.

Plusnet installation times

Plusnet also uses the BT Openreach network and requires similar lead times of around two weeks. If you already have a landline and broadband connection, the switch can happen remotely and no engineer may need to visit. If you don’t, a similar process as outlined above will happen.

Switching from another provider to Plusnet takes around ten days. Installation of a landline and broadband installation takes approximately 14 days. A further five days will be needed to connect your broadband.

Plusnet charges £49.99 for a new landline but is free if you already have one. There may also be a £9.95 setup cost depending on the package.

TalkTalk installation times

TalkTalk activation times are the same as Plusnet, Sky and BT as they also use the BT Openreach network. That means a lead time of around two weeks on average if you have a landline and three weeks if you don’t.

Switching from another provider to TalkTalk takes around 15 days and can be done without an engineer visit if you already have broadband.
TalkTalk charges around £60 for a new landline if one is required. There is usually no setup fee, depending on the package you choose.

Other Openreach broadband provider installation times

There are dozens of other broadband providers who utilise the BT Openreach network to provide services. Some include EE, Fi

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