Hey!Broadband review: Is it any good?

Dan Howdle | November 6th, 2023

Hey!Broadband – yes, they really format the name that way – is an altnet (alternative network) provider operating in Buckinghamshire, Oxfordshire, Surrey and West Sussex. As with most altnets, it's offering pure fibre packages only, which have the distinction of being symmetrical: Download and upload speeds are identical. Let's take a closer look.

Key features

Here’s a quick look at what you can expect to find in a Hey!Broadband deal:

Download speeds	150Mbps, 400Mbps, 900Mbps
Upload speeds	150Mbps, 400Mbps, 900Mbps
Broadband	FTTP
Home Phone	Yes
Packages available	Broadband, broadband and phone
Router	Adtran 854-v6 and the Linksys MX4000
Contract lengths	24 months, 12 months, 30 days
Prices from	£23 per month

Our review of Hey!Broadband

Most altnets – alternative networks to the mighty Openreach or Virgin Media networks – operate in relatively small areas, some concentrated in one or two places, others dotten about the country, but make no mistake, your chances of getting broadband from any one of them where you live is always going to be vanishingly small, and Hey!Broadband is no exception. Then again, we're guessing you already either know, or have an inkling, you live somewhere you can get it and that's why you're here.

There's lots to like about Hey!Broadband. Unlike many altnet providers it allows you both to have a landline, and indeed to keep your existing number (more on that later). That it offers symmetrical speeds and promises no mid-contract price hikes is common to most altnets. However, one thing Hey!Broadband does that's both very unusual and welcome is to offer flexible contracts: You can get any of its three available speeds on 24-month, 12-month and even 30 day contracts. Bear in mind though, that the shorter the contract you opt for, the more expensive it gets.

Availability

Hey!Broadband is available to properties in:

Place Name	Postcode Area	County
Amersham	HP	Buckinghamshire
Aylesbury	HP	Buckinghamshire
Banbury	OX	Oxfordshire
Beaconsfield	HP	Buckinghamshire
Billingshurst	RH	West Sussex
Burgess Hill	RH	West Sussex
Carterton	OX	Oxfordshire
Chesham	HP	Buckinghamshire
Copthorne	RH	West Sussex
Cranleigh	GU	Surrey
Crawley	RH	West Sussex
Crawley Down	RH	West Sussex
Dorking	RH	Surrey
East Grinstead	RH	West Sussex
Elstead	GU	Surrey
Farnham	GU	Surrey
Gerrards Cross	SL	Buckinghamshire
Godalming	GU	Surrey
Haywards Heath	RH	West Sussex
Hemel Hempstead	HP	Hertfordshire
High Wycombe	HP	Buckinghamshire
Horley	RH	Surrey
Horsham	RH	West Sussex
Kidlington	OX	Oxfordshire
Lane End	HP	Buckinghamshire
Redhill	RH	Surrey
Southall	UB	London
Southwater	RH	West Sussex
Wantage	OX	Oxfordshire
Witney	OX	Oxfordshire

If you're nowhere near any of these places you're out of luck. However, Hey!Broadband does keep a good, updated list on its website not only of where it's available, but also where it's coming next and where it is looking to gauge local interest. So you kind of have three stages there: Places you have it, places that are about to have it, and places where Hey!Broadband want to put it, but have not yet committed.

Check your area now

Broadband speeds

We love it when providers keep their package speed range simple, and we believe three is the perfect number. Clearly Hey!Broadband thinks so too, as you have an entry-level, fast level and 'silly-fast' level (our categorisation, not theirs). Let's take a quick look at those speed tiers:

Superfast 150: Hey!Broadband's entry-level speed is still plenty for most households. The most intensive application for a typical home broadband connection as of now is streaming video at 4K, and for that you only really need 40Mbps at the top end (for most streaming services it's 15-25Mbps). 150Mbps leaves plenty left over even if you're streaming 4K.

Megafast 400: So where does the 400Mbps package tier come in? Well, ultimately, at speeds beyond 150Mbps it really comes down to how fast you want to download stuff. And most frequently, this'll apply to videogames, which often come in huge file sizes. It's 2.5 times faster than Superfast 150, so you'll get your games downloaded 2.5 times quicker.

Gigafast 900: Really, this is the 'Ferrari'-tier. No one really *needs* 900Mbps, but then no one really needs a Ferrari either. It all comes down to want at this end. Do you want to download your games and files this fast? Fine, get this. Because the price difference is actually quite small compared to the other two packages.

Not sure which package to pick? Our guide to deciding what broadband speed you need has all the answers.

Upload speeds

All of Hey!Broadband's packages offer symmetrical speeds – that is, your upload speed is going to be exactly the same as your download speeds.

Most providers provide upload speeds that run at a fraction of the pace of the download. That's because broadly speaking, most home internet connections are pulling a lot more data down the pipe to your devices than from your devices to some remote server on the internet. there are exceptions of course and you will know if they things you do with your internet connection can benefit or not. Categorise it as a 'nice to have'.

Landline calling packages

You can get a landline with Hey!Broadband, which is actually quite an unusual feature among altnets. Most don't offer any sort of landline. Even more refreshing is the fact you can port your number over to your new Hey!Broadband line, though it should be known that number porting takes up to three weeks, so it's something you'll have to get underway as soon as possible if you're signing up and that's what you're planning to do.

Even more interestingly perhaps is the fact that the router you're supplied with will depend on whether or not you opt to get a phone line. You'll get the Adtran 854-v6 if you're planning to have a phone line and the Linksys MX4000 if you're not. They're both good routers, so we wouldn't worry too much there. It's just something that's worth knowing if you're wondering which router you're going to get.

Routers and installation

As mentioned above, there are two router options with Hey!Broadband, and which you get will depend on whether or not you elect to take out a phone line with your package.

Adtran 854-v6 router specs:

• Configuration: Enterprise 8x8 + 4x4 WiFi 6
• WAN: 1 x RJ45 10/100/1000/2500 BaseT(x)
• LAN: 2 x RJ45 10/100/1000 BaseT(x)
• Non-blocking Architecture: 2.5Gbps
• WiFi Data Link Speed: Above 8Gbps
• Low Power Consumption
• Custom Firmware

Linksys MX4000 router specs:

• Configuration: Advanced 12x12 + 4x4 WiFi 6E
• WAN: 1 x RJ45 10/100/1000/2500 BaseT(x)
• LAN: 4 x RJ45 10/100/1000 BaseT(x)
• Non-blocking Architecture: 5Gbps
• WiFi Data Link Speed: Above 12Gbps
• Low Power Consumption
• Custom Firmware

Installation

As is the case with many altnets, the physical connection needed to your home from its network will arrive either under the ground or via overhead telegraph poles. Which method is right for you will vary depending on your specific location and situation. As regards all other aspects of the installation, from a customer point of view it'll be the same as any other provider. Check you can get it, sign up, wait for installation date, engineer visits, and you're done.

Customer service

Broadband providers with less than 1.5% market share aren't included in Ofcom's annual customer service reporting. However, you can see how it's doing on Trustpilot.

However, of all of the altnet providers we've been looking into of late, Hey!Broadband has a very good Trustpilot score Trustpilot score, with 4.5 out of five stars, and 78% of their customers gave them five stars.

Our verdict: Excellent

Unusually for an altnet, Hey!Broadband does actually have some unusual, standout features. The flexible contract lengths are a great idea and stand it apart from similar providers, though of course you'll be paying a lot more for a contract you can leave anytime you please.

That it offers landlines is also great, though the fact your router will differ if you do does add a little confusion to the mix compared to providers who universally offer one router.

And more than anything, if you can get it, it's cheap. Not just 'good value' but actually cheap. Which considering the quality of the equipment supplied is tremendous. We will say however that most other altnets do offer speeds faster than 900Mbps (some a lot faster, 2Gbps, and even 3Gbps). On the other hand no one really needs broadband that fast, so make of that what you will.

We strongly recommend Hey!Broadband if you can get it, but ultimately it's going to come down to whether its particular mix of options and features hits the right notes for you personally.

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