Claire Nottage | February 12th, 2024
TalkTalk broadband guide: Fibre 35, Fibre 65 and Full Fibre explained
TalkTalk has for years offered affordable broadband deals to customers seeking a straightforward, no-frills package. Now, as well as the standard fibre speeds available from all providers, TalkTalk is moving with the times and also presents customers with a choice of ultrafast fibre services up to 900Mbps enabling lightning-fast connections on all your devices, from games consoles to smartbulbs.
Not everyone needs ultrafast broadband however, so we’ve taken a look at all TalkTalk’s speeds to help you decide which one will be the right choice for your home broadband requirements, from 35Mbps to 900Mbps.
Quick comparison
For most households wanting to get online, TalkTalk offers a choice of two 'superfast' fibre connections – Fibre 35 and Fibre 65. Both these fibre speeds are suitable for a household that streams a bit of TV, browses the internet and so on. The limitations kick in when it comes to how many devices you want to keep connected, and if there are gamers hogging all the bandwidth by downloading enormous games.
| Package | Download speed (average) |
Upload speed (average) |
Contract length | Monthly cost |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fibre 35 | 38Mbps | 9Mbps | 18 months | £28 per month |
| Fibre 65 | 67Mbps | 17Mbps | 18 months | £28 per month |
| Full Fibre 150 | 152Mbps | 30Mbps | 18 months | £29 per month |
| Full Fibre 500 | 525Mbps | 72Mbps | 18 months | £39 per month |
| Full Fibre 900 | 944Mbps | 110Mbps | 18 months | £49 per month |
If you frequently download large videogames or 4K films and TV shows then you will benefit from a faster speed and may want to consider a jump up to Tone of TalkTalk's Full Fibre packages (if you can get full fibre). Full fibre packages from TalkTalk come in at 152Mbps, 525Mbps or 944Mbps, but full fibre is only available to around one in four households in the Uk at the time of writing, so most of us will be out of luck.
TalkTalk's Full Fibre 500 and Full Fibre 900 packages represent quite insanely fast speeds that will cope with a very high level of demand, support numerous devices and several heavy users concurrently. In the majority of cases, not many households will actually need these speeds, but if you want to have the fastest speed available, and you can get it in your area, then why not?
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TalkTalk Full Fibre 150- 152Mb average speed +
- Unlimited usage +
- No phone line
£29.00 per month(CPI rate of inflation + 3.7% price increase annually from April 2024)£0 one-off cost18 month contract -
TalkTalk Fibre 65
- 67Mb average speed +
- Unlimited usage +
- PAYG calls
£28.00 per month(CPI rate of inflation + 3.7% price increase annually from April 2024)£0 one-off cost18 month contract -
TalkTalk Fibre 65 + Unlimited UK Calls
- 67Mb average speed +
- Unlimited usage +
- Inclusive calls
£40.00 per month(CPI rate of inflation + 3.7% price increase annually from April 2024)£0 one-off cost18 month contract
TalkTalk fibre broadband packages
TalkTalk Fibre 35 broadband
With an average download speed of 38Mbps, TalkTalk's entry-level speed is comparable to BT Fibre Essential, as well as the entry-level speed offered by most other broadband providers. This speed is ideal for smaller households with two or three devices that are used for streaming and downloading separately.
Fibre 35 is widely available across the UK, and operates on the Openreach network used by many other providers (apart from Virgin Media) to supply their standard fibre broadband connections. It’s an affordable option and if you decide you need more speed, you can easily upgrade to Fibre 65.
-
38Mb average speed
- Unlimited monthly downloads
- Zero one-off cost
- 18 month contract
- Pay as you go calls
TalkTalk Fibre 65 broadband
As mentioned, Fibre 65 is the next option up from the entry-level Fibre 35. With an average download speed of 67Mbps, it is a healthy speed ideal for supporting a modest household with several devices connected at once, from smartphones to games consoles. The dual-band Wi-Fi Hub Black router will keep your devices connected without issue and has four ethernet ports for wired connections.
The average 20Mbps upload speed will come in handy for video calls, gamers and anyone who regularly uploads data to the web, be it photos or other documents. It costs just an extra couple of quid more than Fibre 35, which may make it an appealing option for many people looking for peace of mind when it comes to getting a broadband service that can cope with your needs.
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67Mb average speed
- Unlimited monthly downloads
- Zero one-off cost
- 18 month contract
- Pay as you go calls
TalkTalk Full Fibre 150
For busy households with more than ten devices online, one of TalkTalk’s 150Mbps services is the perfect solution. TalkTalk offers two different services at this speed, dependent on which technology is available in your area. Both offer almost identical download speeds, with the Full Fibre option offering an average download speed of 147Mbps and the Ultrafast option coming with 145Mbps average download speed.
Customers wanting a phone line should be aware that the Full Fibre 150 option is a data-only connection and comes with TalkTalk’s latest router, the Amazon eero 6 router. The Ultrafast 150 connection does come with a phone line however, and is supplied with the Wi-Fi Hub router. There is the option to bolt on anytime UK or international class to the Ultrafast 150 if required. It’s also worth bearing in mind that the Ultrafast 150 package is the only TalkTalk broadband service to come on a 24-month contract rather than an 18-month contract.
TalkTalk Full Fibre 500
If you have a household of 15 to 20 devices or more, including smart tech such as voice assistants, a Ring doorbell, smart curtains or blinds, you will benefit from having one of TalkTalk’s top two fastest internet connections. Many of these home smart tech items are constantly connected to your internet and will require support as well as the more obvious activities such as streaming, gaming, downloading and general surfing.
With an accompanying upload speed of 69Mbps, the Fibre 500 connection is ideal for modern, big households with several devices all being used at once. It is a data-only service, so is not suitable for anyone wanting a landline. It is supplied with the Amazon eero Pro 6 mesh system with Tri-Band Wi-Fi that provides ultimate speed and coverage around your home.
TalkTalk Full Fibre 900
For households wanting the fastest possible option, Fibre 900 is the way to go. With download speeds averaging 920Mbps and an average upload speed of 105Mbps, Fibre 900 is TalkTalk’s premium internet service. It will support anything you care to throw at it, from multiple 4K movie streaming to huge downloads and multiple people and devices online at once. It will enable you to download a 70GB file in just under ten minutes, meaning no more waiting around before you can start gaming.
However, like Fibre 500, Fibre 900 is a data-only service without a phone line. If you really want an alternative to your mobile phone, you can choose to have a VoIP handset connected to your line, whereby your calls are routed via the internet.