Tim Smith | November 30th, 2023
BT Complete Wi-Fi
BT Complete Wi-Fi boosts your BT wifi signal throughout your home by creating a local network using some additional hardware and a free app. It's simple to set up and to use. We look at the details in this guide.
BT Complete Wi-Fi is BT's solution for slow or unstable wifi in rooms that are distant or obstructed from your router (the Smart Hub). It consists of that Smart Hub, an app, and an additional piece of hardware that BT calls a Wi-Fi Disc due to its shape. It does not add any speed to your wifi. It does enable you to get a stable wifi signal in rooms that wouldn't usually get one.
What is BT Complete Wi-Fi?
BT Complete Wi-Fi is BT's solution to poor wifi signals in rooms in your home that are distant from your Smart Hub 2. It is also useful if your computer or tablet device are separated from your Smart Hub by thick walls, doors or other obstructions.
It's important to realise that BT Complete Wi-Fi will not speed up the wifi signal of your Smart Hub. It will instead get a stable, strong wifi signal to rooms that would not usually receive one.
The BT Complete Wi-Fi system consists of:
- A BT broadband contract – if you're signing up to a new BT broadband contract, you can add BT Complete Wi-Fi for an additional £10 per month
- A Smart Hub – this is the way that broadband gets into your home. It also produces the wifi signal. It is this signal that the BT Complete Wi-Fi system boosts
- A BT Wi-Fi Disc – these small hardware boxes (they're shaped like discs, hence the name) speak to your BT Smart Hub. A basic setup comes with a single disc that you can put, for example, upstairs. It receives a weak signal from the Smart Hub and, quite simply, it boosts that signal (also known as extending or repeating the signal)
- The My BT app – this is a free app that you can download for your iPhone or Android device from the App Store or Google Play. This app lets you check on the health of your BT Complete Wi-Fi system and, if you're confident enough, it lets you tweak the settings
- A £100 money-back guarantee – if you're still not happy with your wifi signal, BT offers a £100 money-back guarantee
How to set up BT Complete Wi-Fi
BT Complete Wi-Fi is simple to set up out of the box. The My BT app that you can get for your iPhone and Android device takes you through the process, checking along the way.
You put the BT Complete Wi-Fi Disc that comes with the system in a room distant from your Smart Hub and then use the My BT app to connect the Disc to your Smart Hub. You can get two more discs for free if your home is too big for one – or if you need wifi access in a garage or garden for example.
How much does BT Complete Wi-Fi cost?
There are three ways of paying for BT Complete Wi-Fi. These depend on your contract and where you're getting the equipment:
New customers
This is the easiest cost structure. If you are signing up to a new BT broadband contract then you can get BT for an additional £10 per month on top of your BT broadband deal.
-
£50 Reward CardFull Fibre 300- 300Mb average speed +
- Unlimited usage +
- No phone line
- £50 Virtual Reward Card
£44.99 per month(increases on the 31st March 2025 by CPI +3.9%)£50 Reward Card£31.99 one-off cost24 month contract -
£50 Reward CardFull Fibre 100
- 150Mb average speed +
- Unlimited usage +
- No phone line
- £50 Virtual Reward Card
£29.99 per month(usually £38.99)(increases on the 31st March 2025 by CPI +3.9%)£50 Reward Card£0 one-off cost24 month contract -
£50 Reward CardFull Fibre 500
- 500Mb average speed +
- Unlimited usage +
- No phone line
- £50 Virtual Reward Card
£34.99 per month(usually £49.99)(increases on the 31st March 2025 by CPI +3.9%)£50 Reward Card£0 one-off cost24 month contract
Existing customers
If you already have a BT broadband account and you have a Smart Hub 2, then you can still get BT Complete Wi-Fi if you are a fibre customer. You will need to contact BT customer services who can make the arrangements. It costs an extra £10 per month.
Find a deal online
If you already have a BT broadband account and you have a Smart Hub 2, you can also seek out deals on the BT Wi-Fi Discs online. As always this is a case of buyer beware, and you will usually have to set up your network yourself. At the time of writing, they are available on Amazon for £100 each.
Can I still use BT Complete Wi-Fi without a BT broadband contract?
No, you can't. The BT Complete Wi-Fi system works because the BT Smart Hub 2 communicates with the additional BT Wi-Fi Disc hardware units via the free app that you can download from the Apple AppStore or from Google Play to boost your signal around your home. However, there are alternatives that we'll look at now.
BT Whole Home Wi-Fi
BT also offers its Whole Home hardware discs. These work differently from the BT Complete WiFi discs in that they create their own wifi signals that create a mesh network around your home. They are also compatible with your existing broadband box (such as Virgin's Media Hub or Sky's Broadband Hub). The discs come in a pack of two, three, or four.
Wifi extender hardware
If you're confident in your technical abilities you can also find hardware to extend your home wifi in stores or online. You will see these called wifi Boosters, Extenders, or Repeaters. They work in the same way as BT Complete Wi-Fi.
Contact your internet provider
The success of BT Complete Wi-Fi has prompted other UK internet suppliers to launch their own home wifi extender systems. So, it's a good idea to contact them if your home wifi is not performing to your expectations.