Altnets in my area: why it’s worth a look now
Type “altnets in my area” into a search bar and you’re already ahead of most households. Plenty of people have a smaller full fibre network running past their front door and simply don’t know it, because nobody knocked to tell them and the old provider certainly didn’t mention it.
That’s the Do Nothing Default at work. Your broadband carries on, the bill carries on, and the faster option down the street stays a secret. Checking for altnets in my area, or rather yours, takes about 30 seconds and a postcode. Here’s how to do it, and what to look at before you switch.
What is an altnet?
An altnet is a broadband company that has built its own fibre network, rather than renting space on Openreach (the network most big name providers use) or Virgin Media’s cables. The name is short for alternative network.
Altnets build full fibre, which means a fibre optic cable runs all the way into your home. Older connections usually switch to copper telephone wire for the last stretch from the green street cabinet, and that copper is what holds the speed back.
If you’d like the longer version, this guide explains what an altnet is and how they differ from the national networks.
How many homes can get full fibre now?
Most of them. According to Ofcom’s Connected Nations update for spring 2026, full fibre was available to 24.9 million UK homes in January 2026. That’s 82% of the country’s 30.5 million homes, and 1.2 million more than six months earlier.
Take up is a different story. Ofcom counted 12.4 million full fibre connections, which is 47% of the premises that can get it. So more than half the places with full fibre outside are still on something older.
A good share of that new fibre was laid by altnets. If you last looked for altnets in my area a year or two ago, the answer may well have changed since.
How do I check which altnets are in my area?
Checking altnets in my area properly is a two step job: postcode first, then exact address. It takes about 30 seconds:
- Have your postcode ready. Nothing else needed at this stage.
- Go to TheAltnets and check which altnets are in your area. It lists the smaller full fibre networks building near you.
- Pick your exact address. Coverage can change from one house to the next, even on the same street, so a postcode alone isn’t the final answer.
- Look at what’s on offer. Speeds, monthly prices, contract length and any setup fee.
If an altnet does cover you, you’ll usually see a choice of speeds. Pick the one that suits how your household actually uses the internet, not just the biggest number. Our guide to what affects your internet speed helps you work that out.
Some streets have more than one fibre network. If yours does, here’s what to know about more than one fibre network on your street.
Altnets and the national networks compared
Once you know the altnets in my area, as the search goes, it helps to see how they differ from the big names. This is the general picture. Every provider is different, so always check the details of the exact deal in front of you.
- Who built it. An altnet built its own network. National providers mostly rent Openreach’s or use Virgin Media’s.
- Type of line. Altnets sell full fibre. National providers sell full fibre where it’s built, and part copper lines elsewhere.
- Where they reach. Altnets cover specific towns and streets. National providers cover the whole country.
- Contracts. Altnets often offer 12 or 24 months, and some do rolling monthly deals. National providers usually ask for 18 or 24 months.
- Customer service. Altnets tend to run smaller, regional teams. National providers run large national ones.
Why do people switch to an altnet?
Most people who look up altnets in my area are after one of three things, and money is only one of them.
Speed. With fibre all the way to your home, there’s no copper stretch slowing things down. That matters when several people stream, game or work from home at once.
Price. Some altnets price keenly to win customers from bigger brands. Whether you’d save depends on your current deal and the package you pick, so compare like for like rather than trusting the headline.
Reliability. Full fibre doesn’t rely on old copper wire, which is a common cause of slowdowns and dropouts. If you’re weighing the move from an older line, our guide on whether upgrading to full fibre is worth it goes through it.
What to check before you switch
Finding altnets in my area is the easy bit. These are the checks that stop a good deal turning into a headache.
Before you switch
- Your current contract. Leave before it ends and you may pay an exit fee. Check your end date first.
- Price rises. Ofcom rules mean providers must set out any mid contract price rises in pounds and pence when you sign up, so you know what you’ll pay.
- Your landline. Most altnets offer calls over the internet rather than an old style landline. If you rely on a home phone or a care alarm, ask how it will work.
- Installation. New full fibre usually needs an engineer visit to fit a small box inside your home. Ask how long the wait is.
- The router. Check one is included and that it can keep up with the speed you’re paying for.
On price rises, Ofcom explains how the pounds and pence rule works for contracts signed since 17 January 2025. Older contracts may still carry the old terms.
Roo’s view is that checking takes less time than boiling the kettle. He’s not wrong. Once you know which altnets are in your area, the next step is seeing how they stack up against everyone else at your address.
Frequently asked questions about altnets in my area
- How do I find out which altnets are in my area?
- Enter your postcode on an altnet availability checker, then choose your exact address. Coverage can differ between houses on the same street, so the address check is the one that counts.
- Are altnets in my area cheaper than BT or Sky?
- Sometimes, but not always. It depends on the package, the contract length and what you pay now, so compare the full cost over the contract rather than the first month.
- Why can my neighbour get an altnet when I can’t?
- Networks are built street by street and sometimes house by house. A building may need permission from a landlord, or the network may not have reached your side of the road yet.
- Will I lose my landline number if I switch to one of the altnets in my area?
- You can usually keep your number when you switch. Ask the new provider before you order, especially if you rely on a home phone or care alarm.
- How often do altnets in my area change?
- Often. Ofcom found 1.2 million more homes gained full fibre in the six months to January 2026, so it’s worth checking again if you last looked a while ago.
