Gigabit business broadband on BT Full Fibre

What is gigabit broadband?

A gigabit is 1,000 megabits, so gigabit broadband is a connection with a download speed of around 1,000Mbps (1Gbps) or more. You will also see the phrase "gigabit-capable", which describes a network that can carry those speeds. A gigabit-capable network does not mean every plan on it is gigabit: the plan you buy sets the speed.

For a business on BT, gigabit speeds need BT Business Full Fibre, where the fibre runs all the way into the building. Standard Fibre (SOGEA) and copper lines cannot carry them: BT's Standard Fibre tops out at 76Mbps and copper at 17Mbps. If your premises does not have Full Fibre yet, gigabit broadband is not an option there today, although a leased line may be.

Gigabit is about headroom. Most small businesses will not use a full gigabit all day, but a bigger pipe means large uploads, cloud backups and many simultaneous users get through without queuing behind each other.

BT's gigabit plans for business

BT's core Full Fibre range goes up to Full Fibre 900. Above that, BT's business deals pages list two gigabit plans at some addresses:

• Full Fibre Gigabit, listed in Essential, Enhanced and Pro versions
• Full Fibre 1.6 Gigabit, also listed in Essential, Enhanced and Pro versions

The plan tier works the same way as at lower speeds. Essential gives you the core features, Enhanced adds Hybrid Backup and a static IP, and Pro adds Complete Wi-Fi Plus, Prompt Care and Wi-Fi Security Controls.

These plans are newer and more address-dependent than the main Full Fibre tiers, and what BT lists can change. So we treat them as "at some addresses, confirmed at quote": we check whether your address qualifies and whether we can supply the plan, then confirm the estimated speeds, the equipment and the price in writing before you commit.

BT Ultra Broadband is not a gigabit plan. It runs on Standard Fibre 76 or Full Fibre up to 900Mbps.

Do you need gigabit broadband?

Gigabit is worth considering if most of these describe your business:

• Large files are part of the job, such as design, video, architecture, engineering or photography work moved to and from cloud storage
• Lots of people work at once, with video meetings, cloud apps and phones sharing the connection
• You back up to the cloud and want backups to finish during the working day
• You run cameras or devices that send or stream video off site
• You provide guest Wi-Fi to many visitors alongside your own staff

If your team is small and mostly uses email, web apps and video calls, a Full Fibre 150 or 300 tier is often plenty, and you can move up later without changing the line. Our guide to what broadband speed your business needs helps you size it, and we can size it with you.

Upload speed on gigabit broadband

Full Fibre broadband is asymmetric: the upload speed is lower than the download. On BT's Full Fibre 900 tier, BT gives up to 104Mbps upload. Gigabit plans also have a lower upload than download, and BT provides the estimated speeds for your address before you order.

For many businesses the download figure gets the attention, but upload is often what limits work: sending files, video calls, cloud backups and hosted phone calls all depend on it. If upload is your bottleneck, compare a gigabit broadband plan with a leased line, where upload and download are the same. leased-lines.uk explains symmetrical speeds in more detail.

Getting gigabit speeds to your devices

The line speed is only the start. To see anything close to it inside the building, the rest of your network has to keep up:

• Wired connections for heavy users. A single device on Wi-Fi will usually get less than the full line speed. Put servers, workstations moving large files and your busiest desks on Ethernet cabling.
• Gigabit-capable switches and cables. An old switch or patch cable between the hub and the desk can quietly cap everyone's speed.
• Up-to-date Wi-Fi. Smart Hub 3 uses Wi-Fi 6, and Complete Wi-Fi Plus discs extend one network across larger premises. Older laptops and phones may not support the newer Wi-Fi standards.
• Testing the right way. Test on a wired device, away from busy times, before judging the line. Our speed test guide explains how.

The total speed is shared by everyone using the connection. That is the point of gigabit for a business: many people each get a healthy share, rather than one device getting 1,000Mbps.

Keeping a gigabit connection running

A faster line does not make a single connection more resilient. If the business would stop when the line fails, the plan tier matters as much as the speed:

• Hybrid Backup on Enhanced and Pro. BT supplies a Hybrid Connect device that switches you to 4G automatically if the fixed line fails. The backup will not match gigabit speeds, but it keeps email, cloud apps, card payments and IP calls working while BT fixes the fault. BT says your static IP and IP voice keep working on the backup. See Hybrid Backup.
• Prompt Care on Pro. BT's faster fault-fix level. BT aims to fix faults reported before 9pm Monday to Saturday, or at any time on Sundays and public holidays, by 11:59pm on the next weekday or Saturday. Essential and Enhanced come with Standard Care, and Prompt Care can be added. See what is BT Prompt Care.
• A static IP for remote access. Enhanced and Pro include one static IP address, useful if staff connect in from outside or you host anything on site. See static IP addresses.

For a business that runs on its connection, the gigabit Pro plan is usually the one to price first, because it brings backup, faster fixes and better Wi-Fi along with the speed. We set out the options side by side in the quote.

Gigabit broadband or a 1Gbps leased line?

A gigabit Full Fibre plan and a 1Gbps leased line can sound similar. They are different products:

If you need equal upload and download, dedicated bandwidth or a leased-line service level, read when to upgrade from broadband to a leased line and leased-lines.uk's guide to 1Gbps leased lines. Some businesses use both: a leased line as the main connection and broadband as a second route.

Checking gigabit broadband in your area

"Gigabit broadband in my area" is a common search, and the honest answer is that it depends on the exact premises, not the postcode. Two units in the same street can have different access types.

We can check three things for you: whether Full Fibre reaches your premises, whether BT's gigabit plans are listed for that address, and what install work is needed. If gigabit is not available, we can tell you the highest Full Fibre tier that is, and whether a leased line is worth a look.

Contact us with your address and we can confirm what is available and quote it.