BT Ultra Broadband for Business

What is BT Ultra Broadband?

Ultra sits at the top of BT's business broadband range, above Essential, Enhanced and Pro, and it is the plan BT built around security. In plain terms, it is fibre broadband with a small business security and Wi-Fi network built around it, supplied and configured by BT.

The difference from the other plans is the equipment. BT's own summary of Ultra is that it swaps three things:

The 4G backup changes too. On Enhanced and Pro it comes from Hybrid Backup, a separate Hybrid Connect device; on Ultra it is part of the Meraki equipment.

Ultra is a broadband service, not a leased line. Speeds are asymmetric (upload is lower than download) and the line is shared in the way all broadband is. If you need dedicated, symmetrical bandwidth with a stronger service level, see when to upgrade to a leased line and our sister site for BTnet leased lines.

What Ultra includes

Every Ultra plan comes with the following, according to BT's Ultra material:

• A Cisco Meraki security appliance: a cloud-managed router and firewall that sits between your network and the internet. It is where the security package runs.
• The Cisco Meraki security package: a next-generation layer 7 firewall, URL content filtering across more than 70 website categories, malware protection backed by Cisco's threat intelligence, and intrusion detection and prevention. See Ultra Broadband security.
• Automatic 4G mobile backup: if the fixed line fails, the connection switches to 4G without anyone touching a setting. On lower speed tiers the backup is built into the appliance; on the top tiers it is a separate Meraki cellular gateway.
• Cisco Meraki Wi-Fi 6 access points: one is delivered with the kit and the BT engineer can fit up to two more, linked by wireless mesh. See Ultra Broadband Wi-Fi.
• A cloud dashboard: BT's material lists device, application, usage and security statistics, so you can see how the network is being used.
• Configuration changes by BT: BT says its specialists make changes to network and security settings on request, rather than you managing the firewall yourself.
• BT Expert Setup: a 150-minute engineer visit to fit the access points, set up the corporate and guest networks and move your computers, printers and BT IP phones across. See Ultra Broadband Expert Setup.
• Prompt Care: BT's faster fault-fix level, with faults reported before 9pm Monday to Saturday targeted for a fix by the end of the next working day. See Prompt Care.
• Guest Wi-Fi and BT's Minimum Speed Guarantee: a separate network for visitors, and BT's right to exit if your speed regularly falls below the minimum it gives you and BT cannot fix it. See the minimum speed guarantee.

Ultra speeds and equipment by tier

Ultra is sold on Standard Fibre (SOGEA) and Full Fibre (FTTP) only. It is not available on copper broadband. The equipment you receive depends on the speed tier, as set out in BT's Ultra briefing:

The access point plugs into one of the appliance's wired ports, leaving the rest free for desktop computers, printers or phones. Which tiers your address can get depends on the line, so we check that first: see check availability. Our speeds guide explains what affects the speed you actually get.

Who Ultra suits

BT pitches Ultra at businesses that want proper network security without running it themselves. Going by BT's own qualifying notes, it fits well when:

• You want simple, packaged security: a firewall, filtering, malware protection and intrusion prevention arriving with the broadband, on one contract, rather than separate boxes and licences
• Nobody in the business wants to manage a firewall: BT handles configuration changes on request, and BT's briefing lists automatic updates and built-in security as part of the package
• Staying online matters: the 4G backup is built in and Prompt Care is included
• You hold data you need to protect: practices, consultancies and offices with client records, where a perimeter firewall and filtering are a sensible baseline
• The premises is a single, compact site: a ground-floor office, clinic, studio or shop where up to three access points can cover the working area
• You want the set-up done for you: Expert Setup is included and the engineer moves your main devices onto the new network

Sector examples are on our pages for accountants and solicitors, dental practices and clinics and retail.

Who Ultra is not for

BT is unusually clear about where Ultra does not fit, and we would rather tell you at the start than after installation. Ultra is the wrong choice if:

• You rely on a static IP address. BT's Ultra page says static IPs are not supported. BT's July 2025 briefing note says one may be added in future but is not expected to fail over to the 4G backup. If you need a fixed address for remote access, a VPN or a supplier allow-list, look at Pro or Enhanced, which include one; see static IP addresses.
• You have a third-party firewall you intend to keep. BT's guidance is that Ultra is not the right product where a dedicated firewall run by another provider is staying in place.
• Your network is complex or bespoke: several VLANs, site-to-site links, multiple sites, or security policies that need a specialist design.
• You want to manage the security yourself. On Ultra, BT makes the changes. If you want hands-on control of a Meraki firewall, Forever Group supplies and supports Meraki firewall deployments separately.
• You want a proactively monitored service. BT's qualifying notes say Ultra is not for customers who want proactive management and monitoring.
• The premises spans several floors or buildings. BT treats these as warning signs that three access points may not give seamless coverage. High-ceilinged areas such as warehouses and workshops also need checking first, because BT's engineers carry a standard step ladder and its working-at-height rules apply; see Ultra Broadband Wi-Fi.
• You want a phone line on the same order. Ultra is broadband only. A Digital Line or BT Cloud Voice is ordered separately alongside it.

Our Ultra vs Pro comparison sets the two top plans side by side.

Contracts, prices and voice

BT's Ultra page lists 36-month and 60-month contracts. We do not publish prices: BT's price depends on the speed tier and the contract length, and BT's pricing terms include annual price changes. All of this is confirmed at quote, so ask us for a quote. Our contracts guide explains minimum terms and what happens at the end of one.

Because Ultra cannot be bundled with a Digital Line, voice is a separate decision. For a team, BT Cloud Voice runs over Ultra like any good business connection, and the Expert Setup engineer helps move BT-provided IP phones onto the new network. Our broadband for VoIP guide covers what calls need from the connection.

Questions we ask before recommending Ultra

A good Ultra order depends on the details. Before we quote, we ask:

1. Does anything use a static IP today? Remote desktop, a VPN, CCTV viewing, a supplier portal or an accountant's allow-list. If so, Ultra needs a rethink.
2. What security do you have now? An existing firewall, who manages it, and whether you are happy for the Meraki appliance to replace it.
3. What does the building look like? Floors, walls, outbuildings, high ceilings and where people actually work, against BT's guide of a 10-15m radius per access point.
4. What needs moving on the day? How many computers and printers, which phones, and what the engineer will not move (CCTV, tills, door access, network storage, personal devices).
5. Is your line changing? A move from copper or older fibre to Standard Fibre 76 can leave a gap between the Openreach visit and the BT visit; see installation.

Buying BT Ultra Broadband through us

We check which Ultra tiers your address can get, run through the questions above so Ultra is a genuine fit, compare it honestly with BT Business Broadband Pro, place the order, help line up the Openreach and Expert Setup dates, and help with set-up questions afterwards. If you need calls too, we supply BT Cloud Voice as well.

Contact us for an Ultra quote.