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What is the best broadband for rural areas?
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Living in the countryside has plenty of perks – beautiful vistas, peaceful surroundings and endless country walks, but when it comes to broadband, you may have fewer options. Here’s our guide to finding the best broadband where you are
By Virgin Media Edit
- Published
- 20 February 2026
Why your options may be different if you live rurally
If you live in a rural area, your broadband options can look quite different compared to towns and cities – and that usually comes down to infrastructure.
Urban areas benefit from dense housing, meaning lots of properties can be connected to the same network quickly and cost-effectively. In the countryside, homes are typically spread further apart, which increases the cost and complexity of installing and upgrading broadband networks.
The good news is that rural broadband access continues to improve. With over 18 million homes now connected to our gigabit network as of 2026, we're continue to bring our ultrafast broadband to harder-to-reach communities across the UK.
What types of broadband are available in rural areas?
The type of broadband you can get depends on the area you live in. Here's are some of the most popular options available in the UK in 2026:
Fibre broadband provides a broadband connection by using fibre optic cables to your local street cabinet, with copper lines completing the connection to your home. This can deliver faster, more reliable speeds, starting from 125 Mbps. This is available in rural areas, making a good starting point where newer, ultrafast connections aren’t yet in place.
Offering ultrafast broadband speeds averaging 1,130Mbps, gigabit broadband is becoming an exciting broadband option for rural homes. Rollout of gigabit broadband to rural areas is expanding, bringing city-level broadband speeds to countryside communities.
Full fibre broadband, also known as Fibre to the Premises (FTTP), runs fibre optic cables directly into your home. This delivers ultrafast speeds of up to 1Gbps and beyond, along with excellent reliability and consistent performance. While this is not yet available in all rural areas, full fibre is expanding quickly across the UK, helping more rural homes access the fast, dependable broadband they need for modern life.
What broadband can I get if I live in a rural area?
No matter where you live, the broadband you can get depends on which providers are in your area.
Not sure what broadband you can get? Use our helpful broadband postcode checker to see which of our ultrafast broadband options are available where you are.
Challenges with getting connected rurally
Broadband speeds in rural areas can vary depending on factors like infrastructure, geography, and what services are available locally. Understanding the reasons behind slower broadband speeds can help you choose the best broadband option for your home and make the most of the connection that’s available.
1. Distance from broadband infrastructure
Broadband uses physical cables to connect your home to the nearest street cabinet and in rural areas, these cabinets are often much further away than in more populated areas. The greater the distance the signal must travel, the more it weakens along the way. This can lead to slower download speeds, longer loading times, and a less consistent connection.
2. Limited fibre rollout
Full fibre broadband delivers the fastest and most reliable speeds, but installing fibre optic cables across large rural areas takes time and significant investment. As a result, rural communities are sometimes upgraded after more densely populated areas. However, full fibre and gigabit broadband is expanding across the UK, and more rural homes are gaining access to ultrafast speeds every year.
3. Lower population density
In rural areas, homes are often located further apart, which makes it challenging to install and maintain broadband infrastructure.
Find the best broadband for your rural address
Whether you are streaming films, working remotely or keeping in touch with loved ones, find the broadband package and speeds for rural areas that can best meet your needs.
If you’re finding that your broadband is not meeting your needs, it might be time to explore what broadband packages and speeds you can get. Not sure what's available where you are?
Check out all of our broadband deals and pop in your postcode to see what you can get.
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