How to Choose a Broadband Provider

We’ve all heard different phrases, acronyms and caveats around broadband. But what connection is the best for you and your family?

It’s time for a broadband knockout!

FTTC vs FTTP

Fibre–to–the–Cabinet (FTTC) and Fibre–to–the–Premises (FTTP) are two common broadband connection types, but they differ significantly in performance and reliability. 

FTTC:

This type of broadband uses fibre cables to the nearest street cabinet, but the final stretch to your home uses old-school copper wires. This slows things down a bit – most people get around 80Mb download and 20Mb upload speeds, meaning it’s not the most reliable or future-proof option.

FTTP:

This is Full Fibre all the way to your home, with no old copper wires to slow things down. It’s super-fast, super-reliable and can deliver speeds up to 10Gb. Most providers don’t offer those top speeds, though, because everyday internet use doesn’t usually need it.

Plus, the upload and download speeds are just as quick as each other, so everything from gaming to video calls runs like a dream.

So, how do we judge who wins this bout?

While FTTC is widespread thanks to its adoption by Openreach, FTTP availability is growing fast, with altnets like Grain building networks for the 21st century. Not to mention, it is more stable – avoiding signal degradation and the weather-related issues that can impact copper lines.  

PON vs PTP

PON and PTP represent two architectures for fibre broadband deployment. PON stands for Passive Optical Network Fibre, while PTP stands for Point-to-Point fibre.

PON:

With this set-up, your broadband connection is shared with your neighbours. Everyone’s connected through one main fibre cable that splits off to multiple homes. It’s cheaper to build but, because it’s shared, your speeds can slow down when lots of people are online at the same time. 

PTP:

This gives you your very own dedicated fibre line straight to your home—no sharing with the neighbours. That means more consistent speeds and less lag, even at busy times. It costs more to set up, but it delivers top-notch performance. 

So, who wins this round?

PON is used by providers looking to connect lots of homes quickly and cheaply, thanks to its shared set–up. But when it comes to performance, PTP takes the crown—offering dedicated, unshared lines for faster, more reliable speeds.

At Grain, we use PTP. That means every customer gets their own Full Fibre connection—no sharing, no slowdowns, just future-proof broadband built for whatever’s next.

Asymmetrical vs Symmetrical

Asymmetric speeds:

Many broadband providers offer asymmetric speeds, meaning their upload speeds are significantly lower than their download speeds. This is common with FTTC, and even some FTTP plans. Fine for streaming and scrolling, but not so great when you’re uploading large files, working remotely, or gaming online.

Symmetric speeds:

Or, “equal” speeds are more desirable. That means smoother video calls, faster cloud back-ups, better online gaming, and less frustration for everyone in a busy household. 

The winner?

Whether you’re a content creator, remote worker, or just have multiple people online at once, symmetrical speeds win every time. If you can get them—go for it. Your future self will thank you.

Price rises vs Fixed prices

Broadband prices have been creeping up year on year—thanks to inflation, rising operational costs, and infrastructure upgrades. Even with Ofcom banning inflation-linked in-contract price hikes, some providers are sidestepping the rules with flat-rate increases. Sneaky. 

These in-contract hikes mean you end up paying more for the same service, with little choice but to grit your teeth until your contract ends. 

So, who wins this round?

The big broadband providers—if you let them. But the game’s changed. With one-touch switching, it’s easier than ever to ditch overpriced deals and move to something better. Providers like Grain keep prices fixed throughout your contract. No gotchas. No surprises. Just refreshingly fair pricing.

Summary

Choosing the right broadband shouldn’t feel like stepping into the ring. 

But if you want to win on speed, reliability and value, go for:

• Full Fibre (FTTP) 
  
• A dedicated Point-to-Point connection
  
• Symmetrical speeds
• Fixed prices with no in-contract surprises

Luckily, we offer all of that.

Grain’s got your back – check if we’re in your area now.