Compare TV & Broadband

Usually, yes. When comparing the price of a TV and broadband bundle against the price of taking the two services separately, the bundle is usually always cheaper.

However, there are some caveats to this. For example, some providers including BT, Virgin Media, and TalkTalk, only offer their pay TV service to their broadband customers, so it's not possible to take the services separately, or even compare the price of doing so.

Many of the pay TV providers we include in the comparison table above offer exclusive discounts or reduced pricing on selected TV content or extras though, which can bolster the value of a TV and broadband bundle.

Examples of these additional savings include:

• Sky includes Netflix and Discovery+ with all their TV plans
• BT customers get Discovery+, and Netflix in some plans too
• Sky offers Paramount+ and Vue cinema tickets with their Sky Cinema pack
• Virgin Media include TNT Sports Ultimate in the TNT Sports pack
• TalkTalk bundles NOW Boost with full HD and ad-skipping

So, whether or not it's easy to see the exact savings of combining a pay TV and broadband deal, there are also additional savings and benefits on offer with these plans too.

We include both fixed and flexible TV options in the comparison table above.

This means there is a mixture of TV plans with minimum term contracts which run for the same length of time as the broadband deal; while other bundles may offer more flexibility on the TV plan.

TalkTalk is one example where when taking a broadband and TV bundle, customers sign up for a minimum term contract with TalkTalk broadband, but the commitment on TalkTalk TV is only 30 days.

Virgin Media Flex is another flexible TV plan which can be bundled with Virgin Media broadband, yet, the Flex TV plan can be cancelled with just 30 days' notice despite an 18-month minimum term for Virgin Media broadband.

BT broadband and TV bundles are slightly different in that they offer flexibility over the TV package, which can be changed on a monthly basis, but customers must choose one TV plan for the duration of the 24-month minimum term.

Other bundles, including from Sky, may be subject to different terms depending on the offer. For example, particular Sky TV and broadband bundles will have a 24-month minimum term, while there are also some options for Sky TV with just 30-day terms.

Where TV and broadband bundles have different contract lengths on the services we have displayed the longest duration period in the table above, and it's possible to click through for more information or read our reviews for the details.

TV and broadband bundles, where the TV is delivered over the broadband connection, will only be available at speeds that can support the services.

Where this could change is when viewers want to watch content in higher definition resolutions including 1080p HD and 4K Ultra HD.

Sky say customers will need a broadband download speed of at least 25Mbps to stream in full 1080p HD, while a speed of just 3Mbps would be sufficient for streaming in SD.

For those who want to watch content in Ultra HD, or UHD, Sky say customers will need a minimum broadband speed of 30Mbps.

BT's customer advice differs slightly, suggesting customers only need 5Mbps to stream full HD, while they also recommend 30Mbps for UHD.

So, while most superfast broadband plans will support both HD and UHD streaming, where more than one device is connecting, or more than one person is streaming different content on the same connection, the requirement of the broadband speed package will go up.

Most of the TV and broadband bundles on sale today will be able to support streaming in both HD and Ultra HD, however, where available, full fibre broadband will support multiple users better than part fibre can, and will also improve reliability and latency rates, removing the possibility of buffering while streaming live content.

See how fast your current broadband connection is with our free speed test.

Most of the main pay TV providers, including Sky, Virgin Media, BT and TalkTalk, all offer the ability to add premium channel packs like Sky Sports and Sky Cinema to their bundles.

Some TV and broadband bundles come with these channel packs included as standard, while others can be easily customised to add more content.

Where available as an add-on, it's usually possible to subscribe to Sky Sports or Sky Cinema on monthly rolling terms, while when included in a bundle as standard minimum commitment periods will match the minimum term contract of the bundle itself.

We've guides on where to watch Sky Sports the cheapest, including Sky Sports+, and the best offers on Sky Cinema to help find the right deal for you.

It's also possible to add channel packs including TNT Sports and children's TV options, and we've guides on the best way to do this as well.

You can also use our filter in the comparison table above to narrow-down packages with Sky Sports or Sky Cinema included, as well as TV and broadband bundles with specific channels like Sky Atlantic, TNT Sports, or premium kids TV.

Most pay TV deals provide customers with a set top box, or smart TV box, which is used to deliver the TV content to your main TV set.

These boxes are usually built to support a number of streaming apps, where customers can subscribe to the additional content separately to their pay TV deal.

Some plans, like those from Sky and Virgin Media, also offer customers the ability to subscribe to these streaming apps directly and pay through their main bill, often with discounts available for doing so.

While other bundles include streaming services at no extra cost, giving customers an added benefit for bundling their TV and broadband services with one provider.

The streaming services most often included as standard in TV and broadband bundles includes:

• Sky include Netflix and Discovery+ Standard in all their TV plans
• BT includes Discovery+ Basic or Discovery+ Premium with their TV plans
• Sky includes Paramount+ with their Sky Cinema pack
• Some Virgin Media, BT, and TalkTalk bundles include Netflix
• Sky and Virgin Media both include Sky Sports+ with their Sky Sports pack, while BT and TalkTalk include Sky Sports+ via the NOW Sports Membership

Other major streaming apps are also supported by pay TV providers, even if a subscription is not included in the main deals, for example:

• Netflix, Prime Video, and Paramount+ are all supported by Sky, Virgin Media, BT and TalkTalk boxes
• Disney+ is supported by Sky, Virgin Media, and TalkTalk boxes
• Discovery+ is supported by Sky, BT, and TalkTalk boxes

You can also read our reviews of each provider's box-set to find out more details as to what's supported and the features available with each TV and broadband deal.

To switch to a new TV and broadband deal it's important to first make sure you're out of contract with both your existing pay TV and broadband suppliers.

Assuming that's the case, it usually takes just 14 days to order a new TV and broadband deal and get connected, with the new One Touch Switch system handling the switching process for you.

The One Touch Switch system has been set up to move customers between different broadband networks, for example, customers moving from BT to Virgin Media, or from TalkTalk to Community Fibre.

The process now means all a customer needs to do is order a new TV and broadband package, and then the new provider will handle the switch, including contacting the existing broadband supplier and looking to end the old service on the same day the new service goes live, to minimise any downtime for the customer.

One important point to remember however, is that this switching system is built around broadband deals, and so, if you have an existing pay TV service you may need to cancel that yourself if it's not directly part of your existing broadband plan too.

Read more about switching broadband packages, or to order a new TV and broadband deal, use the free comparison search above to find the best broadband deal for you and simply place an order online. Once that's done, your new provider will handle the rest for you and be in touch with your switch date.

Have more questions? Choose has been covering the broadband market for over 20 years and we have a range of comprehensive and thorough guides to everything you need to know about TV and broadband.

We've covered topics from multiroom services; best offers on Sky Sports; the best TV box sets; online streaming services; and more.

To find out more about TV and broadband - search the site or browse the TV and broadband guides.