The difference between full fibre and part fibre comes down to how the connection reaches your home.
Full fibre, also known as FTTP, uses fibre-optic cable all the way to your home or business.
Part fibre, usually known as FTTC, uses fibre as far as a street cabinet before completing the final stretch over copper cable.
So, if both options are available at your address, full fibre will usually offer the stronger long-term connection.
Part fibre can still be perfectly suitable for lighter internet use or properties that cannot get full fibre yet.
Here’s how the two compare.
Full Fibre vs Part Fibre: A Quick Comparison
Full Fibre (FTTP)
- Connection: Fibre-optic cable runs all the way into your property.
- Download speeds: Can support gigabit speeds and beyond, depending on the package.
- Upload speeds: Generally much faster, with symmetrical speeds available on some networks and packages.
- Effect of distance: Less affected by how far your property is from local network equipment.
- Reliability: Less prone to the faults and electrical interference associated with copper cabling.
- Equipment: Usually connects to an ONT inside your property, which then connects to your router.
- Long-term suitability: Built to support growing data demands and faster services in the future.
Part Fibre (FTTC)
- Connection: Fibre runs to the street cabinet, then copper cable completes the journey to your property.
- Download speeds: Usually up to around 80 Mbps, although the speed reaching your home may be lower.
- Upload speeds: Usually much lower than the download speed.
- Effect of distance: Speed can fall the farther your property is from the street cabinet.
- Reliability: The copper section can be more vulnerable to faults and interference.
- Equipment: Usually connects through the existing telephone socket rather than an ONT.
- Long-term suitability: Can still meet lighter broadband needs but is gradually being replaced by full fibre.
The speed you actually receive will still depend on your package, provider, network and home setup.
What Is Full Fibre Broadband?
Full fibre broadband is a connection delivered over fibre-optic cable all the way into your property. Its technical name is Fibre to the Premises, or FTTP.
Instead of using the old copper telephone line for the final part of the journey, the fibre cable normally connects to an Optical Network Terminal, or ONT, inside your home. Your router then connects to the ONT and shares the connection with your devices over Wi-Fi or Ethernet.
Because the entire broadband connection is carried over fibre, FTTP can support much faster download and upload speeds than part fibre. It is also less affected by distance and the types of interference that can cause problems on copper lines.
What Are the Benefits of Full Fibre?
- Faster speeds: Full fibre can support gigabit and multi-gigabit services, although the speed available to you depends on the package and network at your address.
- Better upload performance: Faster uploads can make a noticeable difference to video calls, cloud backups, content creation and sending large files. Fusion Fibre Group’s current full-fibre packages offer matching download and upload speeds. You can learn more in our guide to download and upload speeds.
- More consistent performance: Unlike FTTC, your speed is not reduced simply because you live farther from a street cabinet.
- Greater reliability: Full fibre avoids the copper section of the network, which is more susceptible to faults and electrical interference.
- Room to grow: Fibre networks can support much greater capacity as household data use and the number of connected devices continue to increase.
What Is Part Fibre Broadband?
Part fibre broadband is usually delivered using Fibre to the Cabinet, or FTTC.
With FTTC, fibre-optic cable carries data from the network to a street cabinet in your local area. Copper telephone cable then completes the journey from that cabinet to your property.
That final section is why it is called part fibre rather than full fibre.
FTTC commonly offers download speeds of up to around 80 Mbps, but the speed at an individual property can be lower. Copper loses performance over distance, so homes farther from the cabinet will often receive slower speeds than homes nearby. The condition of the line can make a difference too.
Is Part Fibre Still Good Enough?
It can be.
Part fibre may still handle browsing, online shopping, video calls and streaming comfortably, especially in a smaller household with fewer devices online at the same time. It can also be a practical option where full fibre has not reached the property yet.
The important thing is to compare the estimated speed at your address with how your household uses the internet. A light user checking emails has very different needs from a busy household streaming in 4K, gaming, working from home and backing up files at the same time.
If you are unsure how much speed you need, read our guide to choosing a good broadband speed.
FTTP vs FTTC: What Are the Main Differences?
Speed
FTTC is restricted by the copper line between the cabinet and your home. Full fibre removes that bottleneck and can support much higher package speeds.
Choosing full fibre does not mean every package will automatically be faster than every FTTC package. You still need to compare the advertised and estimated speeds of the specific deals available to you. However, FTTP gives providers far more capacity to offer faster services.
Uploads
Part-fibre services are often designed with much faster downloads than uploads. That may be fine for general browsing and streaming, but slower uploads can become noticeable during video calls, cloud backups and large file transfers.
Full-fibre networks can offer much stronger upload performance. Some, including the networks used for Fusion Fibre Group’s current packages, can provide symmetrical speeds, meaning the upload and download speeds match.
Reliability and Distance
The performance of an FTTC line depends partly on the length and condition of its copper section. The farther the signal has to travel from the cabinet, the more its speed can reduce.
FTTP does not have the same distance-related limitation on the final connection into your home. It is also less prone to the faults and interference associated with copper cabling, helping to provide a more dependable connection.
Installation
Part fibre often uses the telephone socket and copper line already installed at the property.
Full fibre needs a fibre cable and ONT inside the home. If the property already has these, activation may be straightforward. If not, an engineer may need to install them. Our guide to full fibre installation explains what to expect.
Which Is Better: Full Fibre or Part Fibre?
If both are available and the price works for you, full fibre is usually the better option. It offers more speed, stronger uploads, greater consistency and more capacity for the future.
Full fibre is particularly useful if you:
- Have several people or devices online at once
- Regularly stream in 4K
- Work from home or join frequent video calls
- Upload large files or use cloud storage
- Download large games and software updates
- Want a connection with room for your household’s needs to grow
Part fibre can still be a sensible choice if:
- Full fibre is not available at your address
- Your household mainly browses, emails and streams on a small number of devices
- The estimated FTTC speed is enough for your day-to-day use
- It offers the best deal for your current budget
There is no need to pay for speed you will never use. The best choice is the connection that comfortably supports your household, rather than simply the package with the biggest number.
Does Full Fibre Automatically Give You Better Wi-Fi?
Not always.
Full fibre improves the broadband connection reaching your router. Wi-Fi is what carries that connection from the router to your phones, laptops, TVs and other devices around the home.
You can therefore have a brilliant full-fibre connection at the router but still struggle with Wi-Fi in a distant room because of thick walls, interference or poor router placement. For the best experience, you need both a strong broadband connection and a good home Wi-Fi setup.
Our guide to broadband vs Wi-Fi explains the difference.
Will Part Fibre Stop Working When PSTN Is Switched Off?
Not automatically.
The UK’s PSTN switch-off, scheduled for 31 January 2027, is primarily about retiring the traditional analogue telephone network and moving home phone services onto digital technology.
FTTC uses copper cable for the final part of the broadband connection, but that copper section will not simply disappear everywhere on the PSTN switch-off date. It may remain in use until full fibre reaches the area. Your provider should contact you about any change to your broadband or phone service.
If you use a landline, your calls may move to a digital service that connects through your router. Alarms, telecare equipment and other devices using the phone line may also need checking before the change.
Read our guide to what the PSTN switch-off means for the full explanation.
How Can I Tell Whether I Have Full Fibre or Part Fibre?
Try these checks:
- Look for an ONT. A small, powered box fixed to the wall and connected to your router usually indicates an FTTP connection.
- Check where your router connects. If it plugs into a traditional telephone socket, you may have FTTC or another copper-based service.
- Review your contract or account. Look for terms such as full fibre, FTTP, part fibre or FTTC.
- Ask your provider. They should be able to tell you which technology supplies your property.
- Run an address check. Broadband availability can vary between neighbouring properties, so use your full address rather than relying on general coverage for your town.
The word “fibre” on its own is not enough to tell you which connection you have. Ofcom’s broadband terminology guidance distinguishes full fibre from part fibre so customers can see whether fibre actually reaches the property.
Is Full Fibre Available at My Address?
Full fibre coverage is expanding, but availability still varies from one property to the next.
The quickest way to find out is to use our full fibre availability checker. It searches Fusion Fibre Group’s network and leading UK wholesale partners in one go, helping you see the packages available at your exact address.
If full fibre is not available yet, part fibre may keep you connected in the meantime. You can check again as networks continue to expand into new areas.
Full Fibre vs Part Fibre FAQs
Is full fibre always faster than part fibre?
Full fibre can support much faster speeds than part fibre, but your actual speed depends on the package you choose. A lower-speed FTTP package will not automatically be faster than every FTTC deal. Compare the advertised and estimated speeds available at your address.
Is FTTP the same as full fibre?
Yes. FTTP stands for Fibre to the Premises and means the fibre-optic cable runs all the way into your home or business.
Is FTTC the same as part fibre?
Usually, yes. FTTC stands for Fibre to the Cabinet. Fibre reaches the local street cabinet, but copper cable completes the connection to your property.
Can I upgrade from FTTC to FTTP?
Yes, once full fibre is available at your address. Your new provider will explain whether you need an engineer visit, new equipment or an ONT installed.
Do I need a new router for full fibre?
Possibly. Your router needs to support the speed and setup of your full-fibre service. Your provider will normally supply compatible equipment or confirm whether your existing router can be used.
Is part fibre good enough for streaming?
It can be. A good FTTC connection may support HD or 4K streaming, depending on the speed reaching your home and what else is happening online. Busy households using several devices at once are more likely to benefit from full fibre.
Ready to Check Your Options?
The difference between full fibre and part fibre is simple: FTTP brings fibre all the way into your property, while FTTC relies on copper for the final stretch.
That final stretch can make a big difference to speed, uploads, reliability and how well the connection handles a busy home.
Check full fibre availability at your address, then compare our latest broadband packages.
If you decide to move, One Touch Switch means your new provider will usually take care of the switch for you.
