With 40% of consumers stating that switching providers is too much hassle, and many brands struggling with a clear identity, a loyalty battleground has emerged, but one driven by apathy…
UK
Technology
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UK Broadband and Bundled Communication Services Market Report 2026
With 40% of consumers stating that switching providers is too much hassle, and many brands struggling with a clear identity, a loyalty battleground has emerged, but one driven by apathy rather than genuine advocacy.
"In a market defined by inertia and lack of brand distinction, players need to double down on core strengths, to become the brand consumers actually choose, not simply settle for."
Joe Birch, Senior Technology and Leisure Analyst
UK Broadband Market – Trends and Insights
With 40% of consumers stating that switching providers is too much hassle, and many brands struggling with a clear identity, a loyalty battleground has emerged in the UK broadband market, but one driven by apathy rather than genuine advocacy.
27% of broadband customers do not purchase additional services from their provider. These consumers are at the highest risk of churn as they are not tied in on multiple levels. This also presents an opportunity for brands to create differentiated, value-added bundles (e.g. streaming, smart-home, mobile SIM-only) that offer convenience and price certainty.
In an era of price rises, brands can use the unwelcome news of price increases to focus on offering an add-on services that can soften the blow, reframing the narrative from a loss to a potential gain. At renewal time, offering a discounted subscription, bundled package or small add-ons like speed boosts can turn a dissatisfied customer into a more loyal, higher-value one.
This Report Looks at the Following Areas:
The market size and five-year forecasts for the bundled communication services market, including fixed telecoms, mobiles and pay-TV, alongside broadband market share
The market factors underpinning consumer broadband and data use, including roll-out of full fibre, next generation technologies and hardware, to support growth of ultrafast broadband
Behaviours relating to shopping around and researching broadband providers, and how engagement and intention with broadband providers do not necessarily translate into switching
Attitudes towards broadband and bundled providers, including the role of status quo bias, loss aversion and heuristics, can play in driving consideration and choice of provider
Brand associations of broadband and bundled provider companies, and how many are struggling for definition in an increasingly commoditised market
Market Definitions
For the purposes of this report, Mintel has used the following definitions:
Telecommunication products include mobile telephony, internet and pay television. Individually these are known as ‘services’.
When two or more services are sold to a consumer by the same provider simultaneously, they are referred to as a ‘bundle’. Specifically, two services sold at the same time are a dual-play bundle, three services sold at the same time are a triple-play bundle and four services sold at the same time are a quad-play bundle.
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