TalkTalk’s budget approach versus Vodafone’s competitive full fibre strategy highlights the importance of balancing cost with service quality.
Speed and Performance
TalkTalk provides Full Fibre speeds from 65Mbps up to 900Mbps through Openreach infrastructure. Packages include Full Fibre 65, Full Fibre 150, Full Fibre 500, and Full Fibre 900.
Vodafone offers speeds from 36Mbps up to 2.2Gbps with their Pro Full Fibre service. Standard packages include Fibre 1 (36Mbps), Fibre 2 (73Mbps), and full fibre options up to 910Mbps.
Winner: Vodafone for higher maximum speeds
Pricing
TalkTalk pricing starts at £35.95/month for Full Fibre 65, £40.95/month for Full Fibre 150, and £47.95/month for Full Fibre 500.
Vodafone offers competitive pricing from £24.50/month for basic packages and £25/month for Fibre 1 (increasing to £28 from April 2026, then £31 from April 2027).
Winner: Vodafone for significantly better pricing
Network Coverage
Both TalkTalk and Vodafone use Openreach infrastructure for partial fibre services, providing similar coverage across 96% of UK premises.
Vodafone additionally operates the UK’s largest full fibre network covering 15.1 million premises (47% UK coverage).
Winner: Vodafone for additional full fibre coverage
Customer Service
TalkTalk unfortunately remains the most complained-about broadband provider according to Ofcom, with 13 complaints per 100,000 customers, primarily related to faults, service provisioning, and billing issues.
Vodafonescored 83% in Ofcom’s 2025 customer satisfaction data, showing strong customer service performance.
Winner: Vodafone by a very significant margin
Contract Flexibility
TalkTalk uses standard 24-month contracts with no setup fees advertised but charges £10 per month early termination fees plus administrative costs.
Vodafone provides both 12-month and 24-month contract options, offering flexibility without punitive exit fees.
Winner: Vodafone for contract flexibility
Technology Features
TalkTalk provides basic router equipment with standard capabilities but lacks advanced features.
Vodafone offers Power Hub and Ultra Hub routers with WiFi 6 technology supporting up to 100 devices, plus Intelligent WiFi 6 auto-optimisation.
Winner: Vodafone for superior technology
Network Reliability
TalkTalk uses Openreach infrastructure but has faced criticism for slower fault resolution and customer service response times.
Vodafone benefits from diverse infrastructure including their own full fibre network plus established support processes.
Winner: Vodafone for better fault handling
Additional Services
TalkTalk focuses primarily on broadband services with limited additional offerings.
Vodafone provides mobile integration benefits, cross-service discounts, and comprehensive digital ecosystem development.
Winner: Vodafone for service integration
Value Proposition
TalkTalk targets extremely budget-conscious customers willing to accept lower service standards for reduced costs.
Vodafone focuses on competitive pricing while delivering quality full fibre technology and customer service.
Winner: Vodafone for overall value
The Verdict
Choose Vodafone for better pricing, superior customer service, advanced technology, contract flexibility, and higher maximum speeds. They offer significantly better value across all service aspects.
Consider TalkTalk only if you’re extremely budget-conscious and willing to accept well-documented customer service issues and potentially problematic support experiences.
Based on research showing Vodafone broadband is better than TalkTalk on price, speed, and choice, Vodafone represents far superior value despite TalkTalk’s budget positioning. The customer service difference alone makes Vodafone the clear choice for most consumers.
