The one broadband review: full-fibre on shorter contracts, with a built-in price rise

Verdict

The One Broadband is a mid-priced, all full-fibre provider that stands slightly apart from the crowd on three counts: an 18-month minimum contract that is shorter than the two years many rivals push, symmetrical speeds running up to 2.2Gbps where the network supports them, and a WiFi 6 router included as standard with UK-based phone and email support behind it.

The thing every buyer needs to price in is the mid-contract increase. Every package carries a single fixed pounds-and-pence price rise scheduled for 1 April 2027, disclosed when you sign up. Because it is a flat cash amount rather than a percentage, it lands harder on the cheaper plans in proportional terms. On the entry Simple one at £24.50 a month, a £3 rise to £27.50 is a little over 12%. The same £3 on a plan starting at £55.50 is closer to 5%. The cheaper the plan, the bigger the bite.

If you want full fibre on a shorter tie-in and equal upload speeds, and you are comfortable with a known increase partway through, The One is a reasonable pick. Bargain hunters on the lowest tier should do the sum before committing.

Deals and prices

The range is built around three named tiers, each on an 18-month minimum contract with a £10 set-up cost.

• The Simple one: 150Mb average speed, from £24.50/month, rising to £27.50 from 1 April 2027. A second sampled version of this plan starts at £33.00/month, rising to £36.00.
• The Chosen one: 900Mb average speed, from £27.50/month, rising to £30.50, with another sampled deal from £37.90/month, rising to £40.90.
• The Everything one: 2200Mb (2.2Gbps) average speed, from £55.50/month, rising to £58.50.

The pricing gap between the entry Simple one and the mid-tier Chosen one is narrow at the lowest advertised rates, £24.50 against £27.50, for a jump from 150Mb to 900Mb average. If the top rate is available at your address, £3 a month for six times the average speed is the standout value line in the range.

The 1 April 2027 increase applies across every package and is a fixed amount you are told about at sign-up rather than an inflation-linked figure.

Speeds and network

The One is a 100% full-fibre (FTTP) provider, with no copper anywhere in the connection. It works as a reseller across three wholesale networks: Openreach, CityFibre and Community Fibre. Which one serves you, and therefore whether The One is available at all, depends on your postcode.

Speeds are advertised as symmetrical, meaning equal upload and download, where the underlying technology allows it. That matters if you upload large files, back up to the cloud or run video calls, since most broadband gives you far less headroom going up than coming down. The top advertised speed is 2.2Gbps on The Everything one.

The speeds quoted here are averages as advertised by the provider. We have no independent measured performance figures for the service, so treat the numbers as the target rather than a guaranteed real-world result.

Contract, router and fees

Every plan runs on an 18-month minimum term, shorter than the 24-month deals common elsewhere, with a £10 set-up cost across the range.

A WiFi 6 router comes as standard with every order. It carries built-in parental controls and online security features, and there is a mobile app for managing the network: real-time monitoring, device management, setting up a guest network and adjusting security settings. The security side covers family safety controls, malware blocking, and privacy and identity protection.

Service and support

Customer support is UK-based, over phone and email, and the company states a commitment to answer calls in under a minute. We cannot confirm how the service performs against that pledge in practice, so read it as the stated aim.

Who should choose it, and who should not

The One suits people who want full fibre without a two-year commitment, value equal upload and download speeds, and like having a WiFi 6 router and an app included rather than bolted on. The near-flat price step from the Simple one to the Chosen one makes the 900Mb tier the obvious sweet spot if it is available at your address.

It is a weaker fit if you are chasing the lowest possible headline price and plan to stay past April 2027, because the fixed rise costs proportionally more on the cheapest plan. It is also worth checking availability first, since coverage hinges on which of the three wholesale networks reaches your postcode.

Pros and cons

Pros

• 100% full-fibre connection with a WiFi 6 router included as standard
• Shorter 18-month minimum contract
• Symmetrical speeds up to 2.2Gbps where available
• UK-based phone and email support
• App for monitoring, device management, guest networks and security

Cons

• Every plan carries a fixed price rise on 1 April 2027, disclosed at sign-up
• The flat rise costs proportionally more on the cheaper plans
• Availability depends on which wholesale network serves your postcode