• A Hyperoptic survey found 45% consider broadband when choosing a home, while 23% said poor or slow service could rule a property out
  • Nearly four in five respondents expected broadband to be working within two or three days of moving

The Fact

Almost half of UK home movers consider broadband when choosing a property, according to research commissioned by full-fibre provider Hyperoptic. The survey of 2,000 adults who had moved or expected to move within the next year found 45% considered broadband in their decision, while 23% said poor or slow service could rule a property out. Another 34% said it would make them think twice.

The survey also found 79% expected broadband to be working within two or three days of moving. Hyperoptic said August is typically one of its busiest months, with new connections 24% higher than in July and 45% above the average for the rest of the year. The company published the research ahead of the late-summer moving period.

The Assessment

Hyperoptic’s survey says less about property values than about when broadband enters the moving process. If buyers or tenants are checking connectivity before they commit to a property, the useful question is no longer simply whether an operator passes the street. It is whether that address can actually be served, and how quickly.

For providers, that puts availability data and installation lead times closer to the start of the sales process. A home can sit inside a fibre footprint and still be a poor prospect if the serviceability check is unclear or the installation date comes too late for the customer.

For BTW readers, the commercial value lies in removing that uncertainty before move-in. The survey does not show that UK operators have changed how they sell broadband, but it suggests that accurate address-level availability and realistic activation dates could matter while customers are still deciding how their new home will be connected.

What to watch

Watch whether UK broadband providers make installation dates more visible before customers move, accept orders earlier or work with property portals, estate agents and developers to surface address-level availability. Those changes would show operators acting on the behaviour identified in the survey rather than simply measuring it.