Full fibre, also called FTTP or fibre to the premises, brings a fibre-optic cable all the way into your building. It’s faster, more reliable and better at uploading than older broadband, and it doesn’t rely on the copper phone network that closes in January 2027. Coverage across Thanet has grown quickly, but it still varies from street to street, and sometimes from one building to the next. Here’s how to find out what you can get.

Why “fibre broadband” might not be full fibre

A lot of broadband sold as “fibre” is fibre to the cabinet (FTTC): fibre runs to the green box in the street, then copper runs the rest of the way to your building. Speeds drop the further you are from the cabinet, and uploads are slow. Full fibre runs fibre all the way, so there’s no copper bottleneck. If your bill says “superfast fibre” but you’re seeing speeds of 30–70 Mbps, you are almost certainly on FTTC.

How to check availability

  1. Use your full address, not just the postcode. Business units, flats above shops and buildings in older town centres often have different availability from their neighbours. Check with the exact address, including any unit number.
  2. Check Openreach. Openreach’s fibre checker shows whether full fibre is available on its network or planned for your area. Many providers sell services over it.
  3. Check alternative networks. Independent full fibre networks have been building in parts of Kent. Their own checkers will show whether your address is covered. Availability on one network doesn’t mean availability on another.
  4. Look at the street. New grey or black fibre boxes on poles, or recent roadworks with new ducts, are often a sign that a network has built nearby.
  5. Ask your landlord. In business parks and multi-tenant buildings, the landlord may already have fibre into the building, or may need to grant permission (a wayleave) for an installation.

Doing this for several networks takes time. We check every network available at an address as part of our business internet service, and tell you what each option would actually give you.

What to ask before you order

  • What are the upload speeds? Uploads matter for Teams calls, cloud backups and sending large files.
  • What’s the repair commitment? Business services often offer faster fault fixes than home broadband.
  • Is there a static IP address? You may need one for remote access, CCTV or a VPN.
  • How long is the contract, and what happens at the end of it?
  • What router is supplied? A business firewall gives you better security and control than a basic home router.

Thanet’s particular challenges

  • Older town centres. In Margate’s Old Town, around Ramsgate harbour and in Broadstairs, many businesses work from converted Georgian and Victorian buildings. Getting fibre into the building can mean planning a careful route through old walls and, sometimes, landlord or listed building considerations.
  • Business parks. Sites such as Thanet Reach and the parks around Manston are often well served, but each unit still needs its own check.
  • Rural edges. Villages and farm businesses across the island can still be on long copper lines with slow speeds.

If full fibre isn’t available yet

  • SoGEA gives you fibre-to-the-cabinet broadband without a phone line, so you’re ready for the 2027 switch-off.
  • 4G/5G business broadband can be surprisingly fast where mobile coverage is good, and makes an excellent backup line.
  • Starlink works almost anywhere with a clear view of the sky, which can help rural sites.
  • A leased line gives you dedicated fibre with a guaranteed fix time, at a higher price, and is worth considering for busier sites.

Whatever you choose, if being offline would stop you trading, add a backup connection that takes over automatically.

Let us check for you

Send us your business address and we’ll check every network, compare speeds, prices and lead times, and recommend the best option for your team, whether you’re in Margate, Ramsgate or Broadstairs. Request an address check.