Best Business Broadband Suppliers: BT Vs XLN

Connectivity is more important than ever. Small, medium and large businesses all over the UK depend on their broadband suppliers to secure customers, fulfil contracts, and conduct important meetings. The best business broadband suppliers can do all that and more.

But with so many broadband suppliers flooding the market, it is difficult to know which provider to choose. Business owners are in a unique position wherein they can choose from hundreds of suppliers.

BT business broadband and XLN business broadband are often at the top of the list. These recognised names claim to offer the best business broadband for a range of customers. Our experts inspect their claims and compare two of the biggest names in broadband in terms of package speeds, prices, customer ratings, and customer incentives.

Why Compare Business Broadband?

Broadband is one of the essential yet overlooked parts of business management. Lots of business owners are conscious of the price of their water and gas bills but seem to forget that there are better broadband deals out there.

At Love Energy Savings, we help business owners reduce the cost of their essential bills. One of the easiest ways to reduce overall broadband bills is to compare suppliers and tariffs and make the switch. Our experts have created a business utilities comparison generator for business owners who want to see all the options available to them. When business owners have a comprehensive view of the connectivity landscape, they make smarter decisions for their balance books.

We also encourage customers to compare the best business broadband suppliers to find a tailored deal. Different suppliers are built with different purposes in mind. Some suppliers tailor their support to small businesses, whereas others focus on large businesses.

BT Business Broadband Vs XLN Business Broadband

BT is one of the best-known names in the communications industry. It was founded in 1980 and creates services that are integral to modern life. EE, which is part of BT Group, has equipped 160 towns and cities with 5G, and 2 million premises passed with full fire during 2020/2021. It has 18 million domestic and corporate customers in the UK. With so many achievements, it is no surprise that BT is one of the go-to choices for business owners.

XLN business broadband has gained popularity in recent years. This company was founded in 2002 to support small businesses. 700,000 business owners all over the UK rely on XLN for communications services. It promises to deliver unrivalled customer service and seamless switching.

Which Has Better Speeds and Packages? (Winner: BT Business Broadband)

BT has comprehensive broadband and phone line deals. Packages are perfect for business owners who do not want the hassle of separate contracts and bills. Business owners can get fulfil their communications needs in one place with BT business broadband. Prospective customers can browse through Halo for business, Halo with Complete WiFi, and Essential packages.

Halo for business is the most popular deal. It includes download speeds of up to 900Mbps and upload speeds of up to 104Mbps. Guest WiFi, Content Controls and Web Protect, landline calls on the go, 4G backup, 1 free static IP, a minimum speed guarantee, and expert tech support are included. Halo with Complete WiFi offers the same features but also includes complete WiFi services.

Essential is the cheapest comprehensive BT business broadband deal. It features download speeds of up to 900Mbps and upload speeds of up to 104Mbps.

BT also has a broadband-only deal. Features include download speeds of up to 76Mbps and upload speeds of up to 19Mbps. Customers can also expect a minimum speed guarantee, guest WiFi, Content Controls and Web Protect.

XLN broadband is tailored to small businesses. Business owners can browse through three broadband packages. Broadband Phone & UK Calls, Superfast Fibre Phone & UK Calls, and Free Public WiFi Service all offer features that are perfect for small teams.

XLN business broadband packages are available on 18-month contracts. Most broadband contracts are available for one, two, or three years. 18-month contracts allow business owners to secure beneficial features while they grow their business and gain more customers.

XLN has a package that is perfect for professionals who want affordable business essentials. The Broadband Phone & UK Calls package includes speeds of up to 17Mbs, a line rental, unlimited UK calls, a free plug and plays router, and the choice between keeping an existing number and getting a new one.

The Superfast Fibre Phone & UK Calls package is very similar. The only differences are that it offers speeds of up to 76Mbs and internet security. Customers can also add XLN business broadband Guest WiFi to this deal.

Customers should be aware that the free plug-and-play router requires a one-off £9.99 post and packaging payment.

The final XLN broadband deal is called Free Public WiFi Service. This deal allows customers to surf for free. It is suited to retail, restaurant, and hospitality environments. There are no setup costs, no complex configurations, and no password sharing. Customers can expect a simple guest registration and unrestrained surfing.

Winner: BT business broadband wins this round. BT has three comprehensive broadband and phone deals for business customers and even offers a broadband-only deal.

Which Is Better for Small, Medium, and Large Businesses? (Winner: Draw)

BT business broadband deals are made for small, medium, and large businesses. The connectivity experts at BT have created the Halo range for medium and large enterprises. Both the Halo for business and Halo with Complete WiFi deals guarantee download speeds of up to 900Mbps and upload speeds of up to 104Mbps.

Halo packages are best suited to businesses that have 20 or more employees. Both deals also have a minimum speed guarantee, which means that business owners can enjoy uninterrupted connectivity services.

XLN business broadband is unique. Rather than offering generic deals to small, medium, and large businesses, XLN creates tailored packages for small businesses. This provider is well known for delivering superfast speeds to businesses that have 20 or fewer employees.

XLN also has a package deal called Free Public WiFi Service. This is designed for hospitality establishments. It provides customers and guests with free, uninterrupted WiFi. Small, medium and large establishments can access this XLN broadband deal.

Winner: This round is a draw. The best business broadband suppliers create tailored deals. Both BT and XLN offer tailored packages to business owners who need specific features to support their employees.

Which Has Lower Prices? (Winner: XLN Business Broadband)

Package prices are one of the most important factors to think about. Even the best business broadband suppliers create comprehensive packages that are pricier than the cost of the separate services. At Love Energy Savings, we encourage business owners to survey the market.

BT creates deals for small, medium, and large businesses. Its most popular deal is Halo for business, which is from £36.95 per month excluding VAT. Halo with Complete WiFi is slightly more expensive. It is available from £43.95 per month excluding VAT but offers extra WiFi services to offset the cost.

Potential BT business broadband customers can also secure the Essential package. It is available from £26.95 per month excluding VAT and is labelled the best value deal. Customers can also choose a Broadband Only option, which is from £22.95 per month excluding VAT. The prices included in this guide are the ‘from’ prices, which means that larger businesses might be shocked to receive a tailored quote from BT.

Customers can choose from three XLN broadband deals. The Broadband Phone & UK Calls package is labelled as an affordable business essential. It is available from £27.95 per month excluding VAT. The best value deal is called Superfast Fibre Phone & UK Calls and is available from £29.95 per month excluding VAT. XLN claims that customers can save up to £377 on this deal compared to similar BT deals.

XLN Free Public WiFi Service is available from £15 per month excluding VAT.

Winner: XLN business broadband wins this round because it is cheaper overall. Readers should note that XLN broadband deals are designed for small businesses, which might account for the overall cheaper prices.

Which Has Better Customer Service? (Winner: XLN Business Broadband)

Thousands of business owners across the UK find themselves locked into contracts with suppliers that do not care about customer service. No matter how many employees you have, you need to find a broadband supplier that has good customer service ratings. At Love Energy Savings, we know that the best business broadband suppliers offer more than good speeds.

Trustpilot is a good source of reliable customer reviews. Some companies attempt to skew Trustpilot ratings by creating lots of accounts. If a supplier has more than one account, they could be trying to distract potential customers from poor reviews on their original account.

BT Business broadband has three separate Trustpilot accounts. For this guide, we will analyse the business account that has the most reviews. BT has 1.7/5 stars on Trustpilot and an overall rating of bad. Only 7% of customers think that the service is excellent, whereas an overwhelming 90% think that it is bad. Excellent reviews mention customer service representatives by name, and bad reviews talk about consistently poor service. A representative from BT replies to all the reviews and offers solutions.

Unlike BT, XLN only has one Trustpilot account. It has 4.5/5 stars on Trustpilot and an overall rating of excellent. It has amassed just under 13,500 reviews from business customers. 81% of customers think that the service is excellent, whereas only 11% think that it is bad. Excellent reviews mention quick switching processes, and negative reviews seem to be the result of communication issues. A representative from XLN broadband replies to some, but not all, reviews.

Winner: XLN business broadband wins this round. XLN has far better reviews than BT, but it could improve its customer service offering by replying to all negative reviews.

Which Has More Transparent Customer Service Information? (Winner: BT Business Broadband)

When it comes to customer service, lots of potential customers focus on Trustpilot reviews. Customer support information is even more important. Even the best business broadband suppliers fall at the first hurdle by making support information inaccessible. Luckily for prospective BT and XLN customers, both of these suppliers have transparent support information.

Business owners can find BT customer service and XLN customer service information with simple Google searches. BT has a long list of links for customers who need to find specific support. The support page directs customers to relevant pages to check orders and deal with bills online. This eliminates a lot of the wait time and frustrations associated with speaking to a representative.

BT business broadband customers can call a representative from 8 am to 6 pm. There are separate lines for Bt One Phone and MiCloud UC and CC customers. 0800 and 0808 numbers are free from UK numbers. 08702 numbers have varying charges, and 0845 numbers charge 5p per minute plus network provider access charges. Customers can also use the live chat function to speak to a representative. This is the quickest option available to BT business broadband customers, but it is not immediately accessible on the contact us page.

XLN customer service support is easy to find. Customers can find technical support, customer services, and sales contact numbers on the same page. They can also write to XLN business broadband support representatives in an email or through the live chat function. Unlike BT, XLN does not provide information about open hours or charges.

Winner: BT business broadband cinches the win. This provider has much more detailed information about customer support.

Which Has Better Incentives? (Winner: BT Business Broadband)

New customer incentives are a common tactic. Lots of broadband suppliers invest in new customer incentives to boost customer acquisition. Incentives might include vouchers, cash, or credit. The most common type of incentive is a credit toward future bills. Sometimes, providers lower the price of existing deals for new customers.

Business owners can secure the lowest-ever broadband prices from BT right now. New customers can secure BT business broadband for only £22.95 per month (excluding VAT) until the 8th of May 2022. This Fibre 38 deal is only available to new customers.

Unfortunately, XLN does not offer new customer incentives.

Winner: BT is the clear winner because it offers incentives for new customers.

Overall Winner: BT Business Broadband

In the battle for the best business broadband, BT business broadband wins! BT and XLN business broadbands were neck and neck, but BT prevailed. We recommend this provider for business owners who want reliable speeds, comprehensive packages, and new customer incentives. However, new customers should be aware of BT’s poor Trustpilot reviews before they make the switch.

XLN broadband is better suited to people who want tailored packages for their small businesses. XLN also has smaller prices and a far better track record for positive customer service experiences.

Discover the Best Business Broadband

One of the most common mistakes that business owners make is choosing a well-known name. Household names like BT, XLN, and Vodafone have made massive waves in the connectivity sector, but no one should sign a contract without considering the other important aspects of customer care.

A range of business broadband quotes is just a few clicks away. Simply pop your details into our business utilities comparison generator to find an up-to-date list of providers that meet your needs. This is the easiest, quickest way to get a comprehensive view of the connectivity landscape.

You may find that business fibre broadband is not offering you speeds high enough to host cloud-based solutions such as VoIP. In this case, you may want to explore leased lines. You can read about the differences between leased lines and business broadband here.

Our generator scans the market for the best, most competitive deals in under 60 seconds. It is designed to make switching and surveying the market easier than ever. Once you have chosen a new deal, we will handle the rest.

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