Why we’re reviewing new Gigaclear connections requiring a first-time installation?
Published: October 2026 | Pricing information correct at the time of publication and subject to change.
Gigabit IQ is reviewing whether it remains commercially viable to continue accepting new broadband customers over the Gigaclear wholesale network.
We want to explain openly why we are carrying out this review — particularly because customers searching for a Gigaclear alternative sometimes visit Gigabit IQ and understandably ask why our broadband pricing over the Gigaclear network can be higher than the prices we can offer over some of our other wholesale fibre networks.
The simple answer is that the underlying Gigaclear wholesale pricing and the total cost of providing the service are significantly different.
Importantly, this review relates only to new orders over the Gigaclear network.
Gigabit IQ is not withdrawing from wholesale broadband, and we continue to work with and accept customers through our other wholesale FTTP network partners.
Why are we reviewing new Gigaclear orders?
Providing broadband through another company’s fibre network involves considerably more than simply buying a broadband connection and reselling it.
Gigaclear describes its wholesale model as one where partner ISPs operate their own IP delivery infrastructure, including IP addressing, access control, interconnection and billing, with Gigaclear handing customer traffic over to the partner ISP.
For every Gigabit IQ customer connected through the Gigaclear network, we therefore have to consider the complete cost of delivering and supporting that customer’s broadband service.
That includes the initial connection, monthly wholesale access, backhaul, internet connectivity, equipment, billing, customer support and the operational resources required to manage faults and network incidents.
There is an important distinction to make about Gigaclear’s wholesale installation charges.
The £125 + VAT (£150 including VAT) installation charge does not apply to every customer joining Gigabit IQ over the Gigaclear network.
Where a property already has an active Gigaclear connection and a customer is switching broadband provider, the wholesale activation or migration cost can be considerably lower. This allows us to offer the more typical connection and activation pricing customers would expect when switching provider.
The particular commercial challenge arises when a new customer requires a new Gigaclear connection to be installed at their property for the first time.
For those new connections, Gigaclear’s published standard residential wholesale installation charge is:
£125 + VAT — £150 including VAT.
That means Gigabit IQ can face a £150 wholesale installation cost before we have provided the customer’s router, internet connectivity, backhaul, support or any of the additional services included within our proposition.
Why does this matter?
The issue becomes particularly significant when an independent ISP such as Gigabit IQ is competing for a new customer against Gigaclear’s own retail operation.
Gigaclear frequently markets retail broadband packages where installation is included or no separate standard installation charge is advertised to the customer.
An independent ISP using the same underlying Gigaclear fibre network can therefore face a £125 + VAT wholesale installation charge for connecting that new property, while competing against a retail offer from the network owner where the customer may not face an equivalent upfront installation charge.
That makes the economics of acquiring a completely new customer considerably more difficult.
It also makes our value proposition harder to explain to customers.
Gigabit IQ can provide much more than the underlying broadband connection — including managed Wi-Fi, enhanced customer support, CyberGuard+, FamilyGuard+ and the Gigabit IQ App — but we still have to account for the underlying cost of getting the customer connected in the first place.
Existing Gigaclear customers wanting to switch are different
This distinction is particularly important for customers who already have a Gigaclear connection and are considering switching to Gigabit IQ.
Our review does not mean that every existing Gigaclear customer wanting to switch to Gigabit IQ would incur a £150 installation charge.
Where the existing fibre connection can be transferred or activated without requiring a completely new installation, the underlying wholesale charge can be substantially lower.
That means switching an existing connected property can remain commercially viable in circumstances where installing a completely new Gigaclear connection may not be.
Our concern is therefore particularly focused on the economics of acquiring new customers who require a new physical connection on the Gigaclear network, rather than simply transferring customers whose Gigaclear connection is already in place.
Gigaclear wholesale pricing vs Gigaclear retail pricing
One of the more challenging aspects of the model is that Gigaclear operates both the underlying fibre network and its own retail broadband provider.
Independent ISPs purchasing wholesale access can therefore find themselves competing for customers with the same company from which they purchase the underlying network connection.
Independent broadband publication ThinkBroadband highlighted this issue in August 2026 when examining Gigaclear’s wholesale pricing and the decisions by other ISPs to stop accepting new customers over the network.
ThinkBroadband calculated the VAT-inclusive wholesale costs at the time as:
200Mbps – £30 per month + £150 setup
400Mbps – £32.40 per month + £150 setup
600Mbps – £34.80 per month + £150 setup
1Gbps – £42 per month + £150 setup
Importantly, those figures represent the underlying wholesale service.
ThinkBroadband also noted that the wholesale prices do not include the ISP’s own internet connectivity and transit costs.
An independent ISP therefore has to add those costs, together with equipment, billing, support and its wider operating costs, before it can provide a complete retail broadband service.
At the same time, Gigaclear can offer promotional retail prices directly to new customers.
That creates a difficult commercial environment for an independent ISP trying to offer an alternative service over the same physical network.
Why can Gigabit IQ cost more on the Gigaclear network?
This is something customers quite reasonably ask us.
Gigabit IQ works with a number of wholesale fibre network providers.
Our underlying costs are not the same across every network.
Where we have access to wholesale networks with lower underlying costs, we can pass much more of that benefit on to our customers.
On the Gigaclear network, our pricing has generally needed to be higher because the underlying cost of delivering the service to us is higher.
It is not because we are attempting to make a substantially larger margin from Gigaclear customers.
The opposite can often be true.
Once the underlying network costs have been paid, we still have to provide the internet connectivity, equipment, billing, technical support and customer service required to deliver the complete broadband service.
What do Gigabit IQ customers get beyond their broadband connection?
Gigabit IQ’s objective has never been simply to resell an internet connection.
We believe broadband should be smarter, safer and more supportive.
Depending on the package selected, Gigabit IQ customers can access services including:
Managed Wi-Fi
Rather than simply providing a router and leaving customers to manage their own home network, we can actively help customers understand, manage and optimise their home Wi-Fi.
Gigabit IQ App
Our customer platform brings broadband services, support and additional Gigabit IQ services together. Check out new features on the Gigabit IQ App.
CyberGuard+
CyberGuard+ provides whole-home network cybersecurity designed to help protect connected devices across the home.
This is particularly important as homes increasingly contain smart TVs, cameras, speakers, gaming devices and other connected equipment which may not have traditional antivirus software installed.
FamilyGuard+
FamilyGuard+ provides advanced parental controls and online-safety capabilities designed to help families manage children’s internet access and connected devices.
These services are part of our wider approach to broadband: Speed you need. Safety you trust.
Switch from Gigaclear today, enter your postcode and get a differentiated service experience at predictable pricing, without the price hikes: https://gigabitiq.com
More Gigaclear customers are asking us about switching
We are increasingly receiving enquiries from existing Gigaclear retail customers asking whether they can switch from Gigaclear to Gigabit IQ, including through the One Touch Switch process.
Some customers approaching us have done so after changes in the price they are being asked to pay for their existing broadband service.
Gigaclear’s published October 2026 promotional terms currently state that after an 18-month minimum term, customers revert to the existing-customer list price applicable at that time.
At the time of publication, Gigaclear states its existing-customer list prices as:
300Mbps – £51 per month
600Mbps – £63 per month
900Mbps – £88 per month
Promotional prices available to new Gigaclear customers can, of course, be different.
Gigabit IQ’s approach has been different.
We have not built automatic mid-contract price increases into our current broadband packages.
When customers approach the end of their minimum term, our objective is to offer an appropriate competitive renewal rather than simply rely on a substantially higher out-of-contract price. Switch Now!
Network support and Gigaclear outages also carry a cost
The commercial issue is not limited to installation and monthly wholesale charges.
Over the past year, Gigabit IQ’s technical and customer-service teams have spent substantial time investigating and escalating Gigaclear network outages and service issues affecting customers whose broadband is delivered over the Gigaclear network.
There have been different types of incident.
Some have involved a recurring technical issue within the Gigaclear wholesale network service. Gigaclear has escalated that issue to its network equipment vendor for further investigation.
Other outages have involved separate physical infrastructure faults within the Gigaclear network, including fibre and network equipment.
Where does responsibility for these faults sit?
We want to be particularly clear about this.
Where these incidents have involved Gigaclear’s wholesale network service or physical Gigaclear infrastructure, the underlying network fault has been within the Gigaclear network rather than within Gigabit IQ’s own network, our customer platform, customers’ routers or their home Wi-Fi.
However, because the customer receives their broadband service from Gigabit IQ, we remain responsible for supporting them.
Our team therefore has to monitor affected services, investigate reports, identify patterns, communicate with customers, escalate incidents to Gigaclear and continue following the fault until the underlying network service is restored.
Where the fault is within Gigaclear’s physical network, the repair itself has to be undertaken by Gigaclear or its appointed network contractors.
Those activities create a real operational and support cost for Gigabit IQ.
What happens when an outage is restored within Gigaclear’s wholesale SLA?
Gigaclear’s published residential wholesale service level provides a target restoration period of up to three working days.
Gigaclear has advised us that the recent recorded incidents affecting our wholesale service were restored within the applicable timeframe and therefore did not qualify for wholesale service credits.
This means an independent ISP can incur considerable technical, customer-service and operational costs investigating and managing repeated incidents without receiving a wholesale service credit from the underlying network provider.
Other ISPs have also reviewed their Gigaclear position
Gigabit IQ is not the first independent ISP to reconsider accepting new customers over the Gigaclear network.
In August 2026, ThinkBroadband and ISP Review reported that Squirrel Internet and Exascale had stopped accepting new customers over Gigaclear.
ThinkBroadband reported that existing Squirrel customers on the network were unaffected.
We do not comment on the individual commercial relationships or experiences of other ISPs.
However, the independent reporting provides useful background to some of the challenges facing ISPs purchasing wholesale access while competing in the same market with the network owner’s retail operation.
Read the ThinkBroadband report → Gigaclear resellers end wholesale relationships over conflict of interest with own retail brand | thinkbroadband
Read the ISP Review report → Conflict of Interest Over Gigaclear’s Wholesale Broadband Sees Two UK ISPs Exit – ISPreview UK
This review applies to Gigaclear only
This is an important distinction.
Gigabit IQ is not withdrawing from wholesale broadband.
We work with a number of wholesale FTTP network providers operating separate fibre networks across different areas.
We continue to accept and support customers through our other wholesale network partners.
Our current review relates specifically to the commercial viability of accepting new customers over the Gigaclear wholesale network.
It does not represent a change to Gigabit IQ’s broader wholesale strategy.
Where more than one fibre network is available at a property, we will naturally favour the network that allows us to provide the strongest combination of:
Price + Reliability + Service + Support
That ultimately benefits the customer.
Are existing Gigabit IQ customers on Gigaclear affected?
No.
There is no proposal to stop supporting existing Gigabit IQ customers whose broadband is delivered over the Gigaclear network.
The current review concerns new customer acquisition only.
Existing customers will continue to receive their Gigabit IQ service and our team will continue to support them.
What happens next?
No final decision has yet been made regarding new Gigaclear orders.
However, when we consider the £125 + VAT installation charge, ongoing wholesale access costs, backhaul, IP connectivity, internet transit, equipment, customer support, network incident management and the other costs required to provide the complete service, we have to determine whether acquiring further customers over the network remains commercially sustainable.
We believe customers deserve transparency about why broadband prices differ between networks and about the underlying costs involved in providing their service.
We will update customers when our review has concluded.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I still switch from Gigaclear to Gigabit IQ?
Gigabit IQ is actively switching existing customers from Gigaclear to Gigabit IQ daily, particularly those customers that are faced with high end of contract renewal prices due to Gigaclear’s existing customer pricing policy. Customers can take advantage of One Touch Switch to seamlessly migrate from Gigaclear to Gigabit IQ, with same day activation.
Is Gigabit IQ withdrawing from other wholesale broadband networks?
No. The review relates specifically to new orders over the Gigaclear wholesale network. Gigabit IQ continues to work with other wholesale FTTP network providers.
Why can Gigabit IQ broadband cost more over Gigaclear?
Wholesale costs differ considerably between networks. In addition to Gigaclear’s wholesale charges, Gigabit IQ has to provide backhaul, internet connectivity, equipment, billing, technical support, customer service and other elements required to deliver the complete broadband service.
What happens to existing Gigabit IQ customers on the Gigaclear network?
Existing customers are unaffected by the new-order review. Gigabit IQ will continue to provide and support their broadband services.
Can I use One Touch Switch to leave Gigaclear?
Customers can use the UK’s One Touch Switch process when moving between eligible broadband providers. Whether Gigabit IQ can accept a new order will depend on the premise to be ready for service under the wholesale provider Gigabit IQ supports including Gigaclear.
Does Gigabit IQ use other fibre networks?
Yes. Gigabit IQ works with multiple wholesale FTTP network providers. The current review relates specifically to new customer orders delivered over the Gigaclear network.
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