In short: Hospitality Wi-Fi from BT starts with free guest Wi-Fi that runs separately from your EPOS and business network. Larger venues can extend coverage with Complete Wi-Fi Plus or Cisco Meraki access points through BT Business Ultra or BTnet. 4G backup on the EE Business network keeps card payments running if the line fails.
Two networks: guests and business
The most important rule in hospitality Wi-Fi is separation. Guests should never be on the same network as your tills, card terminals, booking system or CCTV.
BT says all its business broadband products include free guest Wi-Fi that runs separately from your business Wi-Fi. Guests get online; your business devices stay out of sight. Two limits matter in hospitality: on the Essential, Enhanced and Pro packages, BT's terms cap hub guest Wi-Fi at 13 users at a time, and guests connect through the hub itself rather than through extra Wi-Fi devices. A busy bar or a hotel usually needs managed access points for guests. On top of that:
- Content Controls restrict the categories of website people can reach on your connection. BT ships them switched off, so they must be activated, which we can do during set-up.
- Web Threat Protect warns about or blocks dangerous sites. Like Content Controls, it is off until you switch it on.
- BT Business Ultra goes further, with a cloud-managed Cisco Meraki security device, intrusion detection and prevention, and content filtering that can block more than 70 categories of website.
More on BT's options is on our BT business broadband security page.
Coverage for every room, bar and garden
A single router behind the bar rarely reaches upstairs rooms, the function room or the beer garden. BT has several ways to extend coverage:
| Option | What it gives you | Suits |
|---|---|---|
| BT Business Smart Hub | Wi-Fi from the router, plus free guest Wi-Fi for up to 13 users at a time | Small cafés and single-room venues |
| Complete Wi-Fi Plus (add-on) | Extra Wi-Fi devices that extend the hub's signal, with BT's six-month guarantee covering the main building at your site | Pubs and restaurants with dead spots |
| BT Business Pro | Complete Wi-Fi Plus, Wi-Fi Security Controls and Prompt Care as standard | Busy venues that want coverage and faster fixes in one package |
| BT Business Ultra | Up to three Cisco Meraki access points with a Meraki security device, 4G backup and Prompt Care, managed from the cloud | Larger restaurants, small hotels and venues that want tighter security |
| BTnet Wi-Fi | Up to five Meraki access points on a BTnet leased line | Hotels and large venues on a dedicated line |
Note that BT's Complete Wi-Fi guarantees cover only the main building, not outbuildings or extra sites, so a separate annexe, lodges or a garden bar may need their own access points. For hotels with many rooms and floors, a full wireless survey is the right starting point; our sister company handles Cisco Meraki Wi-Fi designs and site surveys. Compare everything on BT business Wi-Fi.
Keeping EPOS and card payments running
A Saturday night outage can mean a queue of customers who can't pay. Hybrid Backup, included on BT's Enhanced package and available as an option on Pro, switches your connection to the EE Business 4G network automatically if the fixed line fails. Ultra includes its own 4G backup on the EE Business network.
Larger hotels and venues with heavy guest use may outgrow shared broadband. BTnet is BT's dedicated leased line, with symmetrical speeds of up to 10Gbps and a BT-stated 100% availability SLA; see broadband vs leased line. Where full fibre is available, BT business full fibre reaches up to 900Mbps, which helps when many guests stream at once.
Keep tills, card terminals and kitchen screens on the business network, and check with your payment and EPOS suppliers how their devices fail over.
Booking lines and phones
Missed calls are missed bookings. Moving your phones to a digital or cloud service means calls can ring on several handsets, follow staff around the building and go to voicemail or a menu when everyone is busy.
- A BT digital phone line keeps a single booking number working after the copper network closes.
- BT Cloud Phone is BT's plug-and-play option for small teams that all need the same features.
- BT Cloud Voice and Digital Voice for Business (on its Enhanced and Extra packages) add hunt groups and auto attendants, so callers can choose bookings, events or accounts.
BT Group plans to retire the PSTN by 31 January 2027, so lift lines, fire and intruder alarm diallers and older card terminals on copper lines need checking too. See our PSTN switch-off guide and alarm and special lines. Digital lines don't work in a power cut, so think about how bookings will reach you during one.
Groups and multiple venues
Pub groups, restaurant chains and hotel groups want the same Wi-Fi experience and the same support at every site. BT offers multi-site broadband with a self-service portal, and Meraki-based options let you manage Wi-Fi and security for every venue from one dashboard. We coordinate orders and installs across the estate; see multi-site connectivity and retail broadband for a similar roll-out approach. Opening a new site? Our moving premises guide covers notice periods.
How we help hospitality venues
- We walk through your venue: rooms, floors, outdoor areas, EPOS, booking system and anything still on a copper line.
- We check what BT can provide at your address, from full fibre to BTnet.
- We recommend a package, a Wi-Fi option and a phone set-up, with backup for card payments.
- We activate guest Wi-Fi and Content Controls, move your numbers and stay your point of contact for faults and renewals.
Contact us and ask us for a quote for one venue or a group.
Why buy BT through Forever Communications
Forever Communications Ltd is a BT Business Partner, supplying BT Business connectivity, voice and mobile services to UK organisations. You get BT's network with a named team who knows your account.
- Impartial advice on the right BT product for each site, from Essential, Enhanced, Pro and Ultra business broadband to BTnet and BT Ethernet
- One point of contact for availability checks, orders, installations, moves, upgrades, faults and renewals
- Ready for the PSTN switch-off: digital phone lines, SoGEA, BT Cloud Voice, BT Cloud Phone and Digital Voice for Business, with your numbers kept where possible
- Multi-site and sector know-how for schools, GP surgeries, retailers, hospitality venues and growing offices
- Mobile and security too: EE Business mobiles from BT Group, Hybrid Backup on the EE Business 4G network, and BT security options alongside our wider Cyber Essentials help
We sell to businesses, schools, charities and public sector organisations. We do not sell consumer or home products.
Want a BT Business quote for your sites?
Tell Forever Communications what you need and we will come back to you by email with options, not a hard sell.
Contact usFrequently asked questions
How do I set up guest Wi-Fi for a pub or restaurant?
BT business broadband includes free guest Wi-Fi that runs as a separate network from your business Wi-Fi. Turn on Content Controls to restrict the sites guests can reach and keep tills on the business network. The hub's guest Wi-Fi is limited to 13 users at a time, so busier venues add Meraki access points, and Complete Wi-Fi Plus can fill dead spots in the main building.
What is the best Wi-Fi for a small hotel?
Small hotels usually need more than one router can provide, and more guest connections than the hub's 13-user guest Wi-Fi allows. BT Business Ultra includes up to three Cisco Meraki access points with a Meraki firewall, and BTnet Wi-Fi offers up to five on a leased line. Larger hotels benefit from a full wireless survey and design.
Should guest Wi-Fi be separate from EPOS?
Yes. Card terminals, tills and booking systems should never share a network with guests. BT's guest Wi-Fi is kept separate from business Wi-Fi for this reason.
What happens to card payments if the broadband fails?
With Hybrid Backup, included on BT's Enhanced package and available on Pro, your connection switches to the EE Business 4G network automatically, so payments that rely on your broadband can carry on while BT fixes the fault.
Does Complete Wi-Fi cover beer gardens and outbuildings?
BT's Complete Wi-Fi Guarantee lasts six months and covers the main building at your site, not outbuildings or extra sites. Gardens, annexes and lodges may need their own access points, which a wireless survey will identify.