In short: Small business broadband from BT starts with three packages: Essential, Enhanced and Pro. Every package includes a minimum speed guarantee, free guest Wi-Fi and Web Threat Protect. Enhanced adds Hybrid Backup on the EE Business 4G network and a free static IP. Pair it with a digital phone line or BT Cloud Phone, plus EE Business SIMs.
What a small business actually needs
Most small firms are not looking for a network project. They want four things to work every day:
- A reliable internet connection for email, cloud software, card payments and video calls.
- A phone number that customers can reach, which no longer has to be tied to a copper line in the wall.
- Mobiles for people who are out on the road, at clients or working from home.
- Basic protection for staff and visitors using the connection.
BT Business covers all four. The tricky part is choosing between the options, because BT sells several packages and several voice products that overlap. This page sets out a simple path. If you would rather someone did it for you, contact us and we'll recommend a set-up based on your address and the way you work.
Choosing between Essential, Enhanced and Pro
BT's three core BT business broadband packages build on each other. For a small business, the choice usually comes down to how much a lost connection would cost you.
| Package | What it adds | Good fit for |
|---|---|---|
| Essential | Minimum speed guarantee, BT Business Smart Hub, free guest Wi-Fi, Web Threat Protect and Content Controls | Sole traders and small offices that could work from a mobile for a few hours if the line went down |
| Enhanced | Everything in Essential, plus Hybrid Backup on the EE Business 4G network and a free static IP | Shops, salons, surgeries and offices that take card payments or rely on cloud systems all day |
| Pro | Everything in Essential, plus Complete Wi-Fi Plus with guaranteed coverage, Wi-Fi Security Controls, Prompt Care and a free Expert Set Up visit if you choose it when you order. Hybrid Backup and a static IP are available as options | Busy offices where Wi-Fi coverage and quick fixes matter most |
Prompt Care is BT's faster repair level: for faults reported before 21:00, BT aims to fix them by the end of the next working day. On Essential and Enhanced, Standard Care aims for the end of the second working day. We confirm exactly what is in your bundle on the quote.
Where your address has full fibre, BT offers speeds up to 900Mbps; see BT business full fibre. Where it doesn't, BT still provides part fibre (FTTC), increasingly as SoGEA, which is broadband without a traditional phone line.
If security is the priority, for example because you handle customer data or run a busy guest network, BT Business Ultra adds a Cisco Meraki firewall and content filtering. Note that BT does not offer a static IP on Ultra.
Phones: digital lines and BT Cloud Phone
BT Group plans to retire the old copper phone network (the PSTN) by 31 January 2027, and new traditional phone lines stopped being sold nationally on 5 September 2023. That means small businesses are moving their phone numbers onto digital services. Read more in our PSTN switch-off guide.
For a small business there are three common routes:
- A digital phone line. Cloud Voice Express is BT's closest like-for-like swap for a basic analogue business line: you keep a landline-style number and can make and take calls through an app as well as a phone. It suits a firm that just needs its main number to keep working. See BT digital phone lines and the full guide to Cloud Voice Express.
- BT Cloud Phone, which BT describes as its plug-and-play option for small businesses where everyone has the same features. It is the simple choice when every user needs the same set-up.
- Digital Voice for Business, BT's Webex-based calling suite, which BT offers in an 'up to 10 employees' size. Its Enhanced and Extra packages add hunt groups and an auto attendant.
As a team grows past a handful of people and needs different features for different users, BT Cloud Voice becomes the better fit; BT aims it at businesses with five or more users. Our business phone systems page compares every BT option.
Two practical points: older handsets and extensions won't work on a digital line, and digital lines don't work in a power cut. If you have an alarm, a lift line or a card terminal on your current line, check it before you switch.
Mobiles with EE Business
BT Group's business mobile service is EE Business. For a small firm, SIM-only plans for existing phones are often the simplest place to start, with handsets, tablets and mobile broadband available too. Having broadband and mobiles from one BT Business Partner means one point of contact for both. See BT business mobile or our sister company's guide to EE Business for small businesses.
EE Business also sits behind BT's broadband backup: with Hybrid Backup, included on Enhanced and available as an option on Pro, your connection switches to the EE Business 4G network automatically if the fixed line fails.
Keeping staff and visitors safe online
Small businesses are targets for the same scams and malware as large ones, without an IT department to catch them. A few BT features help:
- Free guest Wi-Fi keeps customers and visitors on a separate network from your tills, laptops and printers.
- Web Threat Protect warns about or blocks dangerous websites, and Content Controls restrict the kinds of site people can reach. BT ships both switched off, so they need turning on. We can do that for you during set-up.
- Wi-Fi Security Controls come with Pro, and BT Business Antivirus Protection, powered by McAfee, is available as an add-on on a 12-month minimum term.
More detail is on our BT business broadband security page. If customers or contracts ask you for Cyber Essentials, our sister site Cyber Essentials UK explains the scheme.
A simple set-up path
- Tell us your address, how many people you have and what you use the connection for. We check what BT can provide there, from full fibre to SoGEA.
- We recommend a package (Essential, Enhanced or Pro), a phone option and any EE Business SIMs, and explain the contract terms in plain English.
- We keep your existing numbers wherever they can be moved, and check your current contract end date so you don't pay to leave early. Our guide to switching to BT Business covers this.
- We place the order with BT and keep you updated until go-live.
- After installation, we're still your point of contact for faults, moves and renewals.
Pricing depends on your address, package and contract length, so contact us and ask us for a quote.
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
What is the best BT broadband package for a small business?
It depends on how much downtime you can tolerate. Essential covers the basics with a minimum speed guarantee and guest Wi-Fi. Enhanced adds Hybrid Backup on the EE Business 4G network and a free static IP, which suits businesses that take card payments or rely on cloud systems. Pro adds guaranteed Wi-Fi coverage with Complete Wi-Fi Plus, Wi-Fi Security Controls and Prompt Care, with Hybrid Backup available as an option.
Is business broadband worth it for a small business?
For most small firms, yes. BT Business Broadband includes features a home package usually lacks, such as a minimum speed guarantee, guest Wi-Fi kept separate from your business network, 4G backup and static IP options, and 24/7 business support.
Do I still need a phone line for broadband?
Not necessarily. Full fibre and SoGEA connections deliver broadband without a traditional phone line, and new traditional lines stopped being sold nationally on 5 September 2023. Your phone number can move to a digital line or a cloud phone system instead.
Can I keep my business phone number if I switch to BT?
In most cases, yes. Geographic and non-geographic numbers can usually be moved (ported) to BT's digital voice services. We check your numbers before you order.
What phone system suits a business with fewer than five people?
A digital line such as Cloud Voice Express suits a business that just needs its main number to work. BT Cloud Phone suits small teams where everyone needs the same features, and Digital Voice for Business offers an 'up to 10 employees' option.