Yes. Vodafone Broadband uses the Openreach network in many parts of the UK.
However, Vodafone also delivers broadband over the CityFibre network in areas where CityFibre’s Full Fibre infrastructure is available. Which network Vodafone uses depends on your postcode.
Why Does Vodafone Use Openreach and CityFibre?
Vodafone doesn’t operate its own nationwide broadband network. Instead, it partners with network operators that build and maintain the underlying broadband infrastructure.
Across much of the UK, Vodafone delivers broadband using the Openreach network, which is also used by providers such as BT, Sky, EE, TalkTalk, and Plusnet. In areas where CityFibre has deployed its independent Full Fibre network, Vodafone also delivers broadband over CityFibre infrastructure.
For many years, Openreach dominated the UK’s fixed broadband infrastructure. Today, alternative network providers (altnets) such as CityFibre, Hyperoptic, Community Fibre, Gigaclear, YouFibre, and Brsk are investing billions of pounds to build independent Full Fibre networks across the UK.
Vodafone’s partnership with CityFibre allows it to benefit from this growing competition while continuing to provide broadband over the Openreach network where CityFibre isn’t yet available.
Using both networks allows Vodafone to expand its Full Fibre coverage across the UK without building its own nationwide fibre network. It also gives customers more choice, as Openreach and CityFibre often compete in the same towns and cities with different broadband packages, speeds, and pricing.
Because Vodafone has access to both networks, the broadband technology, maximum speeds, and available packages will vary depending on your postcode.
Check Vodafone Broadband Availability
Enter your postcode to see whether Vodafone Broadband is available at your address and find out whether your property is served by the Openreach or CityFibre network.
Does the Network Affect Vodafone Broadband Speeds?
Yes. The broadband network serving your property has a direct impact on the speeds Vodafone can offer.
If your address is connected through Openreach FTTC (Fibre to the Cabinet), fibre optic cables run to a nearby street cabinet before switching to existing copper telephone lines for the final connection. Maximum download speeds are typically up to 80 Mbps, while upload speeds generally reach up to 20 Mbps.
Where Openreach Full Fibre (FTTP) is available, fibre optic cables run directly to your property, providing faster download speeds, significantly higher upload speeds, lower latency, and greater reliability than FTTC. Vodafone currently offers speeds of up to 1.8 Gbps over selected Openreach Full Fibre packages.
In areas served by CityFibre, Vodafone can also offer Full Fibre packages with speeds of up to 2.2 Gbps. Both Openreach FTTP and CityFibre use fibre optic cables directly to the property, but the maximum speeds available depend on the underlying network infrastructure and the Vodafone package you choose.
Many Full Fibre connections also support symmetrical upload and download speeds, making them ideal for video calls, cloud storage, large file transfers, content creation, and households with multiple connected devices. Lower latency also provides a smoother experience for online gaming and other real-time applications.
Advertised maximum speeds are not available everywhere. The fastest Vodafone packages can only be ordered where the underlying Openreach or CityFibre infrastructure supports them, which is why checking your postcode is important before choosing a broadband package.
How Can I Check Which Network Vodafone Uses at My Address?
The easiest way to find out which broadband network Vodafone uses at your property is to enter your postcode into the Vodafone Broadband checker. The results will show whether Vodafone Broadband is available, the packages you can order, and the estimated broadband speeds at your address.
If Vodafone uses the Openreach network, you’ll see the packages available over Openreach infrastructure. If your property is served by CityFibre, you’ll instead see Vodafone packages delivered over the CityFibre network, including faster Full Fibre packages where available.
Openreach and CityFibre have different coverage areas, and availability can vary between nearby postcodes and even neighbouring properties. Running a postcode check is the most accurate way to determine which Vodafone broadband network, technology, speeds, and packages are available where you live.