Using Broadband Backup

If you have a fault, we recommend you report it online at bt.com. You can also phone us to speak to an advisor.

If you buy your fibre broadband and BT Mobile on the same account and have reported an eligible broadband fault, Broadband Backup will be automatically activated for all BT Mobile SIMs on that account. If you've shared your Halo benefits with any other BT Mobile customers living in your home, they'll get Broadband Backup too.

Switched on:
We’ll send a text message to confirm activation to all SIM users on the same account as your Halo broadband and those you've shared your benefits with. We’ll also send an email to the primary account contact.

You’ll also be able to see that the service is active on the My BT app and the fault tracker on BT.com. Your data usage will be frozen and you won’t be using any of your monthly inclusive allowance.

Switching off:
Once the fault is fixed, we’ll send a text message to all SIM users on Broadband Backup to confirm that Broadband Backup will be switched off overnight. If you've been using your phone as a hotspot, please reconnect all your devices to your BT Hub and turn off your hotspot to avoid any unexpected charges.

Switched off:
When Broadband Backup has been switched off, we'll send a text message to all SIM users and an email to the primary account contact as before. Please make sure you've reconnected all your devices to your BT Hub and each SIM user has turned off their hotspot to avoid incurring unexpected charges.

You'll also be able to see that the service is no longer active on the My BT app and the fault tracker on BT.com. You'll be using your monthly data allowance as usual.

You can connect your home devices, such as laptops or tablets, to your mobile phone using tethering, which is also called a personal hotspot.

Learn how you can use your mobile as a personal hotspot >

BT Mobile parental controls and BT Broadband parental controls are controlled separately. You can also customise each BT Mobile on your account to access different levels of content if you wish.

You may like to check the controls you have set up for your home broadband and the BT Mobiles in your household to make sure you’re happy with the level of access that everyone has. Learn more:

BT Mobile parental controls >

BT Broadband parental controls >

If you want to change the parental controls on your Mini Hub, you can do this on the Halo page on bt.com. The Mini Hub setting defaults to light.

No, Broadband Backup doesn’t work outside the UK. Data won't be free. Different countries charge differently for calls, texts and data. These are known as roaming charges. Check the costs of using BT Mobile abroad >

If any SIM user returns to the UK while we're working on your fault, they'll then be able to use Broadband Backup until the fault is fixed.

Broadband Backup relies on BT Mobile network coverage, so its performance might vary based on your location.

Please use the coverage checker for a good idea of the coverage you can expect in your area. Don't forget you can also use your free mobile data on the move, so you can benefit when you're away from home too.

If your broadband is down you can still use the BT TV and BT Sport apps to watch TV. Freeview channels will still work on your BT TV set top box during a fault.

Make sure you have your mobile data turned on in the BT TV app if you can't connect to BT Wi-fi and are using Broadband Backup. To turn on data usage in the TV app, go to Menu then Settings and then switch Stream Using Data to ON.

IMPORTANT: We usually advise you to switch off mobile data to use the TV and sport apps, so make sure you switch this off again when Broadband Backup is switched off.

You won't be able to watch catch-up TV, non-Freeview channels or use the BT Store on your TV during a broadband fault.

The BT Store will be accessible on BT.com so you can access the TV service - except Sky Cinema, movies and music - in your web browser. This means if you tether your laptop to your mobile, you can watch TV on the laptop during your fault.

You can track your fault by visiting our fault tracker on mybt.com >

We'll also send you confirmation when the fault has been fixed.