Independent guide · not a broker, not a supplier
Internet and networks for colleges, universities and skills providers
Janet and Jisc, campus Wi-Fi and eduroam, student accommodation broadband, cyber security, a backup line, and how to buy it all properly — explained plainly, with every fact sourced and dated.
Bandwidth estimator Provider checklist
Checked 25 October 2026 · free to use · no supplier pays to be listed
Who this site is for
- Further education collegesGeneral further education and specialist colleges.
- Sixth-form collegesColleges focused on education for 16 to 19-year-olds.
- UniversitiesCampus networks, research traffic, halls of residence and eduroam.
- Adult & skills providersTraining providers, adult community learning and apprenticeship providers.
Business managers, IT and network managers, finance and procurement teams, and governors. Running a school or a multi-academy trust instead? Broadband for Schools covers the schools’ standards and funding.
Quick checklist
- Know what you needList every site, building and hall of residence that needs connecting
- The service itselfCompare any offer with what your Janet IP connection already gives you
- Resilience & securityHave a second connection of a different type, with automatic failover
- Procurement & contractCheck whether a framework already covers what you’re buying
- Support & exitCompare hardware fix times with what Jisc offers
Key figures
All figuresThe guides
All guidesJanet, Jisc and the basics
On campus
Security & resilience
Bandwidth estimator
How fast a line do you need?
Enter how many users or devices you have, how many are online at the same time, and the Mbps each needs. No UK source gives a per-user figure for colleges or universities, so you enter your own — we don’t fill in made-up defaults. We show the DfE’s FE standard alongside for comparison. Your answers stay in your browser.
Supplier directory
Companies that say they supply colleges and universities with connectivity, campus networks and Wi-Fi, cyber security or student accommodation broadband — 21 listed so far. Filter by service, region and sector. Listings are free, and we show which framework claims we have checked.
Common questions
All questionsDo colleges and universities need a commercial internet provider?
Many connect through Jisc’s Janet network instead. Universities and FE colleges are “Category 1” organisations under the Janet connection policy, and a Janet IP connection is included in Jisc FE and HE membership. Extra bandwidth or a resilience connection costs extra. You may still buy circuits, networks and other services from commercial suppliers.
More: What is Janet, and what does a Janet IP connection include?
How much does Jisc membership cost an FE college?
In England the subscription is linked to the college’s DfE core funding for 16–19 learners and 19–24 trainees. Colleges in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland don’t pay a subscription, because Jisc’s funders cover it.
More: Jisc membership for colleges and universities: what it costs and what’s included
Do we need to run a tender for Jisc membership?
Jisc says not, because it is the UK’s sole national research and education network. It recommends publishing a UK5 procurement transparency notice if the cost is over the relevant threshold. Check this with your own procurement adviser.
More: Jisc membership for colleges and universities: what it costs and what’s included
What speed should an FE college have?
In England, the DfE broadband standard says further education colleges should have capacity for 1Gbps download and upload over full fibre, plus a backup connection of a different type. It is a target for 2030. No UK source we found gives a per-student figure — our bandwidth estimator lets you use your own.
More: Which standards apply to colleges, universities and training providers?