Earlier this month, TalkTalk entered administration, and now BT has agreed to acquire the brand. The deal brings together two established names in the UK broadband market and millions of customers. Beyond the scale of the deal, it also raises questions about TalkTalk customers joining the BT Group and how closely they resemble BT’s existing base.
YouGov data reveals how BT and TalkTalk customers compare, from their demographic profiles and broadband priorities to perceptions of the acquisition.
How do BT and TalkTalk customers compare by generation?
The generational profiles of the two customer bases are relatively similar. Both brands over-index among older consumers, with Baby Boomers accounting for 40% of TalkTalk customers and 38% of BT customers (compared with 31% of the wider population). Gen X represents 24% of TalkTalk customers and 26% of BT customers (and 26% of Britons overall).
Younger generations make up smaller shares of both customer bases and also under-index against the wider population. Gen Z accounts for 14% of both brands’ consumers, while Millennials represent 15% of TalkTalk customers and 17% of BT customers.
While the acquisition will increase BT’s customer numbers across generations, the similar demographic profiles of the two customer bases suggest the overall generational breakdown is likely to remain relatively consistent.
What motivates BT and TalkTalk customers when choosing a broadband provider?
Differences between the two customer groups become more pronounced when looking at the factors that influence their choice of internet provider.
While half (51%) of TalkTalk customers cite having the cheapest prices overall as a motivator, this falls to 37% among BT’s users. TalkTalk’s consumers are also more likely than BT’s to cite having the best special offers (22% vs. 13%).
Connection quality shows the reverse pattern. More than two-fifths (44%) of BT customers cite factors such as speed as a motivator for the choice of provider compared with 27% of TalkTalk’s users.
Price and quality are not the only areas of difference. Nearly one in five TalkTalk internet users (19%) also cite having other services, such as telephone, TV or mobile, with their internet provider, compared with just one in ten (10%) of those with BT broadband.
However, there are areas of similarity. For instance, around a quarter of TalkTalk (28%) and BT (25%) customers say that being used to their provider and not wanting or being bothered to change shapes their choice, compared with 19% of broadband consumers overall.
How do BT and TalkTalk customers compare on value and quality?
Differences between the two brands are also reflected in how their customers perceive them.
Using YouGov BrandIndex metrics in Profiles reveals that similar proportions of TalkTalk (18%) and BT (16%) customers associate their respective providers with positive Value. However, Quality tells a different story. Among BT broadband users, 29% associate the brand with positive Quality, compared with 19% for TalkTalk.
What do British consumers think about BT’s TalkTalk acquisition?
Recent survey data conducted by YouGov’s Digital, Media, and Technology team about the public’s views of the acquisition finds that 37% of British adults are aware that BT has agreed to a deal to buy TalkTalk, while 63% are not.
When asked whether the acquisition would be good or bad for broadband customers, 20% say it would be good, compared with 16% who say it would be bad. However, more do not take either position, with 36% saying the deal would be neither good nor bad and 29% not knowing.
YouGov’s data shows that three quarters (77%) of TalkTalk customers have been with the brand for more than two years, while just 6% joined within the past year.
Against this backdrop, views about becoming a BT customer are divided. Similar proportions of people currently getting their broadband from TalkTalk would feel positive about becoming a BT customer (26%) as would feel negative (24%). A further 39% say they would feel neither positive nor negative.
For BT, the acquisition brings a customer base that is demographically similar in several respects, but places greater emphasis on price and value. With many TalkTalk customers expressing no strong positive or negative view about becoming BT customers, perceptions may continue to develop as the acquisition progresses.
Methodology
YouGov Profiles is based on continuously collected data through rolling surveys, rather than a single limited questionnaire. Figures are drawn from responses collected between September 2025 and October 2026, using a 52-week dataset updated weekly. Data is nationally representative of adults (18+) in Great Britain and weighted by age, gender, region, education, and social grade.
YouGov Surveys: Serviced provides quick survey results from nationally representative or targeted audiences in multiple markets. This study was conducted online between 5-6 October 2026, with a nationally representative sample of 2,146 adults (aged 18+ years) in Great Britain, using a questionnaire designed by YouGov. Data figures have been weighted by age, gender, education, region and social grade to be representative of all adults in Great Britain (18 years or older) and reflect the latest ONS population estimates.
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