Broadband Buyers Guide

Buying a broadband service can be quite confusing, internet service providers (ISP) offer a whole range of services from internet access through to digital television, telephone, and sometimes the jargon is can be a little confusing.
This guide is aimed at distilling some of the relevant information :

Broadband Price :

The first thing you need to consider when shopping for a broadband package is of course what your budget is. Broadband packages can range from anywhere as cheap as £8 to as much as £50 a month if you are bundling television and digital TV in your package.

A lot of broadband providers are also providing offers where the first two months subscription are completely free, so it is worth comparing broadband deals and seeing what’s on offer in your area.

Broadband Usage :

The next thing you need to consider is what your usage is likely to be. If all you are doing is posting on Facebook, checking emails and doing some browsing, then really you do not need the fastest internet connection around. In fact an internet connection of just 2 Mbps is more than adequate for that.

If however you know you download tons of media, everything from music to video, and perhaps do some file sharing, then you may want to consider a faster connection.

Broadband Availability :

So you have chosen a package, you now need to know whether the ISP is able to connect to your location. Use our broadband postcode checker, that will let you know who provides services to your area, simply by entering your post code. Really if you live in an urban area, then it is not to much of a concern. If however you live in a more rural or remote area, then it will definitely need to be something you think about.

Broadband Equipment :

Most people have multiple devices that they use to connect to the internet, these days its not uncommon, for people to have a phone, a laptop and a desktop, all of which they would like to connect to the internet from a single access point.If you are looking to do that, then you will need a wireless router. Many ISP’s now bundle these devices with the connection, and it is worth checking into whether the package you are looking at also offers this as an added bonus. If not then it is advisable that you buy one, because they really are simple to set up, and once they are up and running, you can connect all your devices to the internet.

Contract Duration :

Most ISP’s require that you sign up for a minimum 12 month contract, and like with mobile telephones, the longer you sign up for, the cheaper your monthly cost gets. If you want to cancel the contract, the ISP will hit you with a fee, so if you are not sure whether you are going to be at the same address, then it is worth signing up to a contract that is as flexible as you can get.

Some ISPs specialise in providing smaller, more manageable contracts of 3 months which are proving popular with students, people living in rented accommodation and anyone who may not be living at one address for more than a year.

Please Note - All Prices Quoted Are Correct at Time of Posting

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