Choosing a Broadband Supplier – Top Tips

   

Broadband uptake in the UK has surged in 2007 – the latest Ofcom statistics show that over 15 million of us have now converted to high speed internet access, and as competition between suppliers grows each day, prices are coming down – fast.

However, you shouldn’t necessarily go for the cheapest deal, as there are many more factors which should be considered when choosing a broadband supplier. Here are some of our own broadband supplier tips.

1. Roughly 4 in 10 broadband connections are made via a customer’s existing phone or internet provider. This may be convenient, but it may not be the best deal. It is worth shopping around and finding out exactly what you get for your money.
2. Standard broadband starts at 1 or 2Mb – a great bandwidth improvement on dial-up. This is great for fast web and email access, but not really sufficient for downloading video or for online gaming for example. Most providers now provide broadband speeds of 2Mb, 4Mb and 8Mb (or more). Of course, the monthly price will reflect this. It is worth working out what you will use broadband for, and choosing a speed appropriate to your needs.
3. Some broadband suppliers will put a “cap” on your broadband download usage. In other words, you will be given a monthly limit for the amount of web pages and other applications you use. This is fine if you’re not a high web user, but pretty useless if you use the Internet all day, every day for business and pleasure. You should certainly find out if your package offers “unlimited” downloads or not before signing up.
4. Packages – more and more suppliers are also offering unlimited (or almost unlimited) national phone calls as part of their broadband package. For a small monthly fee, you can call anywhere in the UK. Clearly, this is worth looking into as you can kill two birds with one stone – much faster internet access and lower phone calls (especially if you’re a business user). Sky, Virgin Media, and other companies also offer "3 in 1" deals which combine digital TV, telephone and broadband.
5. Equipment – although most equipment is now standardised (a broadband modem and microfilters for your phone sockets), some suppliers will only provide support if they have supplied the equipment. With other suppliers, you can order your own modem and microfilters from a wide range of suppliers on the web. Virgin Media provide the connection via a cable into your property.
6. Contract – most broadband suppliers will insist on a 12 or 18 month contract, which should be fine for most people. If you are concerned about being locked in on an annual basis, there are a small number of suppliers who provide a monthly rolling contract. Make sure you know how long your contract is for, as if you leave early, you may have to pay the full amount until the end of the contracted term.
7. Other Features – alongside broadband provision, virtually all suppliers will also offer web space, email addresses, spam & firewall protection. Ask for full details of these “extras” if they are of interest to you, although in practice these days you will be offered far more free web and mail addresses than you’ll ever need.
8. Web Resources – alongside a wealth of pretty useless broadband information sites out there, there are some real gems. Some broadband portals allow their visitors to “rate” their current supplier’s service, and provide reviews. We have compiled a list of handy broadband resources. You can also read our "beginners guide to broadband".
9. Compare Broadband Suppliers - There are a wide number of broadband comparison engines on the web which will help you compare broadband providers. Using these tools will save you time and quite possibly money as well.