There has never been a better time for you to shop around for the best deal. With so many players on the market, broadband suppliers fiercely compete for your commitment to their packages.
Once you have established what your Internet needs are then you can take your pick. You should take into account price, speed, restrictions and customer service as a guide when choosing the best bargain. The battle of broadband does have its casualties though - some deals out there are total rip-offs.
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When you are shopping around for the best package you should always do your research thoroughly. Also read the small print properly as penalties or lengthy contracts may apply and many companies are strict in enforcing this.
What’s the Deal?
Deals with rock bottom prices normally tie you in for a lengthy period of time and 12 month contracts are now commonplace. Should you choose to switch supplier you may find you are stuck with a hefty cancellation fee.
If you are prepared to commit to a longer period then seek out a bargain. See how much you can save with TalkTalk over B.T. if you are prepared to take out an 18-month contract.
| Provider |
18-month broadband contract | |
| B.T. Option One |
£161.91 |
| TalkTalk |
Free* |
| You save |
£161.91 |
*If you take TalkTalk as your phone provider and have a BT line
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But I’m moving soon...
If you are likely to move in the future and you are a very light user of the internet then it could make sense to choose a ’pay as you go’ deal. ’Pay as you go’ is similar to a dial-up connection in that you pay by the minute spent online.
Some providers, e.g. boltblue, offer an alternative option which is an open-ended ’no ties’ contract that can be cancelled from month to month without penalty, though you will pay more for the added flexibility.
’Free’ broadband packages can be a rip-off as they normally require you to accept other services that can turn out to be expensive. The jury is out on the best seller of recent months - Talk Talk’s ’free broadband forever’ deal (Talktalk 3). On the plus side the broadband is free ’forever’ allegedly and the phone charges probably won’t cost you more than the BT Option One plan, again allegedly!
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To Talktalk or not to Talktalk?
The potential downside is that you have to accept their telephone service and a lengthy 18-month contract. If you choose to cancel early there’s a £70 disconnection fee (though this is not unusual for the industry). The monthly costs add up to £19.99 including your phone line rental at £11 (which you pay to talktalk not BT) and monthly Talk3 phone charges at £8.99 (nor more if you take the international option).
For that, you get unlimited UK landline calls at any time plus free broadband. Check the contract because if you call a lot of mobiles - some of the per-minute fees are high by comparison to other deals. With some providers you may have to pay for the cost of the modem and/or micro-filters to allow or improve connection.
I cannot see where the hidden costs of this service lie, so it may be that, unless they put their prices for calls up in a year’s time, there aren’t any. But what I have heard is that Talktalk’s customer service department has been swamped by demand since the launch of the free broadband offer in April.
This has led to some proper cock-ups as people have waited aons for their service to be connected and to work properly. Is there still a customer service problem? My editor has taken the plunge so you will be hearing about it if any thing goes wrong, I can assure you of that!
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’Cheap’ broadband... extra costs
You should be aware that many broadband providers restrict or ’cap’ the amount you download a month. If you opt for bigger download limits, they often have higher prices. Upload speeds and limits may also be important for you if you plan to maintain a website. The price of technical support can cost and some ’hotlines’ are a rip-off as they charge premium rates, for example, Wanadoo charges 50p per minute and Toucan 30p.
Also watch for extra costs from some providers if you don’t choose an unlimited access package. You will have to pay for extra usage which can cost as much as £16 a month more.
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Pick of the best broadband deals
’Which’ recommended top broadband deals. ’Which’ surveyed over 15,000 members and found Waitrose came out on top for the second year. It was best for reliability, value for money and a free helpline. Zen and Global also scored high for speed and customer satisfaction. See how much you can save on a best buy deal.
| Provider |
Speed |
Monthly Cost |
Features | |
| Waitrose |
8Mb |
£18.99 |
3 months free trial |
| AOL platinum |
8Mb |
£29.99 |
No download restrictions apply |
| You save |
£189 over 12 months |
You should take advantage of the broadband boom and keep ahead of the market if you need to switch. Check what strings are attached to so called ’free’ packages and always read the terms and conditions.
Compare different broadband deals here
