Are You Paying Too Much For Broadband?

What is the difference between one Broadband provider or another?

Broadband companies each have their own individual deals. How do you know if you are getting the best one?

Most companies are boasting up to 8 meg in the uk at varying prices.

The first tip is, don't get hung up on the speed. Most companies can't deliver the full 8 meg and you end up with about 2-4 meg. The speed is all to do with your BT line. (ADSL only).

Quality of service depends on the length of your line from the exchange, the type of cable used, the condition of your house wiring and also interference in your area. This is not a complete list, but these are the most common problems.

If you get 2MB broadband in your home from a particular broadband service provider, then that is all you are going to get with any service provider, because they have no control over your BT line condition. So if you are thinking of switching provider in search of a higher speed, DON'T! It won't make any difference. Unless you go to cable broadband from Virgin Media. It works differently from ADSL broadband.

If you are thinking of changing provider because of price, customer service, etc., then read on. Try this award winning ADSL provider. Best package for average user is £9.99 per month.

A major consideration is the price. Monthly broadband prices can range between £10-£25. What are you actually getting for your money?

Firstly, we have established you are not going to get any extra speed. So what else is there that you can compare service providers with?

The most important thing for me is customer service. If for some reason, your broadband fails. What do you do? You ring the helpdesk. Things to consider are:

Are you being charged a hefty call charge? Some providers charge £1 per minute.

How long does it take to get through to speak to someone? Some helpdesks hold you in a queue for 15 minutes. Not good if you paying are £1 per minute!

Can you understand the helpdesk advisor? Most helpdesks aren't local and to save money some companies use helpdesks in other parts of the world. It is hard enough to understand differences in accents in your own country, never mind one at the other side of the world.

Do you get anything free. eg. Wireless router, telephone calls.

Most companies these days are competitive enough to supply you with a free router. They normally tie you into a one year contract to recover the costs. Other companies offer you free telephone calls or unlimited download usage. But do you really need unlimited download usage? The average person surfing the internet uses less than 1Gb usage per month. Even if you go over a couple of times, the worst thing that can happen is that your service provider sends you a letter telling you they are going to move you into the next monthly payment band.

If you are changing provider and don't need a new router, look for a cheaper deal without a free router. If you are a normal surfer, not an online game player or don't want to be tied to a one year contract, then try Plusnet.

They are an award winning broadband service provider with packages starting from £9.99. They are the only provider that I would recommend so far. I'll keep looking!!

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