Let’s face it, the majority of us don’t really ever give our broadband connection a second thought until the moment it lets us down.
We’re usually far too busy catching up on Twitter, Facebook or other social media, or streaming the latest movie starring our favourite actor/ actress and downloading music.
The broadband connection itself only enters our consciousness when we see the direct debit going out of our bank to pay for it, or if it stutters and stumbles on a regular basis resulting in interrupted or time-lagged viewing, gaming or downloads.
The process of choosing the best broadband provider is generally a tedious one, unless you happen to be really into technical details such as download and upload speeds for their own sakes. But, nonetheless, it pays to get it right when you’re signing up to a contract, to make sure you get the best service at the best price.
So when you’re looking at different providers make sure to think about what you need and want broadband for at home, and look at how you can achieve this as economically as possible. Most people find the most effective solution is to get a TV, calls and broadband bundle from one of the main providers.
For example, Sky broadband comes as part of a package with TV and calls if you have your line rental with Sky too, and at the moment, the first six months of broadband are free of charge. This is just one example of the bundle deals you can get – the other main providers all offer something similar. It’s worth doing a bit of research and finding out which special offer is most relevant for you.
Look carefully, for example, which TV channels the different providers offer as part of the bundle, or as an add-on. Does it include your favourite channels? Also look at how much usage each broadband deal comes with. You may be a light user of the internet, only checking emails and looking at different websites, in which case your usage needs will be low, and you could benefit from a cheaper monthly fee.
However, if you download a lot of music and movies, then you might be better off with an unlimited usage tariff. Check out the small print when it comes to unlimited usage contracts – some have fair use policies in place and if you exceed what is deemed ‘fair use’ you may face additional charges.
If you’re a gamer or stream a lot of movies, then the speed of the internet connection is another important factor. Ask each provider you’re considering signing up with to do a line test to give you an estimate of the download and upload speeds you’ll get with them.
These often aren’t the same as the ‘up-to’ advertised speeds you’ll see on the marketing information, but you’ll be able to compare like with like. Also, remember that your internet connection will slow down when shared among a number of competing devices and users in your household.
Putting a bit of time aside to go through the details of different broadband deals could end up saving you quite a bit of money month to month. It’s boring, but it’s worth the effort, so you can get maximum value for money from your chosen broadband provider!