Choosing a Broadband Provider in the UK – A Guide in Simple Language

Broadband internet is by far the most popular way to get an internet connection in the UK. This popularity means that there are plenty of providers on the market, and that's good thing, since competition keeps prices low. If you're looking for an affordable and reliable internet connection that gets good data speeds, then broadband is the way to go. But all that choice can mean that deciding which provider to go with can be tough. Today we're talking about the things you should keep in mind when you're choosing a provider, to make sure that you're getting the best provider and the best plan for you. So, before you sign up for service, read on....

There are Different Methods for Service

One thing that you should be aware of is that there are different methods of getting broadband service, and different providers may use any one of these methods, or even a combination of ways to get data to your home. The two most common ways of connecting to broadband are via DSL or cable. DSL connections will use existing telephone wiring systems in and around your property to transport data. This means that installation is quick and easy, since most home are already wired into the telephone network. Unlike older, dial up internet, you can use the internet and the phone simultaneously on a DSL connection. Speeds vary a little depending on how close you are to a telephone switching station, but unless you live in a particularly rural location where there are fewer stations you shouldn't experience real issues with this. Cable, on the other hand, uses the same wiring as is used to get cable TV to your home. Again, this means that installation can be quick and easy, as long as your house is wired for cable TV, which most are. Both DSL and cable are reliable and affordable, and there really isn't much to choose from between them. One other method of broadband connection is becoming more and more popular, and that's fibre optic broadband. Fibre optic connections are much faster than either DSL or cable, though packages are generally more expensive. You will have to live in an area that has access to a fibre optic network, and not all locations in the UK do have access. Providers generally use telephone wires to connect your house to the fibre optic network, which slows speeds slightly, but this does prevent you having to pay a hefty fee to have the fibre optic cable extended into your property.

There are Different Kinds of Plans

There are plenty of kinds of plans to choose from with providers, but there are a couple of things for you to keep in mind. The first is the issue of data capping. Smaller and cheaper plans have data caps, meaning that there's a maximum amount of data that you can use each month. Everything that you do on the web requires data, from sending emails to simply opening a web page. These plans are cheaper, as long as you don't exceed your monthly limit. If you do break your limit you'll probably find that you're charged expensive extra fees for using extra data, or that you're automatically upgraded to a more expensive contract with a higher data limit. This brings up the second issue, that of unlimited contracts. Many providers offer either unlimited or truly unlimited contracts. There is a difference between the two. A truly unlimited contract is one under which you can use as much data as you want, whenever you want. However, an unlimited contract will be subject to a fair usage policy. This policy allows the company to slow down your internet speeds if they feel that you're using too much data, or when network traffic is particularly heavy during peak periods of the day. Fair usage policies are designed to spread data more evenly between users, so that one user doesn't get high speeds whilst another can't get a connection. In general, a fair usage policy is not going to effect the average user, who is unlikely to use enough data or notice a small slowing of his data speeds. The exception to this is families who have three or more computers working on the same connection. So many users can use a lot of data very quickly, so you might want to think about a truly unlimited plan.

Sky, Virgin Media and BT Broadband Packages

Whilst there are many broadband providers on the market, the big three companies are Sky, Virgin Media and BT. You'll probably get better prices and more plan options with these three companies, and a better chance that the provider will give service to your area. BT broadband packages are very competitively priced, and there are constantly changing special offers which often get you half price service for part of your contract. Many BT broadband packages also contain BT phone services. Sky tends to offer the best unlimited packages, many of which will include Sky cable TV. Finally, Virgin Media offers some of the fastest broadband speeds, and can provide internet, phone and TV combination packages. The practice of getting more than one service from a provider on the same contract is known as bundling. Bundling is quite common amongst broadband providers, because as we discussed at the beginning, providers are often already using telephone lines or cable TV connections to get you broadband access. It's always best to bundle services if you can, since this will be far cheaper for you in the long run, and it's definitely cheaper than getting all your services on different contracts. You do not have to bundle, however, and even on DSL connections that are using your phone line you'll be allowed to keep your current phone company should you wish to. But bundling is generally to your advantage, and many companies will offer you incentives to combine services, such as free calling minutes on phone plans, or extra TV channels on cable TV plans.