Choosing a Broadband Supplier

There are now over thirty ISPs offering Broadband services in the UK, though not all provide nationwide coverage. Most provide a range of packages so not only do you need to choose your ISP, but also which package will suit you best. No wonder so many people take the easy option and stay with BT. But that really may not be the best deal for you. Here are some thoughts to aid your decision.

• If you live in an area with access to cable services (NTL or Telewest, though they're now the same company) you can choose to have Broadband via the cable or through a BT telephone line. However if you already purchase some cable services (eg television and or telephone) it's odds on that your best deal is to stay with your cable supplier.
• Remember that the total cost you will pay for Broadband via a BT telephone line is the cost of the line rental (payable to BT), the cost of the Broadband package (payable to your chosen ISP) and the cost of voice telephone calls (usually payable to either BT or your chosen ISP depending on your package selection). You are probably paying for two of these three elements already, so the additional cost of Broadband is only the Broadband package cost. However when comparing costs, always look at the total you will pay. There are many good deals around that should help minimise your voice telephone call costs - assuming that you don't just rely on your mobile anyway.
• The speed of service (typically 512k, 1Mb, 2Mb, 8Mb) simply describes the size of the electronic broadband pipe into your home. This is also the maximum rate at which data will arrive as beyond your telephone exchange the pipe is shared with other users. This can mean that at busy times (early evening is busiest) the connection slows down. The slowdown is however often nothing to do with the broadband pipe and much more to do with capacity limitations at your ISP. You can get some idea of how happy other users are with their Broadband ISPs at www.adslguide.org.uk, though the rating process is somewhat subjective.
• If your connection is going to be used with a single PC and your primary use is for email and internet browsing, you are unlikely to need more than a 512k service. If you will share your connection with other PCs, or if you intend to make heavy use of video downloads, then consider at least 1Mb.
• Many low cost packages include a limit on how much information you can download per month. Again, if your primary use is going to be for email and web browsing, then a download limitation is unlikely to prove restrictive. But if you have teenagers who are into music and video downloads, then an unlimited package may be more appropriate. A single music track is typically fairly small at 5Mb, but a 45 minute television episode will run to 350Mb. (1000Mb = 1Gb)
• Conventional wisdom is that smaller ISPs provide a higher standard of support and this may well be true - but beyond the initial installation you are unlikely to need much support, and most of that should be available through this site. The larger ISPs are making significant investments in putting their own equipment into BT telephone exchanges and once complete they will no longer have to purchase their service backbone from BT. This will allow for price reductions or other differentiation of services beginning late in 2006.
• The links in the panel will take you directly to several of the consistently above average performing ISPs. However there are some good and unbiased comparison websites (not just for Broadband). Try uswitch.com or simplyswitch.com