It may be very challenging to select a broadband plan that meets your needs with so many UK providers offering a variety of possibilities. The following are the important things to think about when purchasing a home broadband solution.
Broadband Download Speed on the Average
Broadband companies could only advertise their ‘Up to’ speed until recently. But as of late, they are required to display the “Average Speed.”
At least 50% of consumers must experience such speed during peak hours to be considered typical. Peak hour is defined as the period from eight to ten o’clock in the evening by the UK government’s communications regulator, Ofcom.
Despite the modification, there are still a lot of variables that will affect the actual speed you receive, such as:
- The connecting type, such as cable or fiber
- How distant the phone booth is from your house
- where you are located
- when you use the connection and what time of day it is
In general, the cost of the package will increase with the average speed. What you want to use it for determines the speed you require.
A typical broadband connection may be sufficient if all you want to do is browse the internet and check the occasional email. On the other hand, a considerably faster fiber connection is necessary if you want to stream music and movies, play online games, or have a family that utilizes many devices at once.
If your internet connection is too sluggish, you may always improve it, but doing so in the midst of your contract time can result in extra fees.
Broadband Package Type
Three package kinds are often offered by broadband providers:
- Internet only
- Internet and phone
- Internet, phone, and TV
There aren’t many providers who will offer just broadband because most require a phone connection. When comparing internet plans, you’ll discover that the majority of them come included with a Wi-Fi router, line rental, and some sort of call rate bundle.
Several providers will also provide a TV bundle in addition to their internet and phone packages. Although this TV bundle can vary somewhat between providers, it often includes some combination of the following:
- the availability of a device that can record many hours of TV
- The capability of the box to stop and rewind live TV
- being able to access Freeview channels
- the choice to pay for premium services like Sky Sports, BT Sport, or movies
- the availability of On-Demand content and catch-up TV
Duration of a broadband agreement
You have a cooling-off period after signing up for a broadband subscription during which you can cancel. However, you may be charged a penalty fee for canceling the plan early if you decide you no longer want it or want to move to a different provider.
Therefore, it’s crucial to make sure you are happy with the duration and conditions of the contract you are entering into.
Broadband providers typically provide the following contract options:
- 12 Month Agreement
- 18 Month Agreement
- 24 Month Agreement
- None Exists
A no-contract option is exactly that. Until you decide you no longer want it, you pay your fees on a monthly basis. However, compared to a lengthier contract time, a no contract alternative typically costs more per month.
Cost of installing broadband
This is the first fee made by the provider to establish up your broadband connection and/or the cost of shipping the equipment to your house.
Some providers do not impose any setup fees and occasionally even offer to pay for the setup themselves.
Monthly Price
This is the continuous monthly cost of your broadband connection.
You should decide on all the aforementioned aspects before settling on a small number of packages that satisfy your needs. After that, you may evaluate the other features and advantages in addition to the primary selection criterion.
The price of phone calls, whether the package offers free weekend or evening calling, the channels available if you choose a TV package, the functioning of the TV box, and the parental controls provided with your broadband connection are other factors to take into account.
Future Steps
When comparing broadband plans from the leading UK providers, PocketRate makes the process simple. With the use of our simple comparison tables, you can quickly view all the key elements mentioned above to assist in making a selection.
A free comparison service for credit cards, loans, savings, broadband, and other products, PocketRate is available in the UK.
