Which broadband provider is right for me?
Simplifydigital offers advice on broadband providers and what they can offer you.
Knowing which broadband provider is right for you is something that is ultimately down to personal choice. But to give you an idea Simplifydigital's guide will look at the pros and cons for a selection of broadband providers.
Broadband providers offer many different features with their broadband packages. For instance; you could save money by taking a broadband, home phone and digital TV bundle broadband package with a provider like Virgin Media. Sometimes getting bundle deals from broadband providers makes for cheap broadband as the cost lowers with the more services you take. Some broadband providers may offer free broadband with digital TV packages - Sky Broadband currently offers this service.
Let's take a look at a selection of broadband providers and see if they may or may not be right for you.
Be Broadband
Why Be Broadband may be right for you
* If you want a fast DSL broadband connection, you can't beat Be's 24Mb download speeds.
* All Be broadband products come with a free wireless router, unlimited usage and 24/7 technical support.
* The Be Unlimited package is great for heavy broadband users. If you download a lot of movies or music, you will love Be's super fast speeds of up to 24Mb. This package comes with one static IP address, which you will need if you want to run your own server, or if you're into online gaming. This package costs £18 a month plus a one-off connection fee of £24. There is no long term commitment, as you can cancel at any time with 3 months' notice.
* If you're on a budget, consider Be Value. It comes with speeds of up to 8Mb, which is ample for everyday browsing and checking your e-mail. You will have to sign a 12-month contract, after which you can leave at any time with a month's notice.
* If moneys not a problem then Be Pro comes with the full works. You get the same super-fast 24Mb download speeds as with Be Unlimited, plus up to 2.5Mb upload speeds, twice the normal speed. You get one static IP address at no extra charge with the option to buy more.
To get Be broadband, you will need a BT line, the cost of which is not included in the price.
Why Be Broadband may not be right for you
* If you don't live in an unbundled area
* Not everyone can get Be broadband. In addition to having a BT landline, you need to live in an area that has been 'unbundled'. It means that Be have set up their own network. If you're unsure whether Be is available in your area, give our expects a call on 0800 5424 704 and they can check for you.
* If you live far from the telephone exchange
* While Be advertise download speeds of up to 24Mb, most people will not get that. The actual bandwidth depends on many factors including the quality of the wiring and how far you live from your local BT exchange. If you live 2km from the exchange, you can expect to receive up to 15Mb. If it's further, the speed will be even slower. In that case you may be better of with cable broadband from a supplier like Virgin Media.
Tiscali (now part of TalkTalk) Broadband
Why Tiscali (now part of TalkTalk) Broadband may be right for you
* No need for a satellite dish or fibre optic cables - Because Tiscali (now part of TalkTalk) provides all of its content through the phone line, there is no need for a satellite dish or fibre optic cables. It's great news if you live in a flat that doesn't allow Sky dishes or if Virgin Media isn't in your area.
* Great broadband, home phone and digital TV bundles - Tiscali (now part of TalkTalk)'s broadband, home phone and digital TV bundles are good value. For £19.99 a month you get over 70 digital channels, including Sky1, free 7-day catch-up TV and access to over 1,500 movies on-demand. They will even throw in a free Tiscali (now part of TalkTalk)+ digital TV recorder worth £100! Tiscali (now part of TalkTalk)+ lets you pause and rewind live TV. You also get up to 8Mb broadband with a free wireless router. The price of the broadband bundle includes line rental but there is a one off fee of £30.
* With Tiscali (now part of TalkTalk) you get to keep your existing phone number.
* Tiscali (now part of TalkTalk)'s broadband and talk packages offer much better value for money. Option 1 comes with 8Mb broadband, free line rental and free weekend calls to UK landlines and 10 international destinations. This option costs on average £13.74 a month, over 12 months, plus a one-off set-up fee of £30. For an extra £5 a month, you get free calls anytime, not just on weekends.
Why Tiscali (now part of TalkTalk) Broadband may not be right for you
* Tiscali (now part of TalkTalk) is not available in all areas and so depends on local availability of the service.
* No HDTV - If you have an HD-ready TV, you may be disappointed by Tiscali (now part of TalkTalk)'s lack of high definition programming. The Tiscali (now part of TalkTalk)+ Box is HD enabled, but there are currently no dedicated HD channels.
* If you just want broadband - If you only want broadband, without the phone and TV package, Tiscali (now part of TalkTalk) may not be the best deal for you. At £12.87 a month, plus BT line rental, you can find a better deal elsewhere.
* Broadband speed might disappoint - While Tiscali (now part of TalkTalk) advertises speeds of up to 8Mb, many customers actually get less. Broadband speed depends on the quality of your phone line and your distance from the local telephone exchange.
If broadband speed is important to you, you may be better off with a cable connection from Virgin Media.
Virgin Media
Why Virgin Media may be right for you
* Virgin Media uses fibre optic cables - Virgin Media is able to deliver ultra-fast broadband speeds of up to 50Mb in the UK. The ultra-fast broadband service is delivered over fibre optic cables that can carry huge amounts of data and means you can enjoy a brilliant broadband internet experience.
* Huge choice of broadband bundles - Virgin Media currently offer a great broadband and TV bundle for £31 a month or £34 a month if you want to add in a Virgin Media V+ HD recorder box.
This broadband and TV bundle includes 10Mb fibre optic broadband (you could download a music track in under 10 seconds), a free wireless router, free PC Guard security pack, loads of digital TV channels including Sky1 & Virgin1, 500 movies on-demand, 1000's of digital TV shows on-demand, a free catch up service and on-demand digital TV from BBC iPlayer. The package also gives you the option of adding in a Virgin Media V+ HD box.
* Virgin Media is the only provider that lets you watch BBC iPlayer on your TV. So if you've missed your favourite BBC show, you don't have to settle for watching it on a computer monitor.
Why Virgin Media may not be right for you
* If you don't watch much digital TV you may be better off going with another provider who just supplies broadband packages. Although the choice is ultimately up to you, in most cases Virgin Media's bundles do save you money.
* UK Coverage - You won't have much choice in the matter if you find out that Virgin Media is not in your area. Virgin Media is normally only cabled into urban areas like towns and cities. So if you live in a rural area you may not be able to get Virgin Media cable. However Virgin Media offer the alternative Virgin Media National service which uses ADSL. This means you could get the broadband service from your landline. However you won't be able to benefit from all of the services Virgin Media cable offers.
In conclusion
When you ask yourself the question "which broadband provider is right for me?" you need to think of what you want from a broadband provider. If you are a heavy internet user you may want ultra-fast broadband from the likes of Virgin Media Broadband.
If you just want basic broadband and home phone services, you may want to go with Be Broadband. You might even base your decision on choosing BT for example, simply because you believe that they have provided a reliable home phone service to you over the years. Only you can make the decision, but if you need some more help, then our broadband experts here at Simplifydigital are ready to guide you through the maze of broadband providers.
If you need more information on broadband providers and would like some free and impartial advice give us a call on 0800 5424 704 and have a chat.
