Guide to UK broadband, TV and home phone providers

 

Do you have answers to the following questions:

• Can I have broadband without a landline?
• What am I going to use the internet for?
• What broadband speeds am I looking for?
• Do I need fibre broadband?
• Do I need unlimited broadband?
• Do I need parental controls?
• Do I need other services that I can get from the same provider?
• What's my budget?

If you answered all of the above, congratulations, you are ready to make an educated decision and buy a broadband product.

If you don't have answers to any of these questions, you are in the right place. Below, you will find out everything you need to know about buying the right broadband package.

You may often hear that it is important to choose a broadband product that is simply tailored to your needs. However, what is that special tailoring that you should be looking out for?

 

 

 

 

Landline or no landline

YES - Before you start, you need to consider if you need a landline to access broadband. If you were to choose an ADSL provider such as TalkTalk, BT, Plusnet or Sky, you would need to have an active landline.

Key considerations:

• A BT landline installation is likely to cost around £125;
• With a landline, you are going to pay monthly bills of up to £15;
• There is a hefty cancellation fee (up to £70) if you decided you didn't need a landline anymore.

NO- You don't need to have a landline to access broadband internet. You can opt for Virgin Media which uses the cable network infrastructure, unlike BT which provides broadband via telephone line. However, not everyone can have Virgin Media seeing as its cable network does not cover the entire country. If you don't live in a Virgin Media cabled area then you could considermobile broadband.

Mobile operators such as Three (3), Orange, O2 or T-Mobile deliver broadband internet to your laptop or other compatible device via a portable modem known as a dongle. As impressive as this option sounds, download speeds and modest usage allowances prevent it from being the perfect alternative to ADSL especially for heavy broadband users.

The final option is satellite broadband, which is available virtually everywhere. Suppliers such as Tooway help out those who reside in rural areas to get broadband connectivity without a landline. However, it is worth pointing out that equipment and set up costs are likely to set you back a few hundred pounds.

Key considerations:

• Virgin Media is great but not available everywhere;
• Mobile broadband is best for light users (for example checking email, reading the news, downloading the odd song);
• Satellite broadband is a good solution for those who live in rural areas, however set up is costly.

Broadband contract length

When you sign a contract with a home broadband or mobile broadband provider you can expect it to last for 12 months.

This means you have to subscribe to the service for a minimum of 12 months and cancelling early will result in penalties dependant on how early you cancel.

If you would rather pay monthly you can do this with some broadband providers, such as Plusnet. Be advised that with a rolling monthly contract you will likely need to pay both set up and cancellation fees but this gives you the option of ending the contract at any time. If you need broadband only for a few weeks or a month, it's wise to simply purchase a mobile broadband dongle.

Key considerations:

• If you sign up for a 12 month contract but realistically need broadband only for a few months, you are likely to pay both the set up fees (unless there is a promotion) as well as the cancelation charge (if you decide to cut it short).
• If you need a temporary broadband solution, you should consider mobile broadband.

Usage Allowance

You need to make sure you understand the usage allowance on your chosen broadband package. This is effectively the limit on how much you can download in a given time period (most often calculated per month). If you go over these limits you may incur a penalty fee. Most broadband providers clearly state their broadband download limits, others offer unlimited downloads but these are subject to a fair usage policy.

A fair usage policy is put in place when broadband ISPs offer unlimited downloads. The policy makes sure that you don't affect other broadband users by downloading way over the policy's limits.

If you are a heavy broadband user then you need to make sure the package you choose has a download limit that is realistic for your needs. So if you are always downloading movies and watching on-demand TV on the BBC iPlayer then you need to take that into account. Broadband providers (including mobile operators, if you are using mobile broadband) allow customers access to a page or app where they can view their usage and keep an eye on their download limits.

Key considerations:

• If you download a lot of content and constantly stream online videos (BBC iPlayer), you should consider going for packages with unlimited usage.
• If you ignore your allowance and go over it, you may be charged extra, have your download speeds slowed down or your broadband disconnected for a certain period of time.

Broadband Speeds

Your online activity can be limited if you decide to go for a broadband provider that supplies only basic speeds (2Mbps). This is why you need to realistically assess what you are going to use your broadband connection for. Do you like streaming movies? Do you download tons of music? Do you use Skype to keep in touch with your family? Do you upload high resolution images to your personal site? Are you a keen online gamer?

If you do all or a few of the above, chances are basic broadband is simply not going to be sufficient enough for you. This is why you should consider getting broadband with higher speeds. While traditional ADSL internet providers are likely to do the trick, for superfast performance you might want to look into getting fibre optic broadband which can deliver speeds of 25Mbps and more. This is also a good solution for households with multiple devices which are likely to be connected at the same time.

If you are in the market for what the latest broadband technology can bring, you might want to look at BT's Fibre-to-the-Premises on Demand (up to 330Mbps) or Virgin Media's 120Mbps service. These speeds can be perfect for consumers who work online from home while other members of their families play games, download music or stream content.

For an extensive guide on broadband speeds, check out our Beginner's Guide to Broadband.

Key Considerations:

• If you use broadband for data heavy activities, you are likely to need a fast connection.
• ADSL is a good option but for faster speeds you may want to look at fibre optic broadband.

Family Broadband

If you are looking for broadband and you have more than three people living in your household, you should consider getting broadband with superfast speeds and unlimited usage (read above). This is because when broadband is used simultaneously by multiple users (your sister is using Skype, your mother is looking up new recipes online, your brother is playing games while you want to stream content via BBC iPlayer) the overall speed is slowed down so that every family member gets an equal connection.

If you have children or teenagers in your household, you may want to consider getting parental control software. Some ISPs, such as TalkTalk, provide this for free. These will protect your kids from entering malicious website and seeing inappropriate content.

Key considerations:

• If your family is very broadband-dependant, it's best to opt for a fibre optic connection.
• If there are kids in your household, you may want to install parent control tools.

Do I need phone and digital TV services as well?

If you are considering purchasing a broadband product and also know that you will need phone and digital TV services, be advised that taking three services from a single provider is often cheaper. Simplifydigital's recent study showed that bundling can save consumers up to £395 per year.

Key considerations:

• If you need more than one service (for example broadband, phone and digital TV), consider bundling them from a single provider.

Money matters

If you know that you don't use broadband daily (and when you do, you simply read the news, use email or shop around) then there is no point spending too much money on internet services.

Browsing the web doesn't have to cost a fortune. ISPs such as TalkTalk, Plusnet, Primus or Direct Save Telecom all have market leading deals which are cheap as chips.

Another good option for light or occasional users is mobile broadband.

However, if you know that you will require a lot from your broadband connection, it's better to opt for higher tier packages to avoid penalties. Look at packages from Sky, Virgin Media or BT.

Key Considerations:

• Find out what services (broadband speeds, usage allowance) your budget can get you.
• Always remember that just because a broadband provider offers cheap broadband or says it has the best broadband deals, it doesn't mean it is the best broadband provider for you.

 

A quick buzz to a customer services hotline might resolve a vast majority of issues, but there always is an annoying minority of problems that will require you to take one step further than calling up, complaining and hanging up.

To solve your problem and get full support from your broadband provider as well as organisations it belongs to, you have to know your rights and what you can and cannot do.

This is why Simplifydigital is here to reveal the most effective ways to put your broadband woes behind you once and for all.

 

Step one: Give your ISP a chance

There are a number of problems you can face concerning your broadband services; you didn't agree with one point in the policy, there was a billing error, a member of the support team was rude to you, you encountered a technical issue - the list goes on. To make sure you don't get transferred five times (and be kept on hold for thirty minutes on top of that), double check which department you should be dialling.

If you don't wish to call, you can contact your ISP's support team via social media (i.e. Twitter), email or through the provider's website using a web form. However, sometimes this is not enough. If your issue is not resolved within a reasonable period of time (often estimated by a support team member, tweeted or emailed to you), you then have the right to make your voice heard and contact a company representative higher up the food chain.

Top Tip: Using Twitter and Facebook is a great way of addressing issues and getting them solved quickly because words spread like wildfire on social media platforms. No company likes bad publicity, so every problem (including yours) will get prioritised.

 

Step two: Lodging your complaint

If you waited longer than your supplier advised, it is time to find out what are the steps you should take in order to file an official complaint. Again, some providers will have web forms to fill in, addresses to send physical letters to or phone numbers to call up. A formal written complaint is also called a "deadlock letter", which means that you have given your ISP every opportunity to repair the broken but it neglected to do so.

Once you have filed a complaint, companies are under an obligation to acknowledge it and respond to it as soon as possible. If a company foresees a delay in dealing with your issue, it must let you know beforehand that the process may take longer than initially expected.

Top Tip:  Make sure your letter of complaint is short and to the point so that it gets read entirely rather than skimmed through.

 

Step three: Talking to the bosses

If a firm did not react in any way to your formal complaint, it is recommended to contact a senior employee within the company (for instance the MD or the CEO). Every C-level executive cares deeply about the way their business is represented and seen by customers which is why they will do their best to be as helpful as possible and make sure that your issue gets resolved quickly.

Top Tip: It is important to not overdo it - a CEO might be less concerned about the fact that you lost your services for an hour last year and might consider your peril nothing but a time waste. Nevertheless, if your issue is more serious, for example, you were mistreated as a customer or your services disappeared and no support member managed to help you, you must make the senior executives aware as this is the firm's last chance to redeem itself before you seek assistance elsewhere.

 

Final straw: Seeking help elsewhere

If you've called, complained, spent hours on the phone speaking to senior execs and nothing worked, take a deep breath and look at the following two options. 

ADR

All broadband providers, both business and domestic are subscribed to an Ofcom-approved Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) scheme. In other words, this is an alternative, impartial and free resolution option which will take you one step closer to solving your problem, if not resolving it completely. However, be ready to march at a snail pace as help from ADR schemes tends to take time and not all issues get resolved in the end (the majority does though).

Civil Court

If you think that your case is very serious, you might want to take the matter to court. But think very carefully before taking this path as it is often costly as it is lengthy - although your complaint will be filed under the small claims category, you might end up forking out as much as £5,000 for court expenses. Find out more about the legal process here.

Top Tip:It is wise not to take any legal actions singlehandedly. Although it's not obligatory, it's best to consult a solicitor to confirm how legitimate and serious your issue really is. Be wary that the Civil Court categorises broadband complaints as small, non-serious cases. Consider other routes before taking this one as it will cost you both time and money.

 

 Tips which may prevent issues from starting in the first place:

• Read through forums and see how others dealt with similar situations. Talking to a family member or a colleague who encountered the same issue almost always helps;
• When calling customer services be polite and patient. People working for your ISP are there to help and being rude and short-tempered has never helped anyone;
• Don't be lured into a deal only because the price seems to be impressive - the service might not be. If your package isn't what you expected, upgrade or switch. It's much easier than seeking court action.
• Do your homework - have your friends used this ISP's services? What do people on online forums recommend?
• Don't delete emails or throw away letters from your broadband provider - even bills - as these can be used as evidence which you might be required to present at a later date.