I work in IT and run quite a few websites, so there’s no surprise that broadband internet access is a necessity for me. These days though, it’s not just geeks like myself that require internet access and many people can’t put up with the speeds that dial up provide. Broadband is almost a necessity for most households, and if figures are correct, almost a quarter of the population are broadband subscribers. Many people use it for shopping, keeping in touch with old friends, new friends and family. They use it to share photos. With the advent of Xbox Live putting online gaming into the mainstream, gamers everywhere are in need of a high quality broadband service. The question is which broadband provider should I go with?
Unfortunately for me, the house I have agreed to buy is situated too close to Hull for me to have any choice. Hull has it’s own indepedant communications company and as such I can pretty much only have a phone line and internet connection provided by them. This is particularly unfair on Hull residents, who do not benefit from the competitive market of broadband provision. Needless to say, I’m going to explain how I think you should make your choice, which broadband?
Download Limits
The first thing to do is determine what you want the internet for. With the web the way it is today, I’d recommend unlimited broadband, that is no limit on how much information you can download. Nearly every website you go on has some sort of media content, whether is watching news clips on the BBC, or downloading full length movies from amazon unbox.
Download speed
So with download capacity out of the way, speed is the next issue. Most broadband packages in the UK are quick enough to watch streaming media and for general web page browsing. Downloading music, movies and playing games is where speed comes in. If you are like me and you are quite patient,you can wait that extra hour for an album to download, you don’t need the fastest package out there. If you’re going to be gaming, I’d suggest you get the fastest broadband you can afford, that will save any disapointment half way through Call of Duty 4 (Xbox 360). For an indication of how fast your current connection is, try a broadband speed test
Customer Service
A major pointer for me is customer service. Most broadband packages require that you enter into at least a 12 month contract, meaning you are stuck with them. If the service they provide isn’t up to scratch you have to deal with their customer service teams. This should not be underestimated and should be considered when choosing your broadband package. Try searching google for consumer reviews, to get an idea of the kind of company you are dealing with. This also helps you find out if the quality of service meets what is advertised. Many broadband companies fail to provide the speeds they promise.
Wireless broadband
Another pointer is whether or not to go wireless in your home. My recommendation is that if you have a laptop, then go for it. For desktop machines, I prefer to have them plumbed in properly, but it’s nice to have wireless broadband from any room in your house. I’m sat at the kitchen table as I write this, keeping an eye on my puppies. Most packages come with a free wireless router anyway, but if you’re not sure you can always upgrade to a wireless router at a later date.
Mobile Broadband
Another consideration might be that of mobile broadband, through the use of the 3G mobile phone networks. These can be a little restrictive in terms of download speeds and download limits, but they don’t require a phone line, so you don’t have to pay the added overhead of line rental if you can make do with your mobile phone. Worth a look the Motley Fool thinks you can save £200 a year.
Combination TV, Phone and Broadband
This is fairly new thing, with some providers such as Sky can provide you with everything you need, satellite TV, phone line and broadband in very competitive packages.
With all that said, it’s time to choose a package. Try one of the many broadband comparison websites and find the right deal for you.
Pasty Muncher said,
March 25, 2008 @ 10:44 am
I recently had a go at getting a Sky Broadband/TV package - the deal looked fantastic however it turned out that I wasn’t within a sky “network” region and would have to pay an extra £17 a month on top of the £16 tv package. This is odd as Sky use the BT network of copper lines and I can get great broadband connection from current provider Eclipse although they refuse to lower my tariff after a year contract. BT are pushing their broadband internet packages and at first glance seem reasonable - at least they’re open about having to pay for phone line rental.