Seven Highly Effective Habits for Comparing Broadband

By Julia Kuiewicz Staff Writer Friday, 21 December 2007

Compare Broadband How ChooseISP helps you compare broadband packages: Compare Broadband Only Packages Compare Broadband & Phone Packages Compare Broadband Bundles (Internet, Phone, TV and/or mobile) Related Broadband Comparison Guides See our other recent related stories about comparing broadband: 8 Great Reasons to Compare Broadband Are you looking for the best broadband deal out there? Or the cheapest broadband? Or the fastest broadband? Helen Storey reveals 8 great reasons why you should always compare broadband before you buy to find the best broadband available! How to Compare Broadband When you compare broadband packages, it’s a bit like finding the hay in the needlestack, explains Bruce Stevens. Here he presents a quick guide to compare broadband packages and help you find the best broadband package. How to Compare Broadband Speeds Want to compare broadband speeds? Neil Hawkins points out the five most important things to remember when comparing broadband speeds from different broadband providers. 5 Things Everyone Forgets When They Compare Broadband Prices When you compare broadband prices you can easily land up choosing the entirely wrong package for yourself. Julia Kukiewicz examines the 5 things you must not forget when you compare broadband prices.

FINDING the right broadband package can be frustrating. All you want to do is compare the main facts but there are so many broadband providers each with a large range of broadband deals that it can seem as if they’re deliberately making it difficult to get online!

Follow these seven highly effective habits for comparing broadband deals, however, and you’re sure to find your perfect broadband partner.

1. Bypass the Hype

Broadband providers spend millions trying to part you from your cash. You would have to have been living under a rock not to notice Virgin Media or TalkTalk’s broadband advertising campaigns this summer.

When you compare broadband on sites like ChooseISP.co.uk you just see the main features of each broadband deal plus what their customers think of them.

It’s a friendly conversation rather than a shouting match and you might find that the best broadband for you is one you’ve never heard of before.

2. Put First Things First

It is tempting to just compare broadband by price or just by speed.

There is nothing inherently wrong with having one main priority but it’s worth bearing in mind that the cheapest deals might leave you with tiny download limits and the fastest might leave you high and dry when it comes to customer support.

Ask yourself: how much time do I spend online? How much content do I download?

Google recently did a survery which found that the average UK web user is online for 164 minutes every day (more than 41 days per year). That’s a pretty big relationship to leave uneaxamined especially when you might have to pay a premium for going over your download limits.

Once you’ve prioritised what the most important things you want to compare in your broadband package are you can make sure you’re getting the best all-round broadband deal.

3. Think Win/Win

Remember, many broadband packages make a virtue of giving you hidden extras.

Many of the best services around are part of a so-called broadband bundle where you also get phone services, TV and even mobile. You can get Virgin's £4.50 a month service, for example, when you also use their phone services.

Make sure that you compare other broadband providers that offer free security, webspace and email adresses as part of their services. This can save you money in the long run. Currently, for example, EasySpace is giving away a free domain name (. com, .co.uk etc) with their EasySpace Pro broadband package.

Occasionally, you can also compare broadband which is giving away free gifts.
AOL is still giving away a free laptop or free PlayStation 3 when you sign up and Redten is currently giving away a free LG computer with 19” screen when you sign up for three years.

4. Keep the End In Mind

So you’ve got your perfect broadband package – but how long will it stay like that?

Most broadband providers give their cheapest rates for the first year and then hoik up their prices in year two.

Be honest with yourself: are you going to be willing to change your provider a year on?

Check the price change in year two (by the way, ChooseISP.co.uk is the only broadband comparison site to tell you the year two price as standard.)

5. Find Hidden Gems

When you compare broadband on very specific critera you might find a deal which seems to have been made especially for you.

If you love to play online games try Plusnet's Broadband Your Way Pro package. It prioritises gaming traffic and reduces latency so that your connection doesn’t get you cyber-killed.

If you don’t want to tie yourself into a contract try comparing the many non-contract broadband deals by Eclipse.

6. Remember: Price Isn’t Everything

When TalkTalk gave away a free broadband package there was such high demand that the infrastructure of the company almost collapsed under the weight. Customers were left high and dry, waiting months for installation, overcharged and tied into an eighteen month contract. This is an extreme example (and we’re pleased to report that 18 months on, TalkTalk’s customer service has improved dramatically) but it does underline the point: price isn’t everything.

Make sure that you compare broadband on speed (these vary from 256kb to 24Mb). Compare broadband on download limits and compare broadband on customer satisfaction.

7. Do it Right

Comparison sites such as ChooseISP.co.uk give you a quick, easy to use and impartial service meaning that you can compare your broadband in seconds and all in one place.

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