O2 Standard Broadband

• Super-fast 8MB O2 broadband
• Unlimited broadband with very leniant fair use policy
• First 2 months for free!
• Free O2 Wireless Box II when you sign up online
• Free connection
• 100 free web texts per month
• Free UK based customer service 24/7

O2 broadband review: Standard

STOP PRESS! O2 Broadband is offering a 30 day moneyback guarantee on this package, so you can truly try before you buy!

STOP PRESS 2! Are an O2 mobile phone customer (pay monthly OR pay as you go)? If so, you can get this package for £5 less per month!

THE rollout of new broadband services in the UK has traditionally been a chest-beating, gung-ho affair that ends in tears (we're talking about you TalkTalk and Virgin Media!), but mobile provider O2's considered approach to their new broadband service is a breath of fresh air.

We have a feeling O2 broadband, with its low-key marketing and company ethos of under-promising but over-delivering, is going to gather a heap of fans over the next year or so, rather than dancing the crisis-management two-step.

O2 mobile customers

Riding on the back of the Be* network (which O2 quietly purchased in 2006) this O2 Standard Broadband - like all the O2 broadband packages - is aimed squarely at O2 mobile customers as a sweetener to keep them with the network by slashing the monthly cost for them by £5.

Non-O2 mobile customers pay the full amount.

That is not to say that the O2 Standard Broadband package is not suitable for non-O2 mobile phone customers - it is still exceedingly good value for money, and is indeed a brilliant and highly recommended broadband package.

We'd still advise non-O2 customers to look instead at the Be packages which are practically the same, but marginally better value.

Good deal

So what makes the O2 Standard broadband package such a good deal?

You'll get speeds of up to 8Mb on O2's ADSL2+ network which currently covers 50% of the UK. You get unlimited usage, but a fair use policy does apply.

Don't be put off by the fair use policy though. O2 Broadband has revealed itself to be one of the most lenient broadband providers when it comes to heavy use of the broadband connection.

Alongside its sister company Be Broadband, O2 Broadband offers the best unlimited broadband packages in the UK.

The free included modem is the O2 Wireless Box II, which is essentially a souped-up ADSL2+ router.

Nice little touches

In addition to the totally free UK support, there are some nice little touches such as 100 free texts per month to send from your PC, and online backup of your O2 mobile contacts (in case you ever lose your phone or drop it in the bath).

There is also a superb email-to-mobile service for O2 customers where up to 1000 emails per month can be sent to your mobile phone like a text message.

If you've ever wanted a Blackberry but didnt fancy the cost or the bulge in your pocket, O2 have the answer here.

Try before you buy!

Did we mention you get to try it before you buy it too?

O2 Broadband offers a 30 day moneyback guarantee (by far the longest moneyback guarantee of any broadband provider - only TalkTalk's 30-day moneyback guarantee comes close).

O2 Broadband obviously aren't worried about anyone being dissatisfied with the service.

Clear winner

O2 has created a highly recommended broadband package here which, if you live in an O2 broadband-enabled area and are an O2 customer is a clear winner.

Non-O2 customers won't get quite the same savings (this package costs £5 more than what O2 Pay Monthly and Pay As You Go mobile customers pay), but will still enjoy the excellent features, superb priced broadband and the reliable O2 broadband support.

Upgrade to Premium

If you want O2 broadband, it's worth considering O2's Premium Broadband.

Premium is the next step from Standard and only costs an extra £2.50 a month.

For this extra £2.50 - you'll get boosted speeds of up to 20Mbps (from 8Mbps) and an extra 100 free texts.

Anything to loose? No - nothing. If it turns out you're not benefiting from the increased speeds of O2 Premium, O2 will happily move you down to Standard to save you the extra £2.50 of paying for something you're not getting.

Worth the upgrade? Unquestionably.

A little more detail...

Broadband		Special Note...	Any good?
Package:	Standard	-
Connection:	ADSL2+	Telephone line
Max Speed:	Up to 8Mb	Up to 1.3 Mb upload speeds.
Usage Limit:	Unlimited	Very relaxed fair use policy applies
Totally Unlimited:	No
Hardware:	O2 Wireless Box II	Built-in firewall
Internet Security:	Included free for 12 months	McAfee Internet Security Suite free for the first year.
Online Gaming:	All major consoles supported

Mobile Phone
Summary:	O2 mobile phone customers save £5 a month
Choose a package option to see more details

Payment, Installation & Contract
Setup Cost:	Free
Hardware Cost:	Free
Line Rental Provider:	BT (£11.54/mth)
Minimum Contract:	12 months
Payment Method(s):	Direct Debit / Credit Card
Support:	24/7 free-phone customer service
Choose a package option to see more details