Finding the Best Broadband deals – Complete Guide

With many different broadband suppliers offering all sorts of packages and prices, you may be wondering how to find the package that’s right for you and your friends, family, or anyone else in the home. Let’s look at some basic considerations;

✓ Limited v Unlimited – Unlike many years ago, most packages will now come with unlimited usage but there are still opportunities to save money if you don’t require this option.

✓ Download Speed – Most importantly, you’ll need a megabit per second (Mbps) that suits your needs.

✓ Length of Contract – Are you happy to be tied to one provider for two years? Are you likely to move contract or even move home within one year?

✓ Price – As well as monthly costs, what will you pay for installation and administration?

✓ Small Print – It’s becoming more and more important that you read the details in the small print (no matter how boring it may seem!).

✓ Rewards and Deals – Which providers will offer rewards and specific broadband deals with cashback and other offers?

✓ Bundles – Finally, when it comes to TV and internet bundles, Virgin Media and Sky are definitely the leaders here.

When searching for the ‘right’ package, you’ll normally be able to filter results so all those that don’t apply will be removed from your search. If your main aim is to save money, you’re in luck because we’ve provided a guide on cheap broadband deals previously.

Types of Broadband deals

In the UK, we currently have three main types of broadband deals;

Standard or ADSL – Firstly, ADSL is the standard broadband option that travels from the telephone exchange to your home via copper telephone wires.

Since it has limited capabilities when carrying broadband signals, you’re unlikely to receive anything over 18Mbps. This being said, it could still be perfect for those living on their own or with one other.

Fibre (Superfast) – Next, we find fibre broadband which was developed to reach faster speeds and Ofcom has actually defined ‘Superfast’ broadband as anywhere between 30Mbps and 299Mbps.

For most households around the country, fibre broadband will be ideal because it works with up to four people. For the rare households with more than four, or if gaming and streaming is important, we recommend looking for faster packages.

Ultrafast – What’s faster than superfast? That’s right, ultrafast and it has been defined as anything exceeding 300Mbps. If you see the term ‘Gigabit broadband’, this generally means whopping speeds of 1,000Mbps so not all ultrafast options will be gigabit too.

At the moment, Virgin Media is the only provider that has made moves in this niche. Is this a negative thing for customers looking for choice? There’s an argument that these speeds are unnecessary, so it certainly isn’t a huge problem.

Introduction to Broadband Speeds

During your research of the market, you’ll come across ‘Mb’ or ‘Mbps’ and we’ve already explained that this stands for ‘megabits per second’. But what does this mean? Essentially, the term refers to the speed at which information is moved from the internet to your chosen device.

If the speed of your package isn’t enough, family fights will erupt when you’re attempting to watch a movie or play a video game online. On the other hand, you don’t need to be excessive with speed otherwise you’re simply paying for something you aren’t using.

If you’re unaware of your current speed, feel free to use our broadband speed checker tool!

Your Speed Needs – In recent years, it has become apparent that 10Mbps per person works as a general rule.

If an individual plays games online or streams 4K content, this can be doubled to 20Mbps. By using this simple calculation, you can get an idea of which packages will and won’t suit your needs.

‘Average’ Broadband Speeds – Ultimately, the speed you receive is determined by where you live rather than the package you choose. Even the most powerful packages can be hindered by location, so the ‘average’ speed advertised is the provider’s statistics from their customers around the country.

Why is location so important? Because your home will either be close or far away from the telephone exchange and cabinets. If you’re quite far away, you’re reliant upon strong cables. Depending on all these factors, speeds can vary greatly from one home to another (even with the same package!).

Broadband Extras

With many providers, you’ll have an opportunity to fill a broadband contract with various extras whether this is with a mobile SIM or a TV package. Below, we’ve listed some of the most common packages available.

Broadband-Only

Just as the name suggests, this first option will come with just broadband and you won’t even get a phone line with some.

Remember, you’ll still need a phone line to access the internet if you aren’t going with fibre. Currently, there’s only one provider that allows you to get set up without requiring a phone line; Virgin Media.

Broadband and TV

With most of the large providers, you’ll have a chance to bundle broadband with your TV needs. For example, Sky and Virgin Media are perhaps the leaders in this field with BT offering an alternative whenever required.

With providers that don’t offer TV subscriptions, they normally come with Freeview channels and the set-top box means you can pause and record live TV.

Broadband and Phone

If you need a phone line with your broadband and you don’t have this set up with another provider, you’ll get this here. For those who tend to make lots of calls from their landline, various calling packages also exist which means you can enjoy free calls on weekends, evenings, etc.

No-Contract Broadband

With this option, you won’t be tied down to a one or two-year contract because it will simply roll from one month to the next until you decide to cancel. While the flexibility can be enjoyable, we should note that these are generally more expensive because the provider needs to make their money before you cancel and go elsewhere.

The Works – Finally, the elite broadband providers will offer everything all under one roof; in one package, you can enjoy TV, broadband, phone, and more features.

Choosing a broadband deals with top broadband provider

Since most providers offer something for everyone, this decision can actually be a case of ‘who is offering the best deal?’. In truth, most choose between the five names below;

BT – Although you will find cheaper, BT is one of the most recognisable and reliable companies around. If you catch them with the right sale, you’ll receive a fantastic router, a great TV package, and a reliable service.

Sky – Lacking in speed slightly, Sky certain has drawbacks…but they also offer the best TV bundles. With access to a range of movie, sports, and music channels, this is one for the TV lovers.

Virgin Media – Fast, reliable, and a brilliant service, there’s only one reason why we aren’t shouting Virgin Media from the rooftops and ignoring all other options; the availability.

Only available to around 60% of the UK, you’ll need to check before you buy. If you’re lucky enough, they have great TV packages and brilliant equipment.

Plusnet – Based in Yorkshire, Plusnet is all about the customer service (there’s a reason they have plenty of awards under their belt!). With a variety of packages, it’s well worth the research because Plusnet are creeping up on the larger brands.

TalkTalk – Finally, TalkTalk is perhaps best for smaller budgets. It’s relatively basic, they offer good deals, and it’s a simple solution for those not interested in the bells and whistles that normally come with these types of services.

If you’ve done even a little research on this topic, you’ll know just how many packages and companies there are in the market. How can you possibly make a decision on which to choose? Firstly, we should note that it can be difficult so try not to feel overwhelmed, be patient, and always think of YOUR needs.

To start, why not try our brilliant broadband postcode checker to see what’s available in your area? As we noted when discussing Virgin Media, not every company is available in all corners of the UK so this seems to be a sensible starting place (you don’t want to finally settle on a package and then discover it isn’t actually available to you!).

In truth, we always recommend the postcode checker to start because it suits all audiences

Even if you know which provider you want to choose, you can still compare their packages and check their availability. Although you might be missing out on some fantastic deals from other providers, this allows you to choose a provider with which you’re familiar and comfortable.

On the other hand, you may be feeling lost and you may wish to compare all providers. Therefore, type in your postcode, wait for the results, and assess your options in full.

Also, there’s a third group who know what package they want but aren’t sure where to find it. By using the checker, you get closer to a decision and remove any options that aren’t available. From here, you can directly compare two or three options and choose the best.

Why Compare broadband internet providers?

By far, this is the most common question we see people asking on social media and online in general. Every year, broadband providers will put on special offers to attract customers towards their service and beat the competition to your money.

If you keep an open mind while searching, you might just come across a brilliant deal that offers either a cheap package or lots of extras.

Thank you for reading our guide to broadband packages and providers, we hope you have a better idea of how it all works and how you can find a fantastic package for your needs. As you may have noticed, we haven’t exactly answered which provider is best and this is because they all have strengths (and weaknesses!).

While some will offer a speedy broadband connection, others will have more TV channels or a cheaper price. For this reason, we recommend sitting down and writing all your needs on a piece of paper. With this list, you can immediately discount packages that don’t offer what you need and the decision-making process will become easier than ever!