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Broadly speaking...
Martin Lewis15/ 4/2008
IS your broadband provider a bundle of joy, or a total turn-off?
The cost of broadband has plummeted over the past few years and it's never been easier to take a huge byte out of the cost.
If you know where to look, super-speedy broadband internet is available for free. Yet, even for those who have to pay, you can grab a package for under £10 a month.
But there are so many deals out there it can get a little confusing, so I'll guide you through it.
Free option
First of all, you should try to get online for free. If you already have Sky TV, you may not have to look very far.
All Sky users are entitled to a free broadband service, which offers download speeds of up to two megabytes per second (mbps) and a monthly download limit of two gigabytes (gb).
Essentially, this will allow you to look at around 50,000 pages of information per month at pretty high speeds.
This is more than enough for anyone except serious internet surfers.
There is one problem with the free Sky deal, however: it's only available in certain parts of the country. If your postcode doesn't fall within Sky's network area, they'll charge you £17 per month for broadband, which isn't very competitive.
Combine with calls
The other way to secure ultra-cheap broadband is to combine it with a cheap calls package. TalkTalk from Carphone Warehouse will provide new customers with home phone line rental, broadband and free evening and weekend calls for just £16.39 per month, plus a connection fee of £30.
Now if I tell you BT's standard line rental alone is £11.75 per month, it should put this deal into perspective.
The only drawback is TalkTalk has an unenviable reputation. Why? Because when it launched the first incarnation of this package two years ago, it generated such a huge amount of publicity, the company simply couldn't cope with demand.
Thankfully, customer feedback since has vastly improved. But TalkTalk is still having to prove itself, hence the reason it's offering such cheap deals.
Fast and cheap
There are other good standalone broadband deals out there. The cheapest on the market is PlusNet's basic package at £9.99 per month, which comes with a free wireless router.
Once this is plugged into your phone line you should be able to connect to the web anywhere in your home without any wires.
The PlusNet package also offers very fast download speeds of up to 8mbps - although the download limit of 1gb per month is pretty low. It's fine for someone happy just surfing the web, checking emails or downloading the odd song. But if you want to play online games or watch TV, it probably won't be enough.
Unlimited downloads
For more serious surfers, my top pick is O2. Their broadband package offers download speeds of up to 8mbps and costs £12.50 per month. And, importantly, it also provides users with unlimited downloads.
Admittedly, it does protect itself from people spending all day downloading with a `fair usage' policy- but that's not really a problem for most people.
Better still, this same package is available to existing O2 customers for just £7.50 per month. For a full list of best buys, go to
moneysavingexpert.com/broadband.
Switching
So, how easy is it to switch from one provider to another? First of all, you should check whether you're locked into a fixed-term contract. If you are, you'll need to wait until it ends.
Next, ask your new provider if they charge a migration fee. Most don't, but some do.
Finally, call up your existing broadband company and ask them for your migration authorisation code. This is commonly known as a MAC code. Give this to your new provider and they should be able to carry out the transfer without any hassle.
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| Card | BT Fee |
| Capital One BT Exclusive | 3.0% |
| Virgin Credit Card | 2.98% |
| Barclaycard Platinum 'As on TV' | 2.9% |
| Capital One Platinum | 3.0% |
| Lloyds TSB Platinum MasterCard | 3.0% |
| Company | Typical APR |
| Moneyback Bank | 8.4% |
| Alliance & Leicester | 8.7% |
| Halifax (Semi-exclusive) | 8.8% |
| Bank of Scotland (Semi-exclusive) | 8.8% |
| Barclays | 8.9% |
| Provider | AER* |
|
ICICI BANK HiSAVE Fixed Rate Account |
7.20% |
|
ICICI BANK HiSAVE Fixed Rate Account |
7.00% |
|
ICICI BANK HiSAVE Fixed Rate Account |
7.00% |
|
ARRAY(0x2baaad7afdc0) 6 Month Fixed Rate Savings Account |
6.60% |