The internet's no longer just home to techies, it's a focal point for music, TV viewing and even dating. Luckily reliable cheap fast home broadband is now available for about the cost of a fast food meal. This is a full guide to the cheapest providers, allowing you to slash your costs and save £100s.
How broadband works 
How broadband works
Where it's available, broadband has now all but replaced dial-up web access (see Cheapest Dial-Up). To get it, most people use an upgraded home telephone line called ADSL (Asymmetrical Digital Subscriber Line), though fibre optic cable services are also available.
As well as being many, many times faster than dial-up, broadband offers a couple of other key benefits: it's always connected, so you needn’t wait to get online each time, and it allows you to make & receive phone calls on the same line while it’s being used.
How does ADSL make the line faster?
With dial-up, the computer's modem converts data into a noise, which passes as an electrical signal through the phone line, and turns back to noise at the other end for another computer to interpret. Yet with ADSL the data is more efficiently converted straight into electrical signals, plus it’s transmitted over a much wider frequency range, so more is carried.
New to broadband?
If you're new to broadband, when you subscribe to a provider it will organise for the line to be set up to receive broadband. If it hasn’t already been, this takes around a week and you shouldn’t notice any difference to your phone line.
The company should also provide you with a broadband modem, which is the piece of equipment allowing your computer to use the signal, and many will give you a router for connecting multiple machines up too.
You should also get one or two 'microfilters', which, when plugged into your phone socket before your modem, help it to get a cleaner signal, reducing interference and upping your speed. These make quite a difference (you may even get no access without them), so it's important to use them wherever possible.
Of course, all this equipment costs the service provider money, so most will lock you into a minimum 12-month contract to recoup costs.
Switching broadband provider
Switching broadband provider is in essence quite simple, yet until recently it was made much more difficult by uncooperative companies. Thankfully this is gradually changing as the regulator, Ofcom, is coming down hard on them.
If you are switching provider there are a couple of checks to make:
Are you locked in?
Check you’re actually allowed to switch from your current provider. Many broadband providers' contracts last a year or 18 months; try to leave before that time and you may be charged a penalty. Even if not, you'll almost certainly have to pay for any equipment you received at the beginning of the contract.
-
Is there a migration fee?
Most providers nowadays will transfer you to their service for free, since they want your business, but a dwindling number still charge a migration fee of around £15. It’s also important to note that for technical reasons the new company usually only allows you to switch to its service at the same speed as your current provider’s speed, but after that you should be able to upgrade.
- Ensure you know your MAC code.
Call up your existing broadband provider and ask it for your MAC code (Migration Authorisation Code). Don’t worry, this is a standard process and you should get it without a hassle. It does however give providers an opportunity to persuade you to stay by offering a much more competitive deal than you currently have. Don't dismiss this out of hand, they may even offer you a better deal than the one you're switching to.
Once you have the MAC code, give it to your new provider and it should mean much less downtime when you transfer, possibly even just a few hours. Without it the transfer across can take weeks, so make sure you have yours handy.
If you don't want to switch, try haggling with your existing provider. It's possible it'll up your speeds or drop the package price if you ask nicely. Go armed with details of the current best buys for new customers as a benchmark price. For more details read the How To Haggle Successfully article.
Choosing a package
There are a range of variables to take into account when choosing a broadband package:
How much will you use it?
Providers usually set their charges based on the volume of data used. This is measured in Megabytes,MB , or Gigabytes, GB (1,024MB ) and has nothing to do with the time spent online. Leaving the internet connected doesn’t cost anything, it’s only ‘doing things’ that uses up the bytes.
Viewing 25 web pages takes very roughly 1MB , so a low 1 GB monthly limit means roughly 25,000 pages. Thus, for those doing just a little web-surfing & downloading e-mails, the limits are irrelevant. Yet downloading music, software or videos eats up the data much faster, as does watching content from one of the growing number of web TV services.
To keep on top of your data use, download a free bandwidth monitor. As well as letting you know exactly how much of your quota you have left each month, they can warn you when you're nearing the limit. ThinkBroadband's tbbMeter promises to track usage on multiple machines in the near future, while options Rokario & Netmeter only work per PC, not per connection, so if you've more than one computer connected to the net you’ll have to tot up the different bandwidth amounts to make up the total.
- Do you watch web TV?
If you've embraced the idea of watching TV shows on your computer, it's important to be aware of the costs. Streaming video (when the shows are piped directly to your screen), whilst better than downloading, can still eat up data very quickly.
For example, watch an hour-long show in high quality on the most popular web service, BBC iPlayer , and you could plough through 600MB of data. If you've an unlimited download package this won't be an issue, but those with low monthly data allowances should think twice before viewing; a 2GB allowance equates to under 3.5 hours viewing at full (not HD) quality.
- How fast is it?
Internet speed is measured in Kbps (Kilobits per second), the amount of information transferred per second. Basic broadband is 512Kbps, nearly ten times faster than dial-up, yet 8 Mbps (c.8,000 Kbps), a further 20 times faster, is becoming increasingly common, and super-fast 24 Mbps is now available in some areas.
Yet just because a package says up to 8 Mbps don't assume that's what you'll get; it's dependent on a number of factors, including how close you are to your nearest BT exchange, how well-equipped the latter is, and how many local people are competing with you for bandwidth, so your speed may be much less. You can check yours using Think Broadband's speed detector. As a benchmark, it's worth noting that the average actual speed in the UK is 3.6Mbps on a supposed 8Mbps connection.
- Technical Phone Support.
If you don’t know your modem from your mobile you may find yourself on the phone to technical support a lot while setting up your broadband. As this can cost up to 50p/min a few 20 minute calls easily eat away any saving from getting a cheaper package. Of course, you could also ask for help from fellow MoneySavers on the Technical Board but only if you’ve already managed to get online.
- Provider Feedback.
Since you'll likely be signing a 12 month (or longer) contract, it's crucial to check feedback before diving in. Sites like thinkbroadband.com and ispreview.co.uk, as well as our broadband forum, have a wealth of customer feedback. Make sure you read a whole range though, as no matter how good overall, every provider has its share of disappointed customers. Likewise, add your own feedback once your broadband's been up and running awhile, to help improve accuracy.
- Traffic Shaping.
During peak times, or when there's heavy traffic, most providers will cut the speed of your connection. They do this by giving different types of traffic different levels of priority. Thus, the brunt of the speed cuts will hit those downloading via peer-to-peer, file sharing services such as BitTorrents, as these are easy for the providers to spot, and they're considered low priority traffic. Again, for the average user it shouldn’t be an issue.
- Do you want it bundled with your telephone line?
Some of the very cheapest broadband packages come as part of an overall phone/broadband package. If you’re looking to get this all in one status then instead please read the Cheapest Home Phones article.
- Are you on the move?
If you're on the move with your laptop or don't want to have a BT landline, it's possible to connect to the web via mobile broadband from as little as £10/month. Instead of connecting through a landline, 3G web access makes use of mobile phone networks to send data, meaning you can connect wherever there's a mobile signal. Yet you don't need a mobile phone to do it; these packages come supplied with a little modem that takes its place For full options read the Cheapest 3G Web Access article.
BEST BUYS: The cheapest packages
Below are our top picks after comparing 50+ broadband products. It’s purely price focused, as broadband customer service tends to have a huge ‘luck of the draw’ element; with every provider having its disgusted of Dorset and delighted of Devon.
Many providers quote prices without VAT; here we always include it. Also its important to note, once you’ve chosen your top provider, you may be able to considerably reduce the effective price by getting extra cashback on these deals.
Cheapest standalone broadband packages
Here are the cheapest standalone broadband packages, for bundles see below. All the phone package deals are excluded, as the price of calls usually plays a bigger part than broadband costs.
- The overall cheapest: £6 per month
Plusnet Option 1. £6/month
If you're in the right area, Plusnet’s Value package is likely to be the cheapest option at £5.99/month on a 12 month contract. The package has a generous 10GB daytime download limit and unlimited downloads from midnight to 8am. Go over the download allowance during the day and it'll cost you £2 for 2GB.
The speed is up to 8Mbps, with a free wireless router included (£6.99 p&p), though traffic is quite heavily managed during peak times, so downloaders should expect to have their speeds strangled in the day. Online gamers are prioritised so should still find it speedy.
If you're in the 30% of the country that can't get this offer (check by entering your postcode) you'll only get the first three months at £5.99, after this it'll set you back £11.99/month, meaning you should try elsewhere.
You can also grab £38 cashback with this package; see the cashback section for more info.
QUICK FACTS. Speed: Up to 8Mbps Download Limit: 10 GB Modem & Connection Fee Included: Yes (subject to 12 month contract & £6.99 postage charge) Migration Fee for switchers: None Technical Support Phone Costs: 4p (Geographical 0114) Traffic Shaping: Yes, strong
- Cheapest unlimited downloads inc wireless set up.
BeValue half price deal: £6.75/mth
Until the end of December, Be* broadband's unlimited download, 8Mbps Value package can be had for just £6.75/mth (usually £13.50), by tapping in the promo code halfprice at the checkout. This is a bargain for such a well-rated service if the broadband's available in your area.
It's possible to get £25 cashback too, see the cashback section for more info.
QUICK FACTS. Speed: up to 8Mbps Download Limit: None (Fair usage policy applies)Modem & Connection Fee Included: Yes, including a wireless router. Migration Fee for switchers: None Technical Support Phone Costs: Free (0800) Traffic Shaping: None, congestion at busy times though
- No contract broadband with no traffic shaping.
Newnet 1 £12.95/month
If you're moving house soon, or don't want to be tied down to a 12-month contract Newnet offers monthly contracts at an extra cost. Newnet's package is £12.95 for a month by month contract though you may have to pay an exit fee of about £13.
QUICK FACTS. Speed: up to 8Mbps Download Limit: 4 GB Modem & Connection Fee Included: £39.95 if you're new to broadband but no modem. Migration Fee for switchers: Free Technical Support Phone Costs: 4p/min (Lo-call 0845) Traffic Shaping: No
Superfast broadband packages (20Mbps+)
Superfast broadband through a phoneline means up to 24Mpbs, yet there’s no point paying for it if your line isn't up to the task (find out how to check your line).
Up to 8Mbps speeds are standard, though the reality for most is half that, while superfast usually means up to 24Mbps (cable customers can get more). Whether it's worth getting depends what you'll use it for; it won't really impact web surfing, its strength's for online gaming, streaming HD TV, and downloading big files.
First check providers' sites to see if they can supply it, but forget advertised speeds; anything over 8Mbps is a good result, as how near you are to a BT exchange is key.
Here's how to check if it could be worth it for you.
- Step One. Check your exchange.
Broadband signals degrade as they travel down BT's aged copper lines, so the further away from your exchange you are, the slower your connection will be. This is the single most important factor in getting the top speeds via ADSL2+. You can use ThinkBroadband's speed test tool to check your current speed, and use the SamKnows website to get detailed info about your local phone exchange, and what speeds it's equipped.
- Step Two. See what the Joneses are getting.
Top10broadband's excellent StreetStats tool charts UK users' actual broadband speed test results - so you can use it to see what speeds your neighbours are getting with which providers. Needless to say, if they're all really low don't bother with a superfast package; you'll just be paying for the name.
StreetStats uses data from across each providers' product range - ie you can't filter by those paying for 20Mbps packages only, so the results only provide an overview, but they'll still reflect what's possible nearby.
- Step 3. Consider what difference it'll make.
Contrary to intuition, having mega download speeds is unlikely to make your standard web browsing experience much faster. This owes to the many little inefficiencies in the web, and the fact that no matter how fast you can get data, you still rely on web sites serving it up quick enough.
Faster speeds will make the most noticeable difference to those downloading large files, streaming high quality content, or gaming over the web. If you do none of these very often, the extra expense may not be worthwhile at the moment.
- 20Mbps standalone: £7.34-£11/mth plus possible cashback
O2 Premium plus three months free
Well-regarded home broadband provider O2* offers the cheapest 20Mbps broadband package. Standard costs are £14.68/mth, or £9.79/mth for O2 mobile customers, but you get the first three months free, so it works out at £11.01/mth for non-O2 customers, or just £7.34 if you are one. To sign up you'll need an active BT landline, and to be in the 80% of the country that can get O2's service (check availability).
It's possible to get £75 cashback on this package too, see the cashback section for more info.
QUICK FACTS. Speed: up to 20Mbps Download Limit: None (Fair usage policy applies)Modem & Connection Fee Included: Yes, including a wireless router. Migration Fee for switchers: None Technical Support Phone Costs: Free (0800) Traffic Shaping: None, congestion at busy times though
- 20Mbps bundle deal: £13-£16/mth inc. line rental
Orange Home Max via SimplifyDigital
Until 27 Nov, a deal available only by phoning comparison site SimplifyDigital gets you £50 cashback when you take out Orange's Home Max package, which includes an Orange landline and unlimited home broadband with up to 20Mbps download speeds. Orange contract mobile customers save on these 18-month packages, so it works out at £13.13/mth for them, while non-Orange mobile customers will pay the equivalent of £16.14 after cashback.
These fast Orange packages only launched in November so feedback is limited so far, though historically Orange has a poor customer service record. The packages are only available to around 65% of UK homes (check availability), and you'll need an active BT line to switch over.
Orange's home phone line includes free evening and weekend calls and lets you use override providers, but other call charges can be more expensive than BTs (Full price guide PDF). Read the Home Phones guide for all the latest home phone deals.
QUICK FACTS. Speed: Up to 20Mbps Download Limit: unlimited Modem & Connection Fee Included: Yes (subject to 18 month contract) Migration Fee for switchers: None Technical Support Phone Costs: 5p (0844) Traffic Shaping: Likely at busy times
- 24Mbps standalone: £17.50/mth plus possible cashback
Be broadband Pro
Be, which is behind O2's broadband, offers the cheapest up to 24Mbps unlimited standalone broadband package at £17.50/mth. The Be Unlimited service comes highly rated, with 24Mbps downloads, 1.3Mbps uploads, and a static IP as standard. Plus, you get a full wireless set-up with the the 12-month contract, and tech support is totally free 24/7.
A shorter 3-month contract's also available, but for this you'll pay £20/month and setup costs. You'll need an active BT line to get it, and to be (hopefully very) near an unbundled exchange.
Given the difference in price between this and the O2 package above, chances are you'll be paying a fair bit for a small increase in speed, but it's worth a look. You can also grab £40 cashback with this; see the cashback section for more info
QUICK FACTS. Speed: Up to 24Mbps Download Limit: unlimited Modem & Connection Fee Included: Yes (subject to 12 month contract) Migration Fee for switchers: None Technical Support Phone Costs: FREE (0808) Traffic Shaping: None
- 50Mbps standalone: £27-£39/mth plus possible cashback
Virgin Media XXL Broadband
For the fastest broadband in the UK you'll need to join Virgin, which has now rolled out its market-leading 50Mbps unlimited fibre-optic cable package to around 12 million homes (check availability). It won't stop here though; the company expects to hit 200Mbps within a couple of years. Such eye-watering speeds come at a cost though; those who take Virgin's landline for £11/mth will pay an average £27.17/mth on top for the broadband.
Those who don't take a landline with the company (and since it's cable there's no need to have one at all) will pay more; including the connection fee it works out at £39.25/mth on average. Not cheap, but as ever with Virgin, watch out for occasional special promotions to cut the cost.
It's possible for new customers to get £65 on this package too, see the cashback section for more info.
QUICK FACTS. Speed: up to 50Mbps Download Limit: None (Fair usage policy applies)Modem & Connection Fee Included: Yes, including a wireless router. Migration Fee for switchers: None Technical Support Phone Costs: 4p (0845) Traffic Shaping: None
Broadband-with-home-phone bundles
If you're willing to opt for a bundled package, TalkTalk's home phone and broadband is worth looking at, as is Tiscali's:
- TalkTalk £19.41/month.
Line rental, broadband, free evening & weekend national calls plus anytime local calls.
TalkTalk's* Essential package is usually £19.41 all-in, over its 18 month contract. However at the moment it's offering free connection meaning over the eighteen month contract it's £17.74/month. Its advantage over Tiscali isfree calls to UK landlines at weekends, as well as local daytime calls. If you're likely to call either of those a lot, it's worth going for.
It also offers boosts for £4 each, including extras such as increased speed, a higher download limit, anytime calls and half price calls to mobiles. In most cases the boosts aren't worth it, as you can get those add-ons cheaper elsewhere.
TalkTalk’s broadband is available for most, but not all, of the UK, so do check eligibility* first. At launch, feedback on TalkTalk's customer service was shaky, however reports say this is much better now.
For those on TalkTalk's old version of the Essential's package which included some free international calls, can ask to be switched to the new one with free local anytime calls instead. Otherwise you'll be automatically swapped over when your current contract ends.
Plus there are currently another two deals that can slice the cost further:
Easy £50 cashback: Sign up to TalkTalk's essentials package via comparison site Simplify Digital* and you can currently get £50, making it cheaper than going direct to TalkTalk*. However you have to sign up for a whopping 24 month contract for this. Over the 24 month contract it costs £16.90 (inc. all charges & discounts).
£55 cashback: Sign up to TalkTalk's essentials package via cashback site Quidco* and you can get £55 cashback. You only have to sign up to an eighteen month contract and over this time it works out at £15.27/month including connection and factoring in the cashback.
- Cheapest alternative broadband if you've no BT landline.
Virgin Broadband with phone. £22.75/month
If you've been cut off from BT or don't want/have a landline your broadband options are limited. The cheapest non-BT broadband is Virgin's Broadband with phone* , which after some number-wrangling works out at £22.75/month, including a cable landline (call rates).
If you're already with Virgin try haggling; some users have reported substantial savings on packages after threatening to leave. Some have even managed to get installation fees refunded, no questions asked. Read the Virgin Media Haggling article for more details.
Can you get broadband free or subsidised?
There are a few providers offering free or cheaper broadband when it's bundled with other products. While it's rarely worth getting these products just because of the broadband, if you already have them and are happy with what you’ve got, you may as well use the broadband.
- Do you have an o2 contract or just grab an o2 Pay-As-You-Go?
If you have any o2* mobile you can get £5/mth off each of its packages. This often makes it far cheaper than you'll find elsewhere, plus connection is free and you get a wireless router and free technical help thrown in. It doesn't impose a download limit, though it is subject to a 'fair usage' policy. It's only available to those near an unbundled BT exchange though (around 80% of the population); others will pay far more for its lesser 'Access' package.
Alternatively if you're willing to play the system, it's possible to get cheap unlimited broadband just by grabbing a free PAYG sim. Simply pick up a free sim* and top up by £10 every three months to qualify for the cheap broadband.
- Got Sky TV?
Sky TV customers can get 2 Mbps Sky broadband* with a 2 GB usage cap for free, but only if they take its Skytalk home phone package, or else it's £5/month. There's a £60 installation fee if you take its base package, and you'll need to be in a Sky network area or the cost jumps. SkyTalk isn't amongst the cheapest home phone providers (see the Home Phones guide), but this deal makes it appealing to light landline users.
- Get Free Wireless Broadband.
As a final thought, if you've got a laptop which allows you to use wireless internet (all those made in the last few years will do, and even some new phones!), it's worth noting that along the high street there are a growing number of places that will allow you free wireless access.
The widespread pub chains Wetherspoons and Walkabout now offer all customers unlimited Wi-Fi access, as do McDonalds restaurants nationwide. Coffee shop chain Coffee Republic also offers wireless to customers in some stores, but you'll need to spend £2 for 20 minutes access and £5 for 45 minutes. For full details, and more ways to get free access, read the Free Wireless Internet access article.
This article is updated monthly, however you may want to check the daily updated best buy tables from a couple of external sources as listed below.
WARNING! Always check the providers listed in this article first, as the comparison links below don’t cover anywhere near as many products; yet they are updated daily so occassionally may provide better buys if they’re brand new.
Broadband Choices*, Uswitch*, Moneysupermarket*
Can you grab cashback on top?
It’s often possible to grab extra cashback on top when you sign up for a broadband package. Yet it isn’t done direct. To get it you need sign up via a specialist cashback websites; these use affiliate links to generate revenue, and if they get paid when you get it, they give some or all of it to you.
Yet always first check that it's an identical product, clear any cookies if you’ve already clicked through, and remember as the cashback isn’t coming from the product provider, it's never 100% guaranteed. Sometimes special promotions and cashback can't be combined. You're playing the system to an extent, and there can be problems.
Therefore it's generally best to pick the right product first and view the cashback as an added extra. For more information, pros and cons, and to find which cashback providers pay most for any product, see the Top Cashback Sites guide.
Plus sometimes there are special higher rates negotiated for the short term. These tend to have a higher payout reliability; when they happen we’ll list them below and include info in the weekly e-mail.
Current cashback deals.
- £75 cashback with O2 premium broadband.
It's possible to earn £75 cashback on O2's premium broadband by going via Quidco* or Topcashback*, cutting the effective price (once the cashback's factored in) to £4.76/mth, or just £1.09/mth for existing O2 mobile customers.
- Up to £40 cashback with Be broadband.
By going through the cashback sites Quidco or Topcashback, you can get £25 when you sign up for Be Value (even with the half-price deal), or £40 with Be Unlimited.
- £28 cashback with Plusnet Value.
Both Quidco* and Topcashback* are also offering £28 anybody that signs a new Plusnet Value broadband contract. .
- £65 cashback with Virgin Media.
Both Quidco and Topcashback offer £65 to people taking out any Virgin cable package.
Glossary
Always double check the product details before signing up to them
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