MoneySavingExpert.com Free To Use, Free of Ads, UK, Consumer Revenge

Cheap Broadband

Get online from £4/month

updated monthly

Many deals are shortlived. All latest deals, guides & loopholes go in MoneySavingExpert's free weekly email. Ensure you don't miss out - join the 5m who get it emailed.

At symbol
The internet's a focal point for music, TV and even dating, so it's great 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 costs and save £100s.

Monitor IconHow 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).

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.

New to broadband?

If you're new to broadband, your provider will need to set up your phone line before you can get online. This usually takes a week, but won't affect calls.

You'll also get a broadband modem, which allows your computer to use the signal, and a couple of 'microfilters' which help your modem get a cleaner signal through the line. 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.

Monitor Icon 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:

  • Locked in?

    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 they gave you.

  • 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 broadband package

There are a range of variables to take into account when choosing a broadband package:

Can you get it free?

The government is giving away free web access and laptops grants to lower income families without internet access who have a child with disabilities or a special educational need.

If you have children in school years three to nine (roughly age 7 to 14) you may be eligible for over £500 worth of equipment. See the Free Laptop Grants guide for full details.

Get Free Wireless Broadband.

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 free wireless access is becoming the rule rather than exception.

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.

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 (1,024 MB ) 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 1GB 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'll warn you when you're nearing the limit. ThinkBroadband's tbbMeter promises to track usage on multiple machines in the near future, while Rokario & Netmeter only work per PC, so if you've more than one computer connected to the net you'll have to tot up the totals.

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 reasonable 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.

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.

It's worth noting that if you're switching from cable broadband to a company that requires a BT line and you don't already have one, this can be pricy. See home phones for line installation deals.

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.

Important! Don't miss any guides, deals, vouchers & loopholes
Get MoneySavingExpert's free, spam-free weekly email

Monitor Icon 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.

Some providers quote prices without VAT; here we always include it. Also it's 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 people that live in 'local loop unbundled' or LLU areas (about 70% of the population). If your local exchange isn't unbundled you'll pay more. If you want to know exactly what providers and potential speeds your local exchange can handle, use SamKnows' Exchange mapping tool.

Standalone broadband: £4/mth

Plusnet
Plusnet Value: 12 Month contract, 80% availability

Plusnet Value:

New customers get 4 months free, plus free activation (usually £25) on Plusnet Value or Extra through this special Consumer Choices* link until Fri 1 Oct. This brings the average price down to £4.33/mth over the 12 month contract for those living in a 'low cost area' (it'll tell you).

This is a great deal, as if you're in the right area Plusnet Value's usually £6.49/mth (or an average of £8.57/mth including £25 activation fee). It's online only, and isn't valid on Plusnet Pro or with other offers. You can avoid the £25 fee if you already pay line rental to BT or Plusnet and sign up by phone, and it's a further £5 p&p for its router. Full terms.

Plusnet now offers speeds of up to 20Mbps, available to about 55% of customers depending on if your local exchange is enabled. There's a 10GB monthly download and upload limit enforced in the daytime hours; you get unlimited downloads from Midnight to 8am. Go over the daytime allowance and it's £5 for 5GB.

Need a higher download cap? Check out Plusnet Extra:

Alternatively, Plusnet Extra has a 60GB usage allowance and speeds of up to 20 Mbps. It's usually £11.49/mth (or £11.49 for three months then £17.99/mth if not in it's 'low cost area') plus £25 activation fee. However, go through Consumer Choices* before Fri 1 Oct to get it for an average £7.66/mth on a 12 month contract.

Again, the download cap doesn't apply overnight so the allowance is extended further.

Can't get this deal? To get this price you have to live in what Plusnet deems a 'low-cost area' - if you don't you'll pay more. Full Details

With Plusnet Value, outside the designated 'low cost areas' you'll pay £6.49 for the first three months, then £12.99, meaning an average price of £11.37/mth.

The package itself is exactly the same as the standard Value package, with a 10GB monthly download cap which isn't enforced overnight.

Don't want a year's contract?

Plusnet also has a 'no contract' option that lets you leave with 10 days notice. Take this option and it's £40 + £5 p&p for its wireless router, but you can avoid this cost if you've already got one.

QUICK FACTS. Speed: Up to 20Mbps Download Limit: 10 GB Modem & Connection Fee Included: No, £25 activation fee & £5 postage for modem Migration Fee for switchers: None Technical Support Phone Costs: 5.25p/min Traffic Shaping: Yes, strong Thinkbroadband rating: 3.5/5

Unlimited downloads: from £9/mth

Plusnet
Orange Home Select: 18 Month contract, 85% availability

Orange's Home Select broadband-only package is £9 a month for Orange mobile customers, or £12/mth otherwise. There's an 18 month contract, but you'll get unlimited downloads as well as up to 20 Mbps and a free wireless router.

Though its existing customer price is currently the same as O2's under the offer below, Orange comes up cheaper if you don't already have its mobile. Since it offers Free Sim Cards this effectively means anyone can get the cheaper rate, though you'll need to top up £10 once to activate the sim and then sign up within three months.

It's worth noting you'll only be able to get the above prices if you live in an Orange broadband network area, which covers about 85% of the UK. If not, you'll be charged up to an extra £10 a month.

QUICK FACTS. Speed: Up to 20Mbps Download Limit: Unlimited (fair usage policy applies) Modem & Connection Fee Included: Yes, free wireless router Migration Fee for switchers: None Technical Support Phone Costs: 5p Traffic Shaping: Light Thinkbroadband rating: 2.5/5
O2 Logo

Unlimited downloads: from £9/mth

O2 All Rounder: 12 month contract, 70% availability

3 months free offer: Get 3 months free broadband until Thur 30 Sept when you sign up for O2's* Basics, All Rounder or The Works packages on a 12 month contract by direct debit.

This is good if you're an O2 mobile customer as you already get £5 off each month, meaning its unlimited 'All Rounder' deal costs just £9/month over a year (£14.83 for non-O2 customers, including £25 fee). The discount's applied automatically when you sign up online, by phone or in an O2 store. You'll also need a BT line to get it.

Sadly, O2's base package (£8/mth with O2, £13/mth plus £25 connection fee otherwise) no longer offers unlimited downloads. However, O2's* All Rounder package offers the company's mobile customers unlimited downloads (subject to fair usage policy, see below) at up to 20 Mbps. At full price, it'd usually be £12/mth if available in your area.

If you don't have an O2 mobile, it'd be a hefty £17 for the same package plus a £25 connection charge (waived if you've an O2 mobile), though there's a way around this. Full Details

It's possible to get the cheap deal by grabbing a free PAYG sim*. Top up by £10 every three months and you'll qualify for the cheap broadband.

QUICK FACTS. Speed: Up to 20 Mbps Download Limit: Fair usage policy applies - around 100GB for All Rounder, around 250GB for The Works Modem & Connection Fee Included: Yes for 02 mobile customers, £25 otherwise. Includes a wireless router. Migration Fee for switchers: None Technical Support Phone Costs: Free (0800) Traffic Shaping: None, congestion at busy times though Thinkbroadband rating: 3.5/5

Superfast broadband packages (24Mbps+)

Superfast broadband through a standard 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).

Fibre-optic services from Virgin and BT make download speeds of up to 50Mbps possible, but availability for these is more limited.

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 up to 50Mbps). 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 pre-WWII 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 for. If you're one of the lucky ones with a fibre-optic equipped exchange, you can get BT's superfast Infinity packages (see below).

  • Step Two. See what the Joneses are getting.

    Top10 broadband'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.

Be broadband24Mbps standalone: £18/mth

BE unlimited: 12 month contract, 70% availability

Be, which is behind O2's broadband, offers the cheapest up to 24Mbps unlimited standalone broadband package at £17.88/mth. The Be Unlimited* service comes highly rated, with up to 24Mbps downloads (though you're likely to get a fair bit less), 1.3Mbps uploads, and a static IP as standard. Full Details

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.

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

BT40Mbps standalone: from £23/mth

BT Infinity: 18 month contract, 20% availability

If you've a BT landline, are lucky enough to live in a fibre-optic equipped area (mainly Cardiff, North London, Basingstoke and Halifax at present - check*), and don't mind an 18-month contract, you could get BT's next-gen 'Infinity' service. Full Details

Its basic £19.99/mth Option 1* offers achievable download speeds of up to 40Mbps, and 2Mbps for uploads, but unfortunately has a usage cap of 40GB/month. This is miserly given the speeds; you could theoretically use it up in two hours of full-speed downloading! A £50 connection fee means this package effectively costs £22.77/mth over the contract.

Thus it's the 'unlimited' £24.99/mth Option 2* that'll appeal to most. As well as 40Mbps downloads, this offers superfast uploads - up to 10Mbps. It's unlimited, but subject to fair usage, so BT reserves the right to throttle downloads after a while. As there's no connection fee here it's actually only £2.22/mth more expensive, and well worth the extra.

A BT Home Hub wireless router is included with both of the above options, though you'll pay £4.99 p&p. BT's planning to make infinity available to 4 million households by the end of 2010, so check back ocassionally if you can't get it yet. It'll also start reselling fibre-optic services to other providers in the near future.

Option 1 QUICK FACTS: Speed: up to 40Mbps fibre-optic. 2Mbps upload Download Limit: 40GB Modem & Connection Fee Included: No, £50 (£4.99 p&p for BT Home Hub). Migration Fee for switchers: Free Technical Support Phone Costs: 4p/min (Lo-call 0845) Traffic Shaping: Not at present

Option 2 QUICK FACTS: Speed: up to 40Mbps fibre-optic. 10Mbps upload Download Limit: None, fair usage applies Modem & Connection Fee Included: Yes (£4.99 p&p for BT Home Hub) Migration Fee for switchers: Free Technical Support Phone Costs: 4p/min (Lo-call 0845) Traffic Shaping: Not at present
Virgin

50Mbps standalone: from £25/mth

Virgin Media XXL: 12 month contract, 50% availability

For the fastest downloads in the UK you'll need to join Virgin*, which offers achievable 50Mbps unlimited fibre-optic broadband to around 12 million homes (check availability). It won't stop here though; the company expects to hit 200Mbps within a couple of years. Full Details

Free installation & activation offers: Until 31 Oct Virgin's offering free installation (usually £40) on its XXL broadband. It's also offering free activation (usually £20) on this package until 31 Dec. Factoring in these discounts, if you're also taking its phone line this brings it down to an average £24.75/mth (+ £11.99 line rental) or £36.75/mth if you don't want its landline.

Such eye-watering speeds come at a cost; at full price, those who take Virgin's landline for £11.99/mth would usually pay an average £29.75/mth on top for the broadband, including the £40 installation fee and £20 activation fee.

Those who don't take a landline with the company (and since it's cable there's no need to have one at all) would pay more; including the installation and activation fees it'd work out at £41.75/mth on average. Not cheap, but as ever with Virgin, watch out for occasional special promotions to cut the cost.

QUICK FACTS. Speed: up to 50Mbps Download Limit: None (Fair usage policy applies) Modem & Connection Fee Included: No. Free wireless router, £20 activation fee, £40 installation fee. Migration Fee for switchers: None Technical Support Phone Costs: 4p (0845) Traffic Shaping: None

Broadband-with-home-phone bundles

Bundled packages are a good idea for those that rarely use landlines for calls, as they tend to couple cheap broadband with more expensive landlines

Primus & PlusnetPrimus & Plusnet: From £14/mth

Line rental, broadband, 12 month contract

This one isn't really a bundle at all. Yet as the cheapest standalone landline is £8.99/mth and broadband £6.49 a month (plus £25 activation fee), you can grab both at once and beat most proper bundles' prices.

Home Phone: Get the Primus Home Saver package specifically via Home Phone Choices* and you get line rental and free evening and weekend calls to UK landlines for £8.99/mth.

Broadband 4 mths free & free activation offer: See above for info on Plusnet's 4 mths free plus free activation offer through Consumer Choices*. This is valid on Plusnet Value and Extra (but not Pro), and ends 1 Oct. Including the £4.99 p&p for the router, this means you'll get the entire Plusnet Value broadband and Primus home phone 'bundle' for an average £13.73/mth.

If you're in the right area, the Plusnet Value* package would usually cost £6.49/month on a 12 month contract. It has a 10GB monthly download & upload limit, but this is only enforced in the daytime hours; you get unlimited downloads from Midnight to 8am. Go over the daytime allowance and it'll cost you £5 for 5GB.

The speed is up to 20Mbps, with a free wireless router included (£5 p&p). To get the deal at this price you have to live in what Plusnet deems a 'low-cost area', otherwise it'll cost £12.99/mth after the first three months, which means you should get a different bundle.

QUICK FACTS. Price: £13.73/month Free Calls: Weekend Free Calls are free for: The first 60 minutes Broadband: Up to 20MB, 10GB download limit Free International Calls: No Connection: £25 activation fee (Plusnet) Contract: 12 months Coverage: 70% of the UK Wireless: Yes (£5 postage) Thinkbroadband rating: 3.5/5 Add your feedback/Read Others: Primus & Plusnet Homephone & Broadband

OrangeOrange Home Max from £16/mth

Line rental, broadband, 18 month contract

Orange's Home Max broadband package (now managed by BT after some customer service issues) is now more accessible as its cheaper rate is also open to Orange Pay As You Go mobile customers - you previously needed a contract deal.

Since it offers Free Sim Cards, this effectively means anyone can get it, though you'll need to top up £10 once to activate the sim and then sign up within three months of doing this.

You'll pay £6.50/mth over the 18 month contract if you're an Orange mobile customer (£9.50/mth if you aren't), plus £10.50/mth line rental. However, until 15 Sept 2010 you'll get your first 3 months free on the £6.50 tariff, taking this to an average of £15.92/mth including line rental.

You get 20Mbps with no download limit, and and a home phone line with free evening and weekend calls. Orange's landline charges aren't particularly competitive (price list), so this is far better suited to light phone users who want the cheap broadband. The contract length is 18-months though, so you'll need to be staying put.

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: 5p Traffic Shaping: Light Thinkbroadband rating: 2.5/5

TalkTalkTalkTalk bundle: From £18/mth

Line rental, broadband, 18-24 month contract

TalkTalk's* Essential package is usually £20.70 all-in, over its 18 month contract. However there's currently a deal that cuts this down to £18.37/mth. Full Details


6 months free:
TalkTalk* is offering the first 6 months free on its Essentials package, usually £6.99/month, when you sign up online. Factoring in the discount, line rental (£12.04/mth), broadband, and £29.99 connection fee, it works out at £18.37/month over 18 months.

It also offers boosts for £2-£4 each, including extras such as increased security, 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 - though no provider is ever without any problems.

QUICK FACTS. Price: £17.82/month Free Calls: Evening & weekend Free Calls are free for: The first 60 minutes Broadband: Up to 24MB, 40GB download limit Free International Calls: No Connection: £29.99 Contract: 18 months Coverage: 70% of the UK Wireless: Free wireless router Thinkbroadband rating: 2.5/5 Add your feedback/Read Others: TalkTalk Homephone & Broadband

O2 & Sky customers' specials

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 Pay-As-You-Go?

    If you have any o2* mobile you can get £5/mth off each of its packages. This often makes it cheaper than you'll find elsewhere, plus 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).

    Alternatively if you're willing to play the system, it's possible to get the cheaper unlimited broadband deal above 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.

  • Person watching TV

    Got Sky TV?

    Sky TV customers can get up to 20 Mbps Sky broadband* with a 2 GB usage cap for free on its Everyday Lite package, but only if they take its Sky Talk home phone package, or else it's £5/mth.

    There's no broadband activation fee if you're a new customer joining Sky's TV and Broadband at the same time. However, existing Sky customers pay a £60 fee on its Everyday Lite package, or £30 for its up to 8Mbps Connect package for customers who aren't in its network area.

    If you're after unlimited downloads, its up to 20Mbps Unlimited package has no activation fee, and is £7.50/mth with Sky Talk calls or £12.50/mth without. Sky Talk isn't amongst the cheapest home phone providers (see the Home Phones guide), so these may appeal to light landline users.


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*, SimplifyDigital*, Uswitch*, Moneysupermarket*

Monitor Icon 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.

  • £28 cashback with Plusnet.

    Go via Quidco* or Topcashback* and sign up for a new Plusnet Value, Extra or Pro broadband contract to get £28 cashback.

  • Up to £65 cashback with Virgin broadband.

    Go via Quidco* or Topcashback* and you can get £65 cashback with any Virgin triple bundle. Non cable sales command £60.

  • Up to £50 cashback with O2 broadband.

    It's possible to earn £50 cashback on O2's home broadband by going via Quidco* or Topcashback*.

  • Up to £40 cashback with Be broadband.

    By going through the cashback sites Quidco* or Topcashback* you can get £40 with Be broadband.


Ask a Question/Discuss:

Spotted out of date info/broken links?

Email brokenlink@moneysavingexpert.com to let us know

Always double check the product details before signing up to them


Other Articles You May Be Interested In...

Get MoneySavingExpert's free, spam-free weekly email
Ensure you don't miss any new top guides, deals & loopholes


contacts

LINKS THAT HELP THIS SITE
(all have a * in above article)
(this has no impact on product or pick - see explanation below)

Be There, Be Value, Broadband Choices, BroadbandChoices, Moneysupermarket, O2, Orange Broadband, Plusnet, Plusnet Value via Uswitch, Quidco, SimplifyDigital, Sky Broadband, TalkTalk Option 2, Tiscali, TopCashback, Virgin Broadband

Explanation (of * links)

How this site is funded. Two types of contacts are listed. The first, which all have a * within the main body of the articles, help MoneySavingExpert.com stay ad-free and free to use, as they're ‘affiliated links' which invisibly take you usually via affiliate linkage or commercial money sites, which then pay this site. The second type doesn't help and therefore doesn't have a *.

You shouldn't notice any difference, the links don't impact the product at all and the editorial line (the things we write) is NEVER impacted by the revenue. If it isn't possible to get an affiliate link for the best product, it is still included in exactly the same way. For more details read how this site is financed.


LINKS THAT DON'T HELP THIS SITE

(please only use if necessary)

No * Link Available: Netmeter, New Net, Rokario, tbbMeter, Thinkbroadband, Uswitch, Walkabout

Duplicate links of the * links above for the sake of transparency, but this version doesn't help MoneySavingExpert.com:
Be There, Be Value, Broadband Choices, BroadbandChoices, Moneysupermarket, O2, Orange Broadband, Plusnet, Plusnet Value via Uswitch, Quidco, SimplifyDigital, Sky Broadband, TalkTalk Option 2, Tiscali, TopCashback, Virgin Broadband

More tools from MoneySavingExpert

This website is based on journalistic research. It does not constitute financial advice. Any information should be considered in regard to specific circumstances. All tips are followed at your own risk and should be followed up with your own research . See Full Terms & Conditions and Privacy Policy. Martin Lewis, MSE, Money Saving Expert, MoneySavingExpert and Moneysavingexpert.com are registered trademarks belonging to Martin S Lewis..