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).
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.
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 they gave you.
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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'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.
- 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.
Plusnet Option 1: £5.99/month, 12 month contractIf 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 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 £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
Be Value: £7.50/mth, 12 month contractTop-rated provider Be*, which uses the same infrastructure as O2, now offers its value package to all-comers for £7.50/mth, but imposes a 40GB download/upload limit. For non-O2 mobile/landline customers this is a top deal, offering 8Mbps broadband with 4x the allowance of Plusnet (though this time including downloads made overnight) for an extra £1.50, with wider availability.
As ever, a full wireless set-up is included when you take a 12-month contract.
You can get £25 cashback with this package too - see the cashback section for details.
QUICK FACTS. Speed: up to 8Mbps Download Limit: None (Fair usage policy applies)
O2 Standard: From £6.25/mth, 12 month contractThe base O2* package offers unlimited downloads at 8Mbps for £12.50/month, or £7.50/month for existing customers if it's available in your area. Yet it'll give you the first two months free when you sign up, bringing the effective cost down to £10.41 (£6.25)
It's possible to get £50 cashback too - see the cashback section for more info.
QUICK FACTS. Speed: up to 8Mbps Download Limit: None (Fair usage policy applies)
Newnet 1 £12.95/month, Rolling 1 month contractIf you're moving house soon, or don't want to be tied down to a 12-month contract Newnet offers one-month rolling contracts for £12.95/month.
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 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.
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.
O2 Premium: From £2.50/mth, 12 month contractThe premium O2* package just about qualifies as superfast, at 20Mbps with no download limit. It's £15/month, or £10/month for existing customers if it's available in your area. Yet it'll give you the first two months free when you sign up, bringing the effective cost down to £12.50 (£8.33) over the 12 month contract.
SimplifyDigital deal - £70 automatic cashback!
Until Midnight Tuesday 16 Feb comparison site SimplifyDigital* will give you a £70 cheque to take out this package. This brings the effective cost down to just £6.66/mth, or a mere £2.50/mth for existing customers, and the cashback's automatic.
To get the deal, just call its team on 0800 840 5405. For terms click the link above.
QUICK FACTS. Speed: up to 20Mbps Download Limit: None (Fair usage policy applies)
Be Unlimited £17.88/mth, 12 month contractBe, 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.
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.
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
BT Infinity £20/mth, 18 month contractIf 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.
It's basic package, Option 1* offers achievable download speeds of upto 40Mbps, and 2Mbps for uploads, but unfortunately has a usage cap of 20GB/month. This is miserly given the speeds; you could theoretically use it up in an hour of full-speed downloading! A £50 connection means this package effectively costs £22.75/mth over the contract.
Thus it's the 'unlimited' £25/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 £2.25/mth more expensive, and well worth the extra.
BT's planning to make infinity available to 4million 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.
No cashback is currently available on these packages.
Option 1 QUICK FACTS: Speed: up to 40Mbps fibre-optic. 2Mbps upload Download Limit: 20GB
Option 2 QUICK FACTS: Option 2. Speed: up to 40Mbps fibre-optic. 10Mbps upload Download Limit: None, fair usage applies
Virgin Media XXL Broadband, 12 month contractFor 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.
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 cashback on this package too, see the cashback section for more info.
QUICK FACTS. Speed: up to 50Mbps Download Limit: None (Fair usage policy applies)
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:
Line rental, broadband, selected free calls, 18 month contractTalkTalk's* Essential package is usually £19.41/mth 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 is
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:
£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.
O2 and 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 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).
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.
- Up to £65 cashback with Virgin broadband.
Go via cashback site Topcashback* and you can get £65 for taking out any Virgin cable broadband package or bundle. Non cable sales command £65.
- Up to £50 cashback with O2 broadband.
It's possible to earn £50 cashback on O2's home broadband packages 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 £25 when you sign up for Be Value, 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.
Glossary
Always double check the product details before signing up to them
Spotted out of date info/broken links? Let us know via brokenlink@moneysavingexpert.com
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, 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, SimplifyDigital, tbbMeter, Thinkbroadband, Uswitch, Walkabout
Duplicate links of the * links above for the sake of tranparency, 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, Sky Broadband, TalkTalk Option 2, Tiscali, TopCashback, Virgin Broadband
