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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.
In this guide
How broadband works
Where it's available, broadband has now all but replaced dial-up web access. Most people use an upgraded home phone line called ADSL (Asymmetrical Digital Subscriber Line).
As well as being much 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 and 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, and shouldn't affect calls.
You'll 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. 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 they don't penalise, you'll almost certainly have to pay for any equipment they gave you - as this is essentially "rented" from your provider. - 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 migration fees for switching you over - especially if you're with an LLU provider (one that uses its own network), such as TalkTalk. - Ensure you know your MAC code
Call your existing broadband provider and ask it for your MAC (Migration Authorisation Code). Don't worry, this is a standard process and you should get it without any 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; they may even offer you a better deal than the one you're switching to.
Once you have your MAC code, give it to your new provider. There should be 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 drop the package price if you ask nicely. Go armed with details of the current best buys for new customers as a benchmark. 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:
NEW! Cheap PC and broadband package for those on benefits
GetOnline@Home has teamed up with comparison site Simplify Digital and broadband provider TalkTalk to offer a £49 desktop PC and £14.50/month broadband bundle for those on certain benefits.
What is GetOnline@Home? It's a Microsoft-backed scheme offering refurbished PCs at a lower cost for those who may not be able to get one without financial help.
What's the deal? The PCs are available for £99 if you're on qualifying benefits. Sign up for a discounted TalkTalk broadband and home phone deal through Simplify Digital and they're further reduced to £49.
TalkTalk Essentials is £5/mth (usually £6.50/mth) on a 12-month contract with no set-up fees under the scheme.
It includes broadband with speeds of up to 14Mb , a 40GB usage limit and evening and weekend calls. Phone line rental isn't included, but costs £9.50/mth if you pay upfront (£114 lump sum). This averages to £14.50/mth for phone and broadband, or £18.58/mth if you include the PC cost.
How do you get the deal? Sign up for the discounted TalkTalk package via Simplify Digital. Call it on 0800 090 1297 and a customer adviser will brief you about the PC and broadband features.
The broadband connection should be activated within two weeks (if there's no previous broadband service in the premises, slightly longer if there is), and the PC should be sent by PC recycling company PCXUK 14 days after the order's placed (and once the TalkTalk order has been validated), although if the offer proves popular it may take longer.
The deal's on until the end of July 2012.
How do I qualify for the deal? To be eligible for the £49 PC, you must receive one of the following benefits:
- Housing benefit
- Income support
- Jobseeker's allowance
- Pension credit
- Disability living allowance
- Attendance allowance / constant attendance allowance
- Incapacity benefit / employment and support allowance
- Disability element of working tax credit.
If you don't get any of these, you can still take advantage of the cheap broadband bundle and refurbished PC, but it'll cost £99 for the computer.
How good is the PC? The PCs are basic entry-level machines, refurbished and audited by Microsoft-accredited companies, with a 30-day warranty. They're pre-loaded with the latest version of Microsoft Windows 7, Microsoft Office and Microsoft security software. They include:
- 15" flat screen monitor, keyboard and mouse
- CD drive and USB ports
- P4 2GHz processor, 1GB RAM, 40GB hard drive
- Telephone helpline and booklet.
Because the PCs supplied are so basic, they are only really suitable for web browsing, creating Word documents and the like.
Anything else? If you want the flexibility of a laptop, you can get the same TalkTalk bundle with a laptop for £119 if on qualifying benefits. The laptop comes with a similar basic spec to the PC.
If you want to get the PC/broadband deal for someone else (perhaps an elderly relative or neighbour), you can, but they'll need to speak to the customer adviser to give consent.
Can you get free internet access?
If you have a laptop or phone with wireless internet, it's worth noting the number of places on the high street offering free wi-fi access is increasing rapidly.
Pub chains Wetherspoons and Walkabout now offer all customers unlimited wi-fi access, as do McDonald's restaurants nationwide. Coffee shop chain Coffee Republic also offers wireless to customers in some stores, but it's limited to 10 minutes - you'll need to pay after this.
For full details, and more ways to get free access, read the Free Wireless Internet access article.
How much data will you use?
Providers usually set their charges based on the volume of data used. This is measured in megabytes (MB) or gigabytes
(GB
- equivalent to 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 roughly 1MB, so a low 1GB
monthly limit means roughly 25,000 pages. So for those doing just a little web-surfing and downloading emails, the limits are irrelevant. Downloading music, software or videos eats up the data much faster though, 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, you'll get a warning you're near your limit.
ThinkBroadband's tbbMeter promises to track usage on multiple machines in the near future, while Rokario and 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 on your computer, it's important you're aware of the costs. Streaming video (when the shows are piped directly to your screen) is better than downloading, but can still eat up data very quickly.
For example, watch an hour-long show in high quality on the 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 less than 3.5 hours' viewing at reasonable quality.
For more info on streaming, read the Watch Movies Online guide.
How fast is it?
Internet speed is measured in Mb (megabits per second), the amount of information transferred per second.
Just because a package says "up to" 20Mb don't assume that's what you'll get. Many factors affect your actual speed:
- Proximity to the phone exchange
- Condition of the lines and wiring
- Contention ratio (the number of people competing for bandwidth in your area)
- Traffic shaping (where providers slow speeds during busy hours or if you're a really heavy downloader).
To find out what speed you're receiving, do a speed test*. It'll test the exact speed you're receiving at that moment in time with your current broadband provider. This speed will depend on several things, as well as those listed above:
- The number of people trying to get online in your house (on PCs, laptops, mobiles, games consoles, etc)
- What you're currently doing (programs running in the background on your machine such as Skype or MSN, downloading content, streaming content)
- The time of day
Technical phone support costs
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 could easily eat away any saving from getting a cheaper package.
Of course, you could also ask for help from fellow MoneySavers on our Forum's Techie Board (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 and ISPReview, 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 a while, to help improve accuracy.
We include the results of our latest customer satisfaction poll in all our best buys, so you can see how each provider ranked with other MSE site users.
Do you want it bundled with your phone line?
Some of the very cheapest broadband deals come as part of an overall phone/broadband package. If you're looking to get an all-in-one package, please read the Cheapest Home Phones article and look at the bundled best buys.
It's worth noting that if you're switching from cable broadband to broadband that requires a BT line, and you don't already have one, it can be pricey. See line installation options for full info.
Do you need broadband on-the-go?
If you're on the move with your laptop or don't want a fixed landline, you can connect to the web via mobile broadband from as little as £7/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.
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 Mobile Broadband article.
Best buys: Cheap broadband
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 that once you've chosen your top provider, you may be able to considerably reduce the effective price by getting extra cashback on these deals.
Here are the cheapest broadband deals 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.
Warning! Even if you're mid-contract, providers can change the prices below at any time. Read the latest MSE broadband news for details on all the price hikes.
Cheap Broadband Finder Tool
Personalise your best buys
To narrow down your search, enter your postcode or phone number below, and we'll show you what's available in your area!
Broadband location data kindly supplied by Sam Knows
We do not store your number or postcode, it is purely for this tool
Checking data...
| Provider | Download limit & 'up to' speed |
Overall cost (Avg/mth incl fees) |
Full info | Visit provider |
|---|
Standalone broadband and fibre broadband |
|---|
  |
10GB up to 14Mb (What does this mean?) |
£7.57/mth 12 months (i) |
Full MSE |
Visit Primus* |
Primus*
Currently the cheapest standalone broadband deal in the UK, we’ve blagged an extra discount for MSE users. Primus* is usually £25 set-up fee plus £5.99/mth, but until 30 May 2012, the monthly fee is reduced to £5.49. Factor all costs in over the year’s contract and it’s £7.57/month.
| 56% | 25% | 19% |
 |
 |
 |
| Good | OK | Poor |
| Nov 2011 | Voters: 16 | ||
When it comes to usage the Primus Broadband Only has a monthly 10GB usage limit – pretty decent, but beware go over that allowance and it’s £2 for every GB you use.
To get this broadband you’ll need a Primus or BT-based landline (in other words most non-cable lines). The deal is scheduled to end 30 May 2012.
Tech specs
You'll get speeds of up to 14Mb with this Primus broadband package, depending on how far you are from the exchange.
- Price: From £7.57/month
- Speed: Up to 14Mb
- Download limit: 10GB
- Contract length: 12 months
- Modem/connection included? No, £25 total
- Migration fee for switchers? No
- Tech support phone costs? Free
- Traffic shaping: No
 |
10GB up to 16Mb (What does this mean?) |
£8.57/mth 12 months (i) |
Full MSE |
Visit Plusnet* |
Plusnet *
BT-owned Plusnet was the cheapest standalone broadband deal for some time. It always scores highly in our customer service poll, with 78% of voters rating it good in last November's poll.
Plusnet Value* costs £6.49/month plus £25 connection fee if in its low cost area, or £8.57/month on average over the year's contract.
| 76% | 18% | 6% |
|
|
|
| Good | OK | Poor |
| Nov 2011 | Voters: 284 | ||
Plusnet Value has a monthly 10GB usage limit, though offers unlimited usage from midnight to 8am. If you go over the allowance, it's £5 for every 5GB you use.
You'll need a Plusnet or BT-based landline, and you can avoid Plusnet's £25 connection fee if you already pay line rental to BT or Plusnet and sign up by phone. It's £5 p&p for its router.
Tech specs
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, plus £5 p&p for its wireless router (but you can avoid this cost if you've already got one).
Need a higher download cap? Plusnet Extra offers 60GB usage and speeds of up to 16Mb (depends on your postcode). It's £11.49/month if in its low cost area, plus the £25 fee, so it's usually an average of £13.57/month.
- Price: From £8.57/month
- Speed: Check online (do not use link to sign up)
- Download limit: 10GB
- Contract length: 12 months
- Modem/connection included? No, £30 total
- Migration fee for switchers? No
- Tech support phone costs? Free
- Traffic shaping: Yes, strong
 |
Unlimited |
£15.25/mth 12 months |
Full MSE |
Visit O2* |
O2*
O2 came highly commended in our last customer service poll. If you're not an O2 mobile customer, it's usually £17.50/mth plus £25.53 connection, though a special offer can cut this:
You can currently get six months half price with O2's All-Rounder* deal at £8.75/month, which cuts the price to £15.25/mth all-in over the year's contract.
| 81% | 14% | 5% |
|
|
|
| Good | OK | Poor |
| Nov 2011 | Voters: 317 | ||
You'll need a BT line to get any O2 broadband package. This doesn't have to necessarily be with BT though, for example you could have Primus home phone with O2 broadband.
You'll also need to be among the 80% of the UK that can get its cheaper rates. The rest'll pay more.
Got an O2 mobile? Existing O2 customers can get this broadband deal a little cheaper, so consider getting a pay as you go O2 Sim card and look at the O2 mobile customer packages available.
Tech specs
- Price: £15.25/mth
- Speed: Check online* before sign up
- Download limit: Unlimited
- Contract length: 12 months
- Modem/connection included? No, £25.53
- Migration fee for switchers? No
- Tech support phone costs? Free
- Traffic shaping: Yes, strong
|
120GB up to 38Mb (What does this mean?) |
£24.55/mth 18 months (i) |
Full MSE |
Visit Plusnet* |
Plusnet*
BT-owned Plusnet has a fibre broadband service, with speeds of up to 38Mb (depending on your postcode) on an 18-month contract. It has two packages to choose from:
Plusnet Extra Fibre. The Extra* package offers 120GB downloads and is £21.49/month over 18 months. Factoring in the £4.99 p&p cost for the router and the £50 installation cost for new customers, it averages £24.55/month.
| 76% | 18% | 6% |
|
|
|
| Good | OK | Poor |
| Nov 2011 | Voters: 284 | ||
Plusnet Value Fibre. The Value* package costs £16.49/month over the 18-month contract. Factoring in the £4.99 p&p cost for the router and the £50 installation cost for new customers, it averages £19.55/month.
It's cheaper than the Extra Fibre tariff, but if you're planning to use your broadband to the max, its 40GB allowance is likely to disappear fast.
You could theoretically use this in less than three hours of full-speed downloads, so Extra Fibre's larger allowance is likely to be your best bet.
Both packages offer unlimited downloads from midnight to 8am, so it may be wise to download larger files at night. If you go over your allocated download allowance, it's £5 for an extra 5GB.
Existing Plusnet customers pay a reduced set-up fee of £25; the charge is waived altogether if you pay line rental to Plusnet and sign up by phone or online.
Tech specs
Plusnet Fibre was available to 15% of the UK when it launched in Apr 2011, but is set to be available to two-thirds of UK premises by 2015. You'll need a BT or Plusnet-based landline to get Plusnet Fibre.
- Price: £24.55/month or £19.55/month
- Speed: Check online (do not use link to sign up)
- Download limit: 120GB or 40GB
- Contract length: 18 months
- Modem/connection included? No, £55
- Migration fee for switchers? No
- Tech support phone costs? Free
- Traffic shaping: Yes, strong
 |
Unlimited up to 38Mb (What does this mean?) |
£25/mth 18 months |
Full MSE |
Visit BT* |
BT*
If you live in a BT fibre-optic equipped area (most of the south east, east and north west of England and N. Ireland at present), and don't mind an 18-month contract, you could get BT Infinity.
BT's unlimited Infinity Broadband* is usually £26/month, but the first three months are currently reduced to £20/month, averaging it to £25/month. For this you'll get unlimited downloads, download speeds of up to 38Mb (depending on your postcode) and speeds of up to 10Mb for uploads.
| 43% | 32% | 25% |
|
|
|
| Good | OK | Poor |
| Nov 2011 | Voters: 775 | ||
The "unlimited downloads" claimed by BT are subject to a fair usage policy, so BT reserves the right to slow downloads after a while. There's no activation or installation fee but you must take BT line rental. This starts from £10.75/month with the pay-in-advance Line Rental Saver option, or £14.60/month if paid monthly by direct debit.
See the Cheap Home Phones guide for full info.
Tech specs
You'll get a free wireless router, but you'll have to pay £4.99 for postage.
- Price: £25/month
- Speed: Check online (do not use link to sign up)
- Download limit: None, according to BT (but 'fair usage' applies)
- Contract length: 18 months
- Modem/connection included? Yes
- Tech support phone costs? Free
- Traffic shaping: Yes, at peak times
| Bundled & home phone line rental |
|---|
 |
40GB up to 14Mb (What does this mean?) |
£8.58/mth
|
Full MSE |
Visit TalkTalk* |
TalkTalk*
If you're able to, paying for a year's line rental upfront can save a few quid each month. Pair this with TalkTalk's cheap Essentials package and you can get everything for just £8.58/mth.
Ends Thur 24 May: Pay up front for a year's line rental with TalkTalk* and it costs £114. Sign up to the Essentials package, which includes broadband, evening and weekend calls, by midnight on 24 May 2012 and you'll get the package half price for 12 months, making it £3.25/month. It's also refunding the £30 connection fee.
| 34% | 41% | 25% |
|
|
|
| Good | OK | Poor |
| Nov 2011 | Voters: 576 | ||
Plus, we've blagged MoneySavers a £50 Tesco voucher on top, which can be spent both online and in-store. Factor the voucher in as cash and it works out to £8.58/month.
£50 Tesco Voucher
The voucher's only available when signing up online through the link above, and only to customers who don't need a line installed. Once you've received a confirmation email, setup a MyTalkTalk account. Your voucher will then be sent to the address where your broadband is being installed.
Once your new broadband service is live, you'll receive the £50 voucher by post, within 28 working days.
What do you get? For this you get evening and weekend landline calls for the first 60 mins (so hang up and redial beforehand). Plus up to 14Mb broadband (depending on your postcode) with a 40GB download limit. 85% of the UK can get the cheap TalkTalk package. If you're out of area it will cost more, so check your eligibility*.
If you can't pay for the year's line rental upfront, this package still works out a little cheaper than others on the market. Line rental's usually £14.50/month, so bundled with the half price offer and the £50 voucher, the package averages £13.58/month.
Tech specs
TalkTalk also offers "boosts" for about £2-£5 each, including extras such as increased security, a higher download limit, anytime calls and half-price calls to mobiles.
This package also includes a free wireless router. At launch, feedback on TalkTalk's customer service was shaky, however reports say this is much better now - though no provider is ever without problems.
- Price: £8.58/month
- Speed: Check online* (do not use link to sign up)
- Download limit: 40GB
- Contract length: 12 months
- Modem/connection included? Yes
- Free calls? Eve/weekend (60 min max length)
- Traffic shaping: None
- Add feedback: TalkTalk
|
10GB up to 16Mb (What does this mean?) |
£12.74/mth |
Full MSE |
Visit Plusnet* |
Plusnet *
Plusnet's bundle (use link to view, not sign up) usually costs £6.49/month for broadband with evening and weekend calls, plus £12.99/month for line rental. You can get it cheaper though...
Ends Tue 29 May: Sign up online via Broadbandchoices* and you'll get six month's free broadband. Making it an average £3.25/month over the 12-month contract. You must take Plusnet line rental with this offer, at £12.99/month.
However, if you choose to pay for your line rental upfront, you'll save £3.50/month. Paying for your line rental in advance in a lump sum of £113.88, line rental is equivalent to £9.49/month (full info in the Home Phones guide), making it £12.74/month with broadband and calls.
| 76% | 18% | 6% |
|
|
|
| Good | OK | Poor |
| Nov 2011 | Voters: 284 | ||
Plusnet has a 10GB monthly download and upload limit, but offers unlimited downloads from midnight-8am, so schedule all your downloading at night. If you do go over the limit, it's £5 for an extra 5GB.
77% of the UK can get the cheap deal, the rest'll pay more (check availability to see if you're in a low-cost area). You'll need a Plusnet or BT-based landline, and there's a £5 p&p charge for its router, but you can use your own if it's compatible.
Tech specs
- Price: From £12.74/month
- Speed: Check online (do not use link to sign up)
- Download limit: 10GB
- Contract length: 12 months
- Free calls: Evening & weekend
- Connection: Free
- Length of free calls: First 60 mins
- Traffic shaping: Yes, strong
 |
10GB up to 14Mb (What does this mean?) |
£12.99/mth 12 months (i) |
Full MSE |
Visit Primus* |
We've blagged a super-cheap line rental and broadband deal for MoneySavers, ideal if you don't make many landline calls.
Pay £12.79/month for line rental and get broadband for 20p/month when you sign up via this special Primus* link.
| 65% | 21% | 14% |
|
|
|
| Good | OK | Poor |
| Nov 2011 | Voters: 77 | ||
Plus you'll get a free router, and free landline installation or reconnection, worth £59. There's a 12-month contract, and the bundle usually works out £15.78/month at full price. The deal's scheduled as ongoing.
You'll get line rental and broadband, but no inclusive calls. If you want to add evening and weekend calls, it's an extra £1/month - sign up via this second special Primus* link for this (you'll also get an extra 10GB of data per month too).
| 56% | 25% | 19% |
|
|
|
| Good | OK | Poor |
| Nov 2011 | Voters: 16 | ||
Alternatively, for a larger 40GB download limit, sign up by phone via Homephonechoices* as part of its ongoing offer. This works out at £15.78/month for the line rental, evening and weekend calls and broadband.
Two-thirds of Primus customers rated its home phone service "good" in our November 2011 poll. 80% of the UK can get Primus broadband, so check first to see if you can.
Tech specs
The broadband has speeds of up to 14Mb (depending on your postcode), and a 10GB download limit. Data's £2/GB if you exceed your monthly allowance. If you don't opt for paperless billing, or don't pay by direct debit, it's an extra £1.80/month for each.
- Price: From £12.99/month
- Speed: Up to 14Mb
- Download limit: 10GB
- Contract length: 12 months
- Modem/connection included? £4.95 p&p
- Migration fee for switchers? No
- Tech support phone costs? Free
- Traffic shaping: None
- Free calls? N/A
- Add feedback: Primus
 |
10GB up to 16Mb (What does this mean?) |
£14.86/mth 12 months (i) |
Full MSE |
Visit Primus* Visit Plusnet* |
Not technically a bundle, but pair Plusnet's standalone broadband with Primus' Line Rental Saver and you'll pay just £14.86/month for all your communications services.
Phone info:
| 65% | 21% | 14% |
|
|
|
| Good | OK | Poor |
| Nov 2011 | Voters: 77 | ||
Get Primus Line Rental Saver via Homephonechoices* for £6.29/month if you sign up for a year. This offer is scheduled to end on Tue 15 May 2012 (after this date it will revert to the standard price, £6.79/month).
You don't get any inclusive calls with this so it's best for low call users. Evening and weekend calls cost 2p/min, daytime calls 6p/min, and all calls are subject to a one-off 12.4p call connection fee. See the Home Phones guide for full info.
| 76% | 18% | 6% |
|
|
|
| Good | OK | Poor |
| Nov 2011 | Voters: 284 | ||
Broadband info:
Plusnet Value* costs £6.49/month plus a £25 connection fee (if in its low cost area). This works out as £8.57/month over the year's contract.
With Plusnet Value, you'll get speeds of up to 16Mb (depending on your postcode), and a 10GB monthly download limit. Plusnet gives customers unlimited downloads from midnight to 8am though, so schedule all your downloading to be done then. Go over the limit and it's £5 for each 5GB you use.
You'll need a Plusnet or BT-based landline, and you can avoid Plusnet's £25 fee if you already pay line rental to BT or Plusnet and sign up by phone. It's £5 P&P for its router.
Tech specs
- Price: £14.86/month
- Speed: Check online (do not use link to sign up)
- Download limit: 10GB
- Contract length: 12 months
- Modem/connection included? £25 (Plusnet)
- Migration fee for switchers? No
- Tech support phone costs? Free
- Traffic shaping: Yes, strong
- Free calls? N/A
- Add feedback: Primus & Plusnet
|
10GB up to 16Mb (What does this mean?) |
£18.03/mth (incl £25 gift card) 18 months |
Full MSE |
Visit BT* |
BT*
BT's broadband service isn't money-saving in anyone's book. But if you've got a BT landline and don't want to switch, you can get the telecom giant's broadband service for slightly less via a new deal:
BT's Broadband with Evening & Weekend Calls* is usually £13/month. But until Thur 5 July 2012, the first six months it's free. You'll also get a £25 Sainsbury's gift card, so it averages to £7.28/month over the 18-month contract.
To take advantage of the offer you must be a new BT broadband customer and take BT line rental. See the Cheap Home Phones guide for full info on BT line rental.
| 43% | 32% | 25% |
|
|
|
| Good | OK | Poor |
| Nov 2011 | Voters: 775 | ||
Its Line Rental Saver option gives you 12 months of line rental for £129 (equivalent to £10.75/month). It's then £14.60/month thereafter. Add this to the monthly cost of the broadband and it works out to £18.03/month over the contract.
£25 Sainsbury's gift card
To get the £25 Sainsbury's gift card you must apply online. Wait five days after your broadband service is installed before you fill in the online form*. You will need:
- Your BT order number, which begins with VOL011, followed by 11 more characters (you can find this in your confirmation email)
- The postcode where your broadband has been installed
- An email address to confirm your claim
Once you've submitted your claim form, your gift card will be sent to the address your broadband is being installed at within 30 days. It can only be spent in-store.
Tech specs
For this you'll get 10GB of monthly downloads, and download speeds of up to 16Mb (depending on your postcode). Evening and weekend calls are included, but calls made during the day cost 7.95p/min, plus a call set-up fee of 13.1p per call.
- Price: £18.03/month
- Speed: Check online (do not use link to sign up)
- Download limit: None, according to BT (but 'fair usage' applies)
- Contract length: 12 months
- Modem/connection included? Yes
- Tech support phone costs? Free
- Traffic shaping: None
| Special deals for existing customers |
|---|
|
Unlimited up to 20Mb (What does this mean?) |
From £6.25/mth 12 months |
Full MSE |
Visit O2* |
O2*
If you're an existing O2 mobile customer, you can get a £5 discount on its home broadband package plus, depending how long you've been with O2, a number of months half price.
The All-Rounder* broadband package usually costs £17.50/month with £25.53 installation. But existing O2 mobile customers get £5 off and free installation, making it £12.50/month.
| 81% | 14% | 5% |
|
|
|
| Good | OK | Poor |
| Nov 2011 | Voters: 317 | ||
Plus, O2 is currently offering either six months or 12 months half price broadband, depending how long you've been an O2 customer. So effectively...
Pay £6.25/mth... if an O2 mobile customer for 2yrs+You'll get 12 mths' half price broadband, so the avg. price is £6.25/mth over the year's contract.
OR pay £9.38/mth... if O2 customer for less than 2yrs You get six months half price broadband, so the avg. price is £9.38/mth over the 12-month contract.
Tech specs
You'll need a BT line to get any O2 package, and to be among the 80% of the UK that can get its cheaper rates. You'll get a free wireless box even if you aren't with O2 mobile. O2's home phone service can be added for an extra £13/month.
- Price: From £6.25/month
- Speed: Check online* before sign up
- Download limit: Unlimited
- Contract length: 12 months
- Modem/connection included? Yes for O2 custs
- Migration fee for switchers? No
- Tech support phone costs? Free
- Traffic shaping: Yes, strong
 |
Unlimited up to 14Mb (What does this mean?) |
£14.33/mth |
Full MSE |
Visit Orange* |
Orange mobile customers can get £7.50 off its standard prices, making its unlimited broadband and off-peak calls £5/month (£12.50/month otherwise), plus line rental. An offer for new customers cuts this further:
If you're an Orange mobile customer, sign up for unlimited broadband by phone via price comparison site uSwitch* before 30 June 2012 to get a £50 Sainsbury's voucher, valid in-store.
| 46% | 32% | 22% |
|
|
|
| Good | OK | Poor |
| Nov 2011 | Voters: 105 | ||
It's usually £5/month for mobile customers. But factor in the voucher and the £13.50/month line rental (which you must take with this package) and it averages to £14.33/month over the 12-month contract.
The voucher will be sent out directly by Orange, once the sign-up is complete and your service activated. It can only be used in-store.
| 53% | 40% | 7% |
|
|
|
| Good | OK | Poor |
| Nov 2011 | Voters: 55 | ||
No Orange mobile? It offers free Sim cards, effectively meaning anyone can get the cheaper rate - but you'll need to have topped up by at least £10 in the last three months.
To get the deal at this price you'll need to be in its broadband network area (85% of UK). If not, you'll be charged an extra £10/month if you're an Orange customer, or an extra £15 otherwise. 99% of the UK population are covered by some form of Orange broadband.
Tech specs
You get up to 14Mb broadband speed (depending on your postcode) with no usage limit and a free wireless router.
- Price: £14.33/mth incl voucher
- Speed: Up to 14Mb
- Download limit: None (fair usage applies)
- Contract length: 12 months
- Modem/connection included? Yes
- Migration fee for switchers? None
- Tech support phone costs? 5p/min
- Traffic shaping: Light
| Unlimited up to 14Mb (What does this mean?) |
£17.88/mth (with £50 vch) 12 months |
Full MSE |
Visit Sky* |
Sky*
Existing Sky TV customers can get heavily discounted broadband for six months on its Unlimited package, but only if you take its Sky Talk home phone and line rental too.
Sign up for Sky broadband, home phone and line rental via comparison website uSwitch* and get six months' discounted unlimited broadband with Sky Talk Anytime. This offer is scheduled to end on Sat 16 June 2012.
| 50% | 35% | 15% |
|
|
|
| Good | OK | Poor |
| Nov 2011 | Voters: 455 | ||
The deal gets you up to 14Mb broadband, unlimited usage and unlimited anytime calls. It's £3.75/month for the first six months of the contract, then £15/month for the remaining six months. The package has no activation fee, so including line rental at £12.25/month, it works out as £21.63/month all-in.
Tech specs
There's a 12-month contract. Sky Talk doesn't have the cheapest out-of-bundle home phone rates (see the Home Phones guide), so this may appeal to light landline users.
Tech support calls are free at any time with Sky Talk Unlimited, and free during evenings and weekends if you've Sky Talk Freetime. If this doesn't apply to you, call costs will vary.
- Price: £17.88/month
- Speed: Check online (do not use link to sign up)
- Download limit: Unlimited
- Contract length: 12 months
- Modem/connection included? Yes (new custs)
- Tech support phone costs? 5.1p/min
| (1) - average price |
If you've found a cheaper package available to you which doesn't appear, let us know.
| Provider | Download limit |
Overall cost (Avg/month inc. fees) |
Full info | Visit provider |
|---|
|
10GB |
£13.45/mth 12 months (i) |
Full MSE |
Visit Plusnet* |
Plusnet, part of the BT group, has been a best buy for
some time. If you're outside its standard area (80% of UK) you can
still get its broadband, though you'll pay more.
| 76% | 18% | 6% |
|
|
|
| Good | OK | Poor |
| Nov 2011 | Voters: 284 | ||
Plusnet Value: Outside its low cost areas, it's usually £6.49 for the first three months, then either £10.79 or £12.99 depending on your area.
It's the same as the standard Value package, with a 10GB download cap that isn't enforced overnight. At the £12.99/month rate, this gives an average of £13.45/month (factoring in the £25 fee).
Plusnet Extra: This offers 60GB downloads and up to 20Mb. Outside the "low cost area" it's normally £11.49/month for the first three months, then £15.79 or £17.99/month, depending on where you are.
Tech specs
As Plusnet provides broadband nationally, 80% of the UK get its cheaper prices but the remaining 20% should be covered by the higher rates above (in most cases).
With Plusnet Value there's up to 20Mb, a 10GB daytime download limit and unlimited downloads from midnight to 8am. Over the daytime allowance it's £5 for 5GB. You'll need a Plusnet or BT-based landline, and you can avoid Plusnet's £25 fee if you already pay line rental to BT or Plusnet and sign up by phone. It's £5 p&p for its router.
- Price: Up to £13.45/month
- Speed: Up to 20Mb
- Download limit: 10GB
- Contract length: 12 months
- Modem/connection included? No, £30 total
- Migration fee for switchers? No
- Tech support phone costs? Free
- Traffic shaping: Yes, strong
 |
Unlimited |
Varies 18 months |
Full MSE |
Visit Virgin* |
Its standard area covers 51% of the UK; outside this, Virgin offers a lower-speed alternative.
If you're in an area that isn't covered by Virgin's* cable broadband, you may be able to get its ADSL broadband. Of course, you wouldn't get the high speeds that you'd get with cable (you'd typically get up to 10-20Mb). However, because of this you may not have to pay as much, depending on your area.
Tech specs
Virgin broadband comes on a 12-month contract as standard.
- Price: Varies
- Speed: Up to 20Mb
- Download limit: None (fair usage)
- Contract length: 12 months
- Migration fee for switchers? No
- Tech support phone costs? 4p (0845)
- Traffic shaping: None
| Bundled & home phone line rental | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
10GB |
£20.24/mth 12 months (i) |
Full MSE |
Visit Primus* Visit Plusnet* |
This isn't really a bundle at all. Yet as the cheapest landline is £6.79/month, and Plusnet Value broadband's up to £13.45/month if outside its standard area, you can grab both for £20.24/month.
Phone info:
Get Primus Line Rental Saver via Homephonechoices* and you get line rental for £6.79/month if you sign up for a year. This offer's ongoing until further notice.
| 65% | 21% | 14% |
|
|
|
| Good | OK | Poor |
| Nov 2011 | Voters: 77 | ||
You don't get any inclusive calls with this so it's best for low call users. Evening and weekend calls cost 1p/min, daytime calls 6p/min plus an 11p connection charge. See Cheap Home Phones for info.
Broadband info:
Outside its low cost areas, Plusnet Value*'s usually £6.49 for the first three months, then either £10.79 or £12.99 depending on where you are.
| 76% | 18% | 6% |
|
|
|
| Good | OK | Poor |
| Nov 2011 | Voters: 284 | ||
It's the same as the standard Value package, with a 10GB download cap that isn't enforced overnight. At the £12.99/month rate, it'd usually be an average £13.45/month (factoring in the £25 fee).
Tech specs
With Plusnet Value there's up to 20Mb, a 10GB daytime download limit and unlimited downloads from midnight to 8am. Over the daytime allowance it's £5 for 5GB. You'll need a Plusnet or BT-based landline, and you can avoid Plusnet's £25 fee if you already pay line rental to BT or Plusnet and sign up by phone. It's £5 p&p for its router.
- Price: Up to £20.24/mth
- Speed: Up to 20Mb
- Download limit: 10GB
- Contract length: 12 months
- Modem/connection included? £25 (Plusnet)
- Migration fee for switchers? No
- Tech support phone costs? Free
- Traffic shaping : None
- Free calls? N/A
- Add feedback: Primus & Plusnet
|
10GB |
£30/mth 18 months |
Full MSE |
Visit Primus* |
If you'd rather just one bill but live outside the standard area, cheap landline provider Primus* is offering its own broadband and home phone bundle for an average £29.65/month.
If you're outside its standard area, it's £19.99 for the up to 24Mb broadband (the speed will depend on your area), plus £7.99 for its home phone and £30 connection fee.
| 56% | 25% | 19% |
|
|
|
| Good | OK | Poor |
| Nov 2011 | Voters: 16 | ||
Broadband info:
You'll get up to 24Mb (this depends on where you live - do a speed test), with 10GB downloads, though we've little feedback on its service yet. If you go over the download allowance, it's an extra £1 per GB.
| 65% | 21% | 14% |
|
|
|
| Good | OK | Poor |
| Nov 2011 | Voters: 77 | ||
Phone info:
There are free evening and weekend calls, whilst inclusive calls are free for the first 90 mins. Peak times are 8am - 6pm.
Tech specs
There's usually a £30 connection fee. In November 2011, Primus gave MSE a written guarantee that it would allow override providers until at least December 2012 - see Home Phones for more info.
- Price: From £30/month
- Speed: Up to 24Mb
- Download limit: 10GB
- Modem/connection included? Yes
- Thinkbroadband Rating: N/A
- Free calls? Eve/Weekend (90 min max length)
- Tech support phone costs: Free (0800)
| Special deals for existing customers |
|---|
|
20GB |
£22.50/mth 12 months (i) |
Full MSE |
Visit O2* |
O2*
You'll need a BT line to get any O2 package, but if you aren't in the 80% of the UK that can get its cheaper rates you can still get O2's* Broadband Access service.
This is £22.50/month if you're already an O2 mobile customer, or £27.50 if not.
| 81% | 14% | 5% |
|
|
|
| Good | OK | Poor |
| Nov 2011 | Voters: 317 | ||
There's a £30 connection fee, and you'll get up to 8Mb, 20GB downloads a month, and a free wireless box. O2's broadband comes on a year's contract.
No O2 mobile? It's possible to get the cheaper deal by grabbing a free Pay As You Go Sim*. Top up by £10 every three months and you'll qualify for the cheap broadband.
Tech specs
- Price: £22.50/mth for O2 custs
- Speed: Up to 8Mb
- Download limit: 20GB
- Contract length: 12 months
- Modem/connection included? £30 connection
- Migration fee for switchers? No
- Tech support phone costs? Free (0800)
- Traffic shaping: Yes, strong
|
40GB |
£17/mth 12 months |
Full MSE |
Visit Sky* |
Sky*
Sky's standard network area covers 78% of the UK, but if you're outside this the fee's £30 for existing customers, then you'll pay £17/mth for its up to 8Mb Connect package.
In total, this means 98.5% of the UK can get Sky's Connect broadband.
Tech specs
There's a 12-month contract. Sky Talk isn't amongst the cheapest home phone providers (see the Home Phones guide), so its bundles may only appeal to light landline users.
If you need to phone technical support, it's free at any time with Sky Talk Unlimited, and free during evenings and weekends if you've Sky Talk Freetime. If this doesn't apply to you, call costs will vary.
- Price: £17/mth
- Speed: Up to 8Mb
- Download limit: 40GB
- Contract length: 12 months
- Modem/connection included? Yes (new custs)
- Tech support phone costs? See above
| (i) - average price |
External daily updated comparison services
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, but as they're updated daily they may provide better buys if
they're brand new.
Broadbandchoices*, Homephonechoices*, SimplifyDigital*, 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 to sign up via specialist cashback websites. These use affiliate links to generate revenue. If they get paid when you sign up, they'll give some or all of it to you.
Always check first 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 email.
Current cashback deals
- Up to £50.50 cashback with O2 broadband
It's possible to earn up to £50.50 on O2 broadband via Topcashback*, or up to £50 cashback via Quidco*, depending on which package you go for.
- Up to £60.60 cashback with Orange
You can get £60.60 cashback via Topcashback* or £60 cashback with Orange broadband via Quidco*. - Up to £62.36 cashback with Virgin Media
You can get £62.36 cashback on cable packages via Topcashback* or £61.75 cashback with Quidco*. - Up to £26.25 cashback with BT
You can get up to £126.25 cashback on BT broadband through Topcashback*. or up to £35 cashback via Quidco*. - £55 cashback with Plusnet
Go via Quidco* and get up to £55 cashback, or go via Topcashback* and get £50.50 cashback, when signing up to Plusnet broadband.
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