Six steps to cheaper broadband

Are you getting what you pay for with your broadband deal? According to one provider, chances are you're being ripped off.

Virgin Media has launched a 'Stop the Broadband Con' campaign, aimed at enlightening customers to the fact that in many cases they are not getting the broadband speeds they are paying for. The provider advises internet users to utse websites like speedtest.net to check exactly what speed they can expect to receive from their provider, as well as urging users to sign their petition to the authorities, calling for a clampdown on 'misleading' advertisements.

Perhaps unsurprisingly, this hasn't gone down well with other providers who have accused Virgin of hypocrisy.

However, the speed of the deal you sign up for is just one factor influencing the eventual cost. Here are the various elements that determine how much your deal will set you back - and how to keep them to a minimum.

1. Look at a combined deal

Many of the cheapest deals at the moment are those that offer a combination of home phone and broadband. Some deals roll in mobile and digital TV as well.

The downside to these deals is that analysing several services side by side can make it difficult to compare prices. For example, is it fair to compare the channels you get with a Sky package to the TV on-demand service you will enjoy from BT Vision?

A good tip is to keep an eye out for initial discounts and extras like connection fees.

2. Contract length

Typically you'll be asked to sign up for either 12 or 18 months. As you might expect, the cheaper deals often tie you in for those extra six months.

You'll have to decide for yourself how long you are willing to commit to a certain provider, particularly if you've never used them in the past. It's no problem if they turn out to be great, but if your connection is naff and the customer service team aren't particularly helpful, 18 months can be a long time to put up with substandard broadband.

3. Speed

Broadband speed is measured in megabits per second (usually shortened to Mbps or Meg). I get by with 2Mbps connection but I'm not an online gamer and I tend not to download much in the way of audio or video files.

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If you're into online gaming, streaming or downloading movies and music (all legally of course) then you'll want to sign up for a package offering you far greater speed. Just remember that, as Virgin say, in some cases you won't get the speeds the providers may claim.

4. Download limits

The cheapest packages tend to have download limits, usually expressed in gigabytes per month (GB). Go over this limit and you'll be smacked with painful additional charges. I've got an unlimited deal, although I checked my usage recently and found I only tend to use 3 or 4 GB most months. Note that most unlimited packages still have fair usage clauses in the small print, so they are only unlimited up to a point.

5. Stick or switch

If you've had broadband for a while, check to see if you're on the best deal that your current provider is offering. I've been upgraded a couple of times, but I've usually had to request to be moved rather than getting the latest offer automatically.

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If you do decide to change to another broadband provider, rule changes should mean this process is now a lot easier. Providers are now obliged to provide you with a migration authorisation code (MAC). You give this to your new provider so that downtime between your old and new service should only be a few hours.

6. The customer service conundrum

As the saying goes, you get what you pay for. I always think customer service is tricky to judge for a service like broadband. People seem to have no problems or an absolute nightmare, with not much in the way of middle ground. Before you sign up to a new provider, why not see what your fellow lovemoney.com users think of them by asking a question in our Q&A section?

This is a lovemoney.com classic article, originally published in July 2007 and updated