You can now get free broadband for 12 months when buying an internet-enabled device from Tesco, but how does this deal compare to the rest of the broadband market?
Customers who buy an internet-enabled gadget from Tesco will also get a year’s worth of broadband internet for free.
Gadgets include the new Hudl tablet, which was launched last week. The only caveat is that you’ll need to sign up to a Tesco landline as well, for £14.90 a month.
By using the Tesco service you’ll also collect Clubcard points.
Free broadband
Tesco says customers can save more than £70 a year on their bills by signing up to the deal, which applies between now and September 2014.
The gadgets included in the free broadband package are smartphones, games consoles, PCs, laptops and smart TVs.
The broadband speed from Tesco is up to 14MB per second. The deal includes a wireless router, but you’ll have to pay a delivery cost of £5 for this.
[SPOTLIGHT]When it comes to choosing the phone package, for an extra £4.50 a month you can sign up to Anytime Calls, which means any calls you make will be included. There is also a free bundle which includes free unlimited evening and weekend phone calls.
How does it compare?
Broadband providers are frequently throwing in deals and discounts to try to lure in new customers. There isn’t much difference between the prices on offer, so they often rely on these freebies to boost the appeal.
John Lewis, for example, offers free broadband for six months when you buy any internet-enabled product from it. To get this deal you’ll need to buy one of its products, such as a radio, printer, laptop or smart TV, and enter the code JLB6 at the checkout.
With this deal you also need to sign up to a 12-month contract and pay a line rental charge of £13.50 a month.
The cheapest phone and broadband bundles
The deal from Tesco is attractive, but you’ll still need to pay out the line rental cost so it’s not 100% free. It also only lasts for 12 months so after this time you’ll need to look around for a better offer.
The speed of ‘up to 14Mb’ is also a drawback as you'll be able to get faster broadband speed elsewhere.
Primus offers the cheapest bundle for broadband and phone calls with its Primus Saver. This 18-month contract has a broadband speed of 16Mb and includes free evening and weekend calls. It costs £2 a month for the first six months and £4 thereafter. But as with any of these deals you’ll need to pay the line rental cost which comes in at £14.90.
The table below shoes the five cheapest deals on offer right now. If you were to pay the line rental in advance most contracts would be cheaper. The line rental with Primus Saver, for example, works out at £10 a month instead of £14.90 when paid in advance.
|
Package |
Broadband speed |
Calls |
Contract |
Monthly cost |
First year cost (with line rental) |
|
16Mb |
Evening and weekend |
18 months |
£2 (first six months) £4 after. |
£199.80 |
|
| Direct Save Unlimited Broadband | 14Mb | Evening and weekend | 24 months | £1.95 | £200.40 |
|
16Mb |
Pay-as-you-go |
12 months |
£2.50 |
£214.80 |
|
|
16Mb |
Weekend |
12 months |
£2.50 |
£213.00 |
|
|
16Mb |
Weekend |
12 months |
£3.75 |
£219.00 |
*£15 discount through Broadbandchoices
**For existing EE/T-Mobile/Orange customers only
***Existing Sky TV customers
Choosing a broadband bundle
The market is flooded with bundle deals offering up a host of different packages for TV, broadband and phone calls. But the most important thing is finding a contract which meets your needs and one that offers good value for money.
Our article How to find the best deal on your broadband, TV and phone package has more details while The UK's best and worst broadband providers will give you some more information on the companies behind the bundles.
To see which deals are available in your area, head to broadbandchoices.co.uk.