Save a bundle with a broadband bundle!

You can save a small fortune by bundling your broadband package with your phone line and/or digital TV. John Fitzsimons explores the best bundled deals around.

It might be a pain, but getting the right broadband deal really is worth the effort. I made the mistake of taking a shortcut and going for the first deal I saw that looked ok at the start of the year, and have regretted it ever since.

There's so much to consider though. Should you go with a brand you've never heard of, because they look cheap, or stick to a more expensive but more familiar name. Do you need unlimited downloads? And if you combine your broadband contract with a phoneline (and even digital TV) will that save you a packet, or leave you out of pocket?

Signing up to a bundle can save you a lot of cash, so long as you make the right choice. And thankfully there is now a clever little tool that helps you make the best decision!

Get me a calculator!

Broadbandchoices.co.uk, a comparison website, has developed a broadband bundles calculator, which compares the first year cost of a broadband bundle, including things like line rental and call plan charges.

According to its own research, around 70% of us choose to bundle up our broadband with at least one other service. It also found that all too often we are not taking into account the extra charges which soon bump up how much we shell out each month.

How it works

The calculator is very simple to use.

All you have to do is fill in your postcode (and your phone number, though this is optional) and whether you would like to compare prices simply for broadband, broadband plus calls, broadband plus digital TV, or all three.

The engine then produces the deals available in your region, and how much it will cost you in the first year. It also works out how much it will set you back on a monthly basis, and you can adjust this to include or exclude the line rental.

Finding the best deal for you

Of course, we are all different, and what I want from my bundle might be completely different to you.

So I've put together a collection of different tables outlining the best options for a variety of different uses, which will hopefully demonstrate how going for a bundle can save you... well, a bundle!

(I've based all of my searches on our office here in London, or my own home in Hertfordshire, to get as wide a selection of deals as possible. However you will need to search for your own properties to be certain these deals are available to you)

Broadband + home phone

If you are only interested in sorting out your internet needs, combined with your calls plan, then these are the best options around. I've highlighted the cheapest plan you can get your hands on, the best plan for those of you that do a stack of downloading, and finally the best deal for those of you that love a chat!

The Budget Option

Provider	First year cost	Monthly charge (including line rental)	One-off costs	Contract limit	Maximum speed	Usage limit	Calls cost
Plusnet	£210.27	£16.94	£6.99	12 months	8mb	10gb	4.5p for calls during the day, free evenings and weekends

The Downloader Option

Provider	First year cost	Monthly charge (including line rental)	One-off costs	Contract limit	Maximum speed	Usage limit	Calls cost
Talk Talk	£344.87	£26.24	£29.99	18 months	24mb	Unlimited	4.5p for calls during the day, free evenings and weekends

The Chatterbox Option

Provider	First year cost	Monthly charge (including line rental)	One-off costs	Contract limit	Maximum speed	Usage limit	Calls cost
Plusnet	£270.27	£21.94	£6.99	12 months	8mb	10gb	All completely free

Broadband + Digital TV

Only two providers, Sky and BT, offer the combination of just broadband and Digital TV, so I have highlighted their best deals based on price and downloading.

Provider	First year cost	Monthly charge (including line rental)	One-off costs	Contract length	Maximum speed	Usage limit	TV Package
SKY	£300	£22.50	£30	12 months	2mb	2gb	Choose from one of Sky's 6 entertainment packs (excluding Sports and Movies).
BT	£333.33	£15.12 for three months, £30.33 thereafter	£15	18 months	20mb	10gb	Bronze value pack.
SKY	£420	£32.50	£30	12 months	20mb	Unlimited	Choose from one of Sky's 6 entertainment packs (excluding Sports and Movies).
BT	£445.05	£25.93 for three months, £39.14 thereafter	£15	18 months	20mb	Unlimited	Bronze value pack.

The ultimate bundle!

However, if you want one package which will cover all of your internet, TV and phone needs, then you will want one of the all-encompassing bundle packages.

Once again, I've put together a selection of the best deals based on price, broadband options and the cost of calls. With something like digital TV how good the selection of channels are is pretty subjective, so you'll have to decide for yourself if it is an irresistible offer!

The Budget Options

Provider	First year cost	Monthly charge (including line rental)	One-off costs	Contract length	Maximum speed	Usage limit	TV Package	Calls cost
Tiscali	£269.88	£19.99	£30	12 months	8mb	Unlimited	Over 70 digital channels and 1,500 on demand movies	4.5p daytime calls, 1.48p evenings, free at weekends
Virgin Media	£327	£30.50	n/a	12 months	10mb	Unlimited	Over 65 channels, choice of TV, films and music on demand	6.36p daytime and evening calls, free at weekends

The Downloader Options

Provider	First year cost	Monthly charge (including line rental)	One-off costs	Contract length	Maximum speed	Usage limit	TV Package	Calls cost
Virgin Media	£372	£35	n/a	12 months	10mb	Unlimited	Over 100 channels, choice of TV, films and music on demand	6.36p daytime and evening calls, free at weekends
SKY	£492	£38.50	£30	12 months	20mb	Unlimited	Choose from one of Sky's 6 entertainment packs (excluding Sports and Movies).	5.25p daytime calls, free in the evenings and at weekends

The Chatterbox Options

Provider	First year cost	Monthly charge (including line rental)	One-off costs	Contract length	Maximum speed	Usage limit	TV Package	Calls cost
Tiscali	£329.88	£24.99	£30	12 months	8mb	Unlimited	Over 70 digital channels and 1,500 on demand movies	Free at all times
SKY	£432	£33.50	£30	12 months	2mb	2gb	Choose from one of Sky's 6 entertainment packs (excluding Sports and Movies).	Free at all times

Under the radar options

Of course, as good as these comparison sites are, there are always some providers that don't get a look in as they are not on the site's panel. One such provider, which is always mentioned by readers whenever we write about broadband, is the Utility Warehouse.

The firm offers two broadband plus calls packages, both with connection speeds up to 24mb. The basic deal has a usage limit of 40gb, with the cost starting at £19.99 a month, while the premium package has unlimited usage, with prices starting at £24.99 a month. On both packages calls are free at weekends, 2.45p at peak times, and 3.45p per call in the evenings.

Undoubtedly both of these deals are exceptionally competitive, and demonstrate that sometimes great deals do not necessarily show up on tools like that offered by Broadbandchoices.co.uk. So before you sign up to a new deal, make sure you haven't missed any competitors that might offer an even better deal!

Lower all your bills!

If you want to lower all your bills, not just your broadband bills, then follow the tips in this goal to Lower your household bills. Alternatively, if you have any broadband-related questions, why not head over to our Q&A section and pick the brains of your fellow lovemoney.com readers?

More: Five easy ways to speed up your broadband | The Best Broadband Dongle