Broadband (ADSL) Connection Reviews
There are many Internet Service Providers in the market all wanting your business. The question really is how to work out which one should get your trade. This article is designed to help.
These are the questions to ask when selecting your Broadband.
Who is your telephone package with?
What speed broadband do you want?
What speed can I have, distance from exchange?
What is the contention ratio (20:1, or 50:1)?
Is there a download limit imposed?
What is the length of contract?
What is the monthly cost?
What are the email features?
Recommended Broadband Providers
(1) Who supplies your telephone package?
Most people are with British Telecom and this means that you have the most choice available to you as to which Broadband (ADSL) service you can choose.
Some people use a Cable and Wireless or Telewest phone line. This means that you should probably consider looking at these companies for your broadband. Otherwise you will need to apply for a BT line to be put in. Cable and Telewest work off a different network to BT and there is not any choice but to use Cable or Telewest for your broadband. Their packages are still very good.
(2) What speed do you require?
The range of speeds vary from 512kbps to 8mbps. This is referring to your maximum download speed added to your upload speed.
Upload is typically 256kbps and is used to send information out to the internet, such as email, web pages clicks, photo uploads, and website changes.
(3) What effect does my distance from the exchange have?
Some areas have the main phone exchange a long where from the property. The distance is length of the actual cable run. The quality of the cable run will also effect the signal. This cable is normally copper from the exchange to your house. If the signal quality is poor you may not be able to have the speed you would like, or sometimes not even have broadband at all.
(4) What are Contention Ratios?
Most broadband connections seem to vary between 20 to 1 and 50 to 1. These are displayed as 20:1 and 50:1 in the small print of your broadband order. It refers to the number of households that may be "sharing" your broadband speeds at any one time. You may think that 8mbps is fast - but not if 49 others are also trying to use it. Most business broadbands are 20:1, but the more expensive services can be 5:1 or even 1:1 if required.
(5) What are Broadband download limits?
Some of the broadband providers offer some great deals, cheaper than many other on the market, but they sometimes deliver a sting in the tail - download limits. When you have reached the limit, there are extra charges for every unit you download past the limit. This is fine if you keep an eye on your usage and you don't ever exceed it.
(6) Length of Broadband contract
Make sure you pick the correct contract period. Most seem to be about a year in length, but some are 18 months or even 24. The "free" broadband with a phone contract are 18 months or more. Make sure the product is correct before you sign up. If you move house or need to terminate - the term of the contract is payable.
(7) Monthly cost
Get a good deal £13.99 a month, maybe a deal like Bulldog below where your phone calls are included. Make sure the package has all the correct services. Some have an email address, child protection software, and some have web space included. For business or home office, you may want a fixed IP address for remote access.
(8) Email features
Some broadband providers will let you send email using their servers. You may have to sometimes let the Internet Service Provider know the domain name (*@mydomain.co.uk) in order to do so. Some may not let you send the email at all.
