Which Broadband Provider?

When in the market for broadband, the question of broadband providers often comes up.  There are a myriad of broadband providers, many of which position themselves in a variety of ways, all while marketing to the same groups of consumers.  With 95% of homes in the UK connected to broadband, the vast majority of the British public are bombarded with ads and offers from these broadband providers, often with little relevant and important information to make the best decision.  All in all, most broadband providers carry similar products, however a few stand out for exceptional offerings in a few specific areas.

One quality that should be considered is the cost of setup of a new service.  For those fond of switching services to take advantage of introductory offers, the best providers will be ones that charge no setup fee, while offering a low price at the same time.  Most broadband providers offer free installation and setup; however Sky Broadband, Virgin Media Broadband, and some AOL Broadband services do not come with free installation.

Another consideration that should be made is the availability of an unlimited download cap.  For many users, this is vital, as services such as Post Office Broadband caps downloads at five gigabytes per month, and are therefore not suitable for these types of users.  O2 Broadband, and Plusnet are known for their unlimited download plans, however other companies do offer these sorts of services when asked.  These qualities are often most important to users, though download speed is often a factor as well and should be considered when analyzing broadband providers.