Which Broadband Deal Do YOU Need?

Broadband is usually offered as part of a package with line rental and phone calls included. How do you decide which deal you need?
Why would anyone pay £50 a month for broadband when other companies have deals for less than £20? There has to be a reason, something to make the extra thirty quid worthwhile. There is; the packages are totally different in terms of broadband speed and included phone calls.

• Broadband Speed Needs

The speeds quoted by every Internet Service Provider are actually a sick joke compared to the speed you actually get. The quoted figures are only a theoretical maximum and you will be lucky to get broadband at a third of the quoted speed. The quoted figures are the only simple way to compare providers, however, so they are of limited use.

Do You Need FAST Broadband?
The best way is to compare a few types of use.

Basic
If nobody is home using the Internet all day and you are only online for a  few hours browsing websites and using Facebook or email then the minimum broadband speed is perfectly adequate.

Online Games
These sites can use massive amounts of bandwidth and will give a jerky, unsatisfactory playing experience with anything less than the fastest speed currently available. If you, your spouse or children use MMORG sites then look for a high-end package.

Video
Video and streaming TV use even more bandwidth than gaming sites. You will only be able to use the BBC iPlayer if you have a very fast connection. On a slow broadband connection the picture will stop every few seconds to catch up. You need your connection to be fast enough to give you pictures at least as fast as you are watching them.

Even YouTube is unsatisfactory on a slow connection. Forget about Google Hangouts or video Skype calls unless you have a really fast broadband speed (at least 12Mb/Sec)
My own connection is an 8Mb/sec one (true, measured speed) and I cannot watch any video satisfactorily. I have no choice, this is the best connection available to me.

Audio
You can do Skype on an 8Mb (true speed) connection, but not on anything slower. If you or your children want to download music then it will be very slow on the cheapest broadband package. Listening to music online needs a fast connection.


Included Phone Call Needs
If you are out all day and have no children who are home during the school holidays then a broadband package with free evening and weekend phone calls will suit you perfectly well.
Similarly, if everyone in the family has an unlimited call plan on their mobile you have no need for free daytime phone calls as part of any package.

Making a Decision
There is no half-way house. If you need a fast Internet connection then you need the fastest one you can find. If a slow one will do then go with the cheapest broadband connection deal on offer.

Jo Derbyshire, the writer, recently decided to upgrade her Internet from a basic package to a top of the range one. She now counts herself an expert on broadband deals.