First of all, location makes a huge difference. You may or may not have access to fibre and your ADSL connection depends on your distance to the local exchange. Always check the provider’s website to see exactly what they offer for your area. This is the most important factor since it affects everything else like download and upload speeds.
Also, be aware of your contract length and how it affects your monthly payments after the initial agreement expires. The following 5 providers are always worth checking out since they usually have a variety of cheap deals on offer. If you want an easy way of comparing them all against each other, try a comparison site like Broadband Choices to get all the information you need in one place.
1. Plusnet: Reliable and Fuss-Free
Plusnet do things in a unique way. There is no line rental and you can start out with a rolling month-to-month contract or just go for a 12-month contract.
Unfortunately, there are not many services on offer. There are only two fibre packages and one ADSL package to choose between. However, the prices are on the low end and the connection is remarkably consistent which makes Plusnet a great choice when looking out for cheap deals.
2. Virgin Media: Speed First
Virgin Media cares about speed above all else. Their fibre connection is capable of offering a blistering 362 Mbits/sec download, which is more than 5 times faster than the competition.
However, the speed comes with a price tag. Slower services from other providers cost significantly less. Still, you get what you pay for and with Virgin, you pay for the very best speed and they will deliver. Plus, they back it up with excellent customer service and a reliable connection.
3. Sky: Consistency on a Budget
Sky does not have the widest number of packages on offer but what is there will suit almost anyone. The only thing they lack is the ultrafast options from a provider like Virgin.
All of the packages deliver a lot for the price and Sky has the best price around for its fibre package. Unfortunately, the contract is set at 18 months and the prices increase once the initial period expires. Still, they deliver as advertised, you just need to keep an eye on the calendar and be prepared to switch to keep those low prices.
4. BT Broadband: Consistency with Plenty of Extras
BT is the biggest Internet service provider in the country, so it comes as no surprise that their connections are incredibly stable. They even frequently exceed their own advertised speeds which may not be the highest around but they never drop too low so you can count on stable minimums with pleasant surprises.
You may pay more for BT Broadband but it comes with a lot of extras that may make it worthwhile. There are plenty of TV and phone packages along with free Wireless hotspots scattered throughout the country, not to mention 200GB of cloud storage and that is only the beginning.
5. Vodafone: Pay Less to go Fast
Vodafone offers one of the cheaper packages for ultrafast fibre broadband. If you need something close to the fastest speeds but do not want to pay the most expensive prices, then Vodafone provides a reasonable middle-ground.
There are no connection fees and prices remain consistent for most contracts even after the initial period. Be aware that this may not be the case for special deals. They also throw in some welcome bonuses like a free Google Nest Hub.
