An introduction to Broadband

If you're not already familiar with the internet, you may not be aware of the range of possibilities it offers. From online shopping and banking to keeping in touch, finding up to date information on topics of interest, or even contributing some of your own knowledge to help others on online forums. The internet offers a wealth of ways to stay up to date, stay connected, and keep up with things that interest you, all from the comfort of your own home.

Unlike the old dial-up internet connections which people used to have at home, broadband is fast, cheap, and doesn't tie up your phone line. You pay a flat rate fee from as little as £12 per month, so you know exactly what it's going to cost you. And with comparison websites like Broadband Genie, it's really easy to find the best broadband package to suit you.

What do I need to know?

Not all broadband providers are able to offer a connection to all geographical areas, so the first thing to do is to check what's available in your area. Using a free availability checker like the one on Broadband Genie makes this really simple – just put in your home postcode and you'll be provided with the complete list of packages which are available to you. The chances are, you'll still be seeing a great deal of choice, but all broadband packages offer the same information to allow you to assess what you're getting – once you understand that information it's easy to pick out which option is best suited to you.

The first thing you'll probably be told about is contract length. Signing up to a contract usually means that the supplier waives the setup fee (which would normally be around £30), and the only real downside is that you can't shop around for a better deal for a while. 12 or 18 month contracts are the norm, and signing up for a little longer can sometimes mean you get a better deal. If you're really against long contracts, there are shorter, more flexible options, although you may pay more for these.

The next piece of information you'll be given is download limit. This is a limit on how much data you can use per month – how many web pages you can view or files you can download. For most users, download limits are not a problem, as even the smaller home broadband limits leave plenty of room for normal browsing and downloading. If you think your broadband usage is likely to be very heavy (you download lots of films, for example) then check with your supplier, as even 'unlimited' packages are subject to fair use policies.

And you'll probably also be told about the connection speed. This varies from supplier to supplier, and also by region, and is sold as 'up to' an advertised speed – which basically means that you won't necessarily get that speed on your connection. However, most suppliers if asked will give you a pretty accurate estimate of what speed you can expect, and in any case even slower broadband connections tend to offer pretty good download speeds.

So now that you understand all the information that's being presented to you, the last thing to note is to be on the lookout for deals and special offers. It's quite common for suppliers to offer you a better rate on your broadband, for example, if you switch your phone service over to them – they'll often give you a good deal on both services and some include free evening and weekend calls as well. You might also get a good deal from a supplier you're already using – currently if you have your mobile phone with O2 you can get an excellent rate on your broadband. And on top of that, providers frequently have limited time offers, with cheaper introductory rates – which can get you a good price.

Lastly, there is a new alternative to home broadband in the form of mobile broadband. Instead of coming to you through your phone line, this uses the mobile phone networks to provide your connection – and the great thing is it means you can connect anywhere you go. It's not yet quite as fast as home broadband, but the prices are comparable, so if you'll ever need to connect on the move it could be worth a look.

About the author: Ciaron Dunne is editor of www.broadbandgenie.co.uk, the independent comparison website for broadband and mobile broadband.

See the separate article on Mobile Broadband

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