Choosing Broadband And Phone Packages

It is possible to obtain excellent savings if you bundle your broadband and phone services.  This can be quite confusing though as there are so many available offers.  There are several factors to consider. You may be thinking that the best option is to choose the cheapest individual provider for these two services. There is more to it than that.

Factors to Consider when Choosing Broadband and Phone Packages

While the main concern for most users is the cost of the broadband and phone packages, there are other considerations to make.  The reliability of the broadband service on offer is very important, as is the speed of the connection.  You have to take into consideration your usage, the technical support that is offered and the service provider’s customer service level.

Line Rental

Although the advertised rates that are offered always make the package appear attractive, you should consider that there will be line rental costs to be added to the final figure.  This is not always included in the price that is listed in the package deal.  The reason for this is that often the company that is offering you the deal needs for you to pay a line rental to BT over and above the payment you make to them directly.

Call Rates

Call rates are often the area of choice for many companies to make up the money that they lose with the low rates that they offer for package deals.  If you normally use your phone to make calls, it may be a good idea for you to choose a more expensive option where you are being offered the facility of free telephone calls, or cheaper charges for calls.  Many of the larger providers such as BT, Virgin and Sky actually have higher fees for home telephone calls than the smaller providers, such as Primus Saver, that offer more competitive rates when you call other landline telephone numbers.

You should also consider when you make your telephone calls.  Call charges vary depending on the time of day, and if you use the telephone during peak hours, you should consider obtaining a package that offers you an anytime calls rate that is competitive. 

Broadband

If your main priority in obtaining a broadband and phone package deal is the fact that your hand is forced because you require broadband, then you do not need one of the high-end telephone deals.  There are many options available when it comes to broadband.

You should sit down and decide exactly what you use your internet connection is for and then make a decision as to the most suitable package for your needs.  There are normally three types of users in this category. 

·         A low level user normally uses the internet simply to check email messaging and do light internet browsing

·         A moderate user will normally use the internet to check email messaging, do moderate internet browsing, do online banking and maybe stream music or a video

·         A heavy user will use the internet for messaging, long hours of internet browsing, online banking, music and video downloads and possibly video conferencing if necessary for business purposes.

Depending on the category you fall under, you should decide on the speed of the broadband connection as well as the monthly allowance cap that you can obtain.  If you are a heavy internet user, you will do better to opt for an unlimited broadband package.  Light and moderate users will not require unlimited broadband connections, but their needs will vary considerably from those of a heavy internet user.

Broadband and a New Telephone Line

If you do not have a telephone line already installed and you need to have broadband, you will need to get a new telephone line installed.  There are providers who will offer free installation of the telephone line if you opt for a bundled package.  The cost of a new phone line installation can be as much as £130, so you should bear this in mind when you look at the total cost of obtaining a package deal.

When you require a new telephone line, you will have two choices.  The first is that you contact BT and make application for a line.  BT is the only company that can provide you with a telephone line.  However, if your intention is to not use BT for your broadband service, then you are able to obtain the entire package and service from the provider of your choice.  All that happens is that your service provider makes all the arrangements with BT to provide the telephone line.  You then pay your service provider the one monthly fee for the package and they make the payment to BT for the line.  This is why you have to take note of the additional line rental costs that may not be shown in the final total of your bundled package.

Individual Services

You may be able to choose individual service providers for the two services that you require, however, this is rare.  The one area where it may become possible for you to obtain a cheaper individual service is if you obtain a telephone line directly from BT and obtain a suitable broadband connection at a good rate from another provider.

More often than not, it is better to opt for a package deal as the cheaper option. 

Before you rush out to get one of the broadband and phone packages that are available, you should consider exactly what you are being offered.  Your requirements are key in your decision to obtain this type of package deal. 

·         Ensure that you are receiving the telephone line rental that suits your needs.  If you make international calls, it is possible to obtain a service that will give you special international rates for calls. 

·         Make sure that the broadband connection speed and data allowance is exactly what you need.  You do not want to constantly have to check on your data allowance limit to ensure that you do not exceed it.  You will be charged an extra fee if you exceed your normal limit.

Sam Jones was considering broadband and phone packages as a way to save money each month. He spotted a few great deals by using online price comparison sites like uSwitch.com