Broadband Deals: Broadband and Home Telephone Service

April 6th, 2011 | Broadband, Broadband Deals, Broadband Providers

Bundling Your Services

Bundling your broadband and home telephone service can be a way to reduce your household bills.  Broadband deals are very common across the industry, as internet service providers look for new ways to attract and retain customers.  Broadband internet has become increasingly common, and consumers have becoming increasingly savvy, resulting in a highly competitive marketplace in which many enticing deals can be found.

Broadband and Home Telephone

There is an array of different broadband and home telephone deals on offer from the different service providers operating in the UK.  They are often very good value for money compared to having separate broadband and telephone service, although this may depend on what other contracts you have in place with other home services providers.

One of the main advantages of bundling your broadband and home telephone is that you have to deal with only one provider.  You are billed according to your package pricing, but only once a month, quarter or year.

Beware of Line Rental Charges

Currently, the majority of telephone lines are owned by BT, regardless of your contracted telephone service supplier.  Companies offering a broadband and home telephone bundle service either have to pay BT a line rental charge or offset their own costs by requiring you to pay this.  If you have to pay BT for the line rental, this is usually separate from the broadband deal costs and should thus be factored in when you are shopping around for the best deal.

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Broadband Security – how to protect yourself when online

March 29th, 2011 | Broadband

Safety Concerns

One of the advantages of using broadband is that it can be used continuously during the time you are using your computer.  Broadband, in contrast to dialup, typically has a set fee, regardless of the time spent using the service.  The potential risky downside of a continuous internet connection is that you can be more prone to viruses, malware or hacking.

An internet connection enables you to browse the internet, send emails, download and upload data and so on.  It also allows other users to potentially access your computer from anywhere in the world, by attempting to exploit any weaknesses in your computer’s security.

Safety Measures

There are a number of safety measures you can undertake to enhance your broadband security.  Firstly, you are advised to purchase an anti-virus program that provides continuous protection against external attack.  You can check whether your internet service provider includes an anti-virus program as part of a package deal.  Anti-virus programs operate by blocking attempts by websites and other computers to connect with your PC.

Secondly, your computer should have a firewall.  A firewall operates by regulating the connection between your computer and the outside world.  Firewalls are designed to ward off hackers and other malevolent intruders.

In the case of mobile broadband or Wi-Fi enabled broadband, you are advised to secure your wireless connection.  An unprotected wireless connection can allow other users to gain access to the internet using your service.  Any activity carried out on the internet using your wireless connection is legally your responsibility.

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Broadband Deals: Broadband and Free Laptops

March 15th, 2011 | Broadband, Broadband Deals

Selecting the Right Broadband Deal

Broadband deals are a common feature of choosing an internet package.  With the spread of high speed internet access and the ubiquity of personal computers, internet service providers have become increasingly competitive.  This has led to a very favourable market from the consumer’s point of view: broadband deals are often highly advantageous and affordable.

Common broadband deals include broadband and free laptops, broadband and digital television, broadband and home telephone service, and broadband and mobile broadband options.

Mobile Broadband

The broadband and free laptop deal usually relates to mobile broadband.  Free laptops with built-in broadband access are a common feature of many mobile broadband deals.  A mobile broadband-enabled laptop allows you to access the internet from anywhere there is mobile telephone service.  The main advantage of a laptop with built-in mobile broadband access is that it does not need a portable modem or other external device to connect to the internet.

Mobile broadband is used by many people including professionals who are required to travel for business and consumers living in an area where there is no fixed line broadband access, as is the case in many parts of the countryside.

External Connection Devices

Some of the broadband deals offering a free laptop supply an external connection device.  The free laptop does not automatically connect to the internet but rather requires a USB stick/dongle or other portable modem.  The advantage of this is that the external device can be fitted to other laptops or desktop computers.

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Guide to Business Broadband

March 2nd, 2011 | Broadband, Business Broadband

Broadband is not just for home users.  Business broadband is a necessity when you have hundreds of employees attempting to use the internet at once for their jobs.  The day-to-day running of business typically requires a high-speed internet connection to remain efficient.

Types Available

Most business broadband is offered through a cable provider; this makes installation easier and provides a faster connection.  ADSL broadband connections are also available to businesses, but speeds may be slightly slower. Businesses using ADSL usually use ADSL2+, which is meant for business use.  For a faster connection in areas where cable and fibre-optic connections are not available, bonded DSL is a possibility.  Bonded DSL combines two ADSL2+ lines for a much faster connection.

How They Vary

Unlike home plans, business broadband plans are much higher in cost as they are intended to be used by numerous users at once.  Speeds are typically faster as well.  The restrictions placed on business users are usually non-existent, meaning there is no limit to the amount of data a business can send and receive each month.

Plans Available

Most business broadband providers offer multiple types of plans, which vary in speed and price.  Some providers also offer plans based on the number of concurrent connections.  Business plans often include technical support for assistance in monitoring and troubleshooting broadband connections in the workplace.

Many providers offer discounts for new customers, even if you are currently under contract with another provider.  In fact, some offer discounts of up to 50% for the first year if you switch providers.

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Guide To Buying Broadband

February 24th, 2011 | Broadband, Broadband Equipment, Broadband Providers

Providers

Internet service providers (ISPs) sell a whole range of broadband products with variations on download speeds and monthly download limits, and many offer additional services bolted on, such as telephone packages and digital TV subscription.

What do you Need?

You need to think about your needs before you start shopping for your broadband package. How much use will you make of your broadband connection, and what volume of downloading will you do?  Are you a light user sending and receiving email, or do you need to download big video files frequently?

Besides your use of the World Wide Web, you need to consider the amount you spend on your telephone calls and whether you spend money on a digital TV service.

Availability

Parts of the country are not yet linked into the fibre optic cable network, which excludes that as an option when you search for the most suitable package.  This would mean that your connection would need to be made along a copper telephone line, and the speed and quality of the available service depends on your distance from the local telephone exchange.  Most internet service providers will have a facility on their website for you to check the speed of the connection to your exchange.  There is no point paying for the 20 Mb facilities when the best speed you could expect might be only 3Mb.

Cost

Broadband providers charge a monthly subscription and usually set an upper limit that the user is allowed to download each month.  The limit is linked to the subscription – usually the higher the download limit, the higher the subscription.

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Frequently Asked Questions about Broadband

February 16th, 2011 | Broadband

What is Broadband?

Broadband is higher bandwidth, always on, connection service at a rate of 128Kbps and above.

What Does KBps and Mbps Mean?

The speed of a broadband connection is measured in either Kilobits per second or Megabits per second.  Broadband is usually advertised in Mb, which is a shortened form of Mbps.

Does Everybody Have Access to Broadband?

The Department for Trade and Industry estimates that around 96 percent of UK homes and businesses have access to broadband.

How can I Find out if I can get Broadband?

All service providers can check your address to see if broadband is available.

Do I Need a Telephone Line to get Broadband?

If you live in an area that is connected to the fibre optic network, then you will be able to receive broadband without a telephone line.  Mobile broadband services do not use a landline, but otherwise broadband will require a telephone line.

What is Bandwidth?

Bandwidth is the amount of information that will fit along the broadband connection.

How Long can I Stay Online?

There is no actual limit for the time you can spend connected.  The limit is the amount of information you are able to download, which is governed at the time you sign up, and is linked to the monthly fee.

Why Does Broadband run More Slowly at Different Times?

At peak times when more people are connected to the internet, the speed may be affected as everybody tries to download files at the same time.

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Broadband Security

February 4th, 2011 | Broadband, Broadband Equipment

Attack

Our connection to the outside world down the broadband link is also the route taken by unscrupulous people who are looking to get their hands on our security details for their own illegal financial gain.

Why do I Need to Protect Myself?

The information stored on our computers includes personal and financial details that would allow wrongdoers to commit fraud online from anywhere in the world.  One of the two ways this information is accessed is when the computer is connected to the internet, and a remote user finds his way into your files to seek out information.  The other way would be “phishing”, where an email is sent to you, supposedly from your bank, asking for your personal details. Similarly, an innocent-looking email could include a program that is triggered when you look at the email, which accesses your information and sends it to the remote user.

What can I do to Protect Myself?

A firewall restricts access to your computer by remote users, and stops them from looking through your files for your information.  Anti-virus packages can protect you from dodgy email, and prevents the program from retrieving your information.

Protect Your Wireless Connection

You need to secure your wireless connections from external intrusion to prevent other users tapping into your internet connection and using services that you are paying for, or going the other way, and hacking into your computer.  Ensure that you have some form of encryption in place on your wireless network.  This will encode all information relayed between your wireless hub and your computer, so that it cannot be understood by anybody outside the network.

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Upgrading to Broadband

January 29th, 2011 | Broadband, Broadband Equipment, Broadband Providers

Broadband is the normal way of connecting to the internet now, although a few pockets are still stuck with the slower and less reliable dial-up access, so it’s usually a matter more of switching broadband providers than of connecting for the first time.  The principles, however, are the same and all users should bear a few points in mind when they choose broadband providers.

The connection speed is the main factor to consider, and this in turn will depend on your intended level of usage.  Heavy users include dedicated online gamers and corporate users, whilst light users will be people who occasionally browse and send emails.  Medium usage covers most domestic internet users, and for them it might be worth considering the 3-in-1 packages or bundles offered by the likes of Virgin Media Broadband and Sky Broadband.  This will provide their telephone, broadband and TV services simplify their billing and usually save them some money.  Incentives include free web space, email accounts and of course a much wider range of TV channels to choose from.

Broadband providers such as Orange Home Broadband, Tiscali Broadband, Be Broadband, Think Broadband and a whole host of others are in fierce competition now, and it pays to shop around for the best deals on offer by using broadband comparison websites for example.

Beware of some potential hidden costs such as usage caps and the cost of phoning the helpline of some broadband providers, which may be prohibitive.

Choosing broadband suppliers needn’t be a headache if you know what your requirements are before you start and aren’t taken in by the entire blurb.

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Looking for Broadband Providers

January 26th, 2011 | Broadband, Broadband Providers, Business Broadband

Finding a suitable broadband provider can be a real headache, but it needn’t be provided you bear a few simple things in mind.  As with any other product on the market, the decisive and delimiting factor that will decide the price is what you actually need it for and what you want to do with it.  This may sound like common sense, but many internet users find themselves stuck with the wrong level of service because they didn’t weigh up the factors properly to begin with.

The broadband provider, whether it is BT Total Broadband, Tiscali, Orange Home Broadband, Be Broadband or one of the numerous business broadband providers, will supply the equipment such as the modem and associated software.  But the broadband provider you decide on, and the level of service you want, will be entirely up to you.

The numerous broadband comparison websites online are a great helping in this respect.  These will compare broadband deals for you and come up with the best available at the time so you can narrow down your choice and then contact them separately to discuss the finer points.

It’s also important to keep a lookout for potential hidden costs.  For example you may have to pay for the whole period if you terminate a contract early, so a monthly rolling contract may suit you better than a fixed 12 or 18 month term.  Also, some broadband providers charge over the odds for calls to their helpline, and some have a cap on monthly usage which you pay extra for if you overshoot it.

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Which is Better, Broadband or Dialup?

January 22nd, 2011 | Broadband, Broadband Equipment

Broadband is quickly becoming a popular choice for accessing the internet.  Before switching from dialup to broadband, many people would like to know the pros and cons of each service in order to make an informed decision.  The most appealing aspect of broadband, and what sets it apart from dialup, is speed.  Broadband providers use the simple fact that broadband is many times faster than dialup as their top selling point.  However, there are other important differences between dialup and broadband.

Both dialup and broadband use the phone line to access the internet.  The difference is that dialup takes over the entire phone line, and calls cannot go through.  Broadband only uses a small percentage of unused signals, and does not interfere with the ability to make and receive telephone calls.

Cost is incurred differently between dialup and broadband.  Dialup charges are typically calculated by the amount of time the phone line is being used to access the internet.  This means, people using dialup internet connections usually do not stay online for very long.  Broadband providers charge a flat monthly access fee, based on the package.  This allows users to be online for a much longer period of time.

Connection time is much better with broadband because it is always on.  There is no need to log off and on several times a day, just to save money.  This also saves a lot of time because broadband users do not have to wait for the internet connection to dial in, establish a connection, and approve the password each time they want to get online.

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