You can’t turn on a TV or the radio nowadays without hearing another advert from a new cheap broadband internet provider breaking into the market. Domestic broadband has never been more accessible or affordable, and with so much competition from numerous providers, you can be assured of a good value for money broadband deal. However there are a number of potential pitfalls when choosing a broadband provider, and it’s important you’re aware of the kind of terms you need to be looking for when signing up to any cheap broadband deal.
One of the most frequent problem terms of broadband arrangements relate to contract period. Most cheap internet broadband providers look to tie customers in for a period – be it 6 months, a year or perhaps even 2 years. If you do end up in this kind of deal, you may be forced to pay off the remainder of your contract or some penalty amount if you wish to cancel before you’re due. So make sure you understand when you can change provider, and whether or not the deal you’re about to commit to is worth it long term.
Another issue to raise with your prospective cheap broadband internet provider is whether or not there are limits on your broadband access. Often, plans of this nature are marketed as being unlimited or unmetered, when this is not necessarily the case. While this might sound misleading, these claims are backed up by ‘reasonable use’ limitations, which basically mean your broadband is in fact limited at some level. Whether this is more or less than you would normally require depends on the amount of ‘reasonable use’ your ISP deems is reasonable.
Finally, the speed of your broadband may be another issue that influences you in a particular direction when buying cheap broadband. However, in some areas (depending on where you live) you may be unable to achieve the speed of your connection because of a lacking local infrastructure. Thus it may be cost effective to opt for a lower speed, in line with what your home can physically handle.
Provided you have your wits about you when buying broadband, you should be able to come away with a decent contract that provides you value for money. But don’t be afraid to continue to review the agreement you have in place with your broadband provider, to potentially highlight where you might be able to get a better deal from another provider.
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One of the most common promotional offers you see banded around for broadband services is the so-called ‘unlimited’ broadband. For a certain fixed price on a monthly basis, these service proclaim the consumer’s dream - unmetered, unlimited bandwidth for a low fixed cost. When confronted with this kind of offer over a restricted package for the same price, which would you rather choose?
Actually this is something of a sting. Unlimited broadband is actually a metaphor for ‘limited broadband’ - quite the opposite. In fact, there’s very little difference between an unlimited broadband package and a limited package, which those who take advantage of the unlimited promise often find out to their detriment. False advertising? Probably. Can they do that? Well it seems as thought they’re getting away with it.
The legal justification is that indeed, broadband usage in unlimited. But that isn’t a no-strings offer. Broadband providers are required to pay variable amounts depending on your usage. For example, if one month you use twice what you used in the month previous, the provider will be required to pay a higher variable cost. Likely, if you go beyond your allowance on a standard, limited package, this bill will be passed on to you directly on your next account statement. Obviously then, offering unlimited usage is risky - after all if you’re charging a fixed price and someone uses over the paid-for allowance, it’s possible that the provider could end up footing the bill out of their own coffers, right?
That’s where the secret weapon comes in - ‘fair usage’. In the contract for unlimited broadband, there will (almost) always be a fair usage policy - i.e. your broadband usage is unlimited subject to fair use. In other words, abusing the broadband space by downloading tons of movies might put you outside the definition of ‘unlimited’. Sounds unfair? We’re not even started.
‘Fair usage’ is seldom defined within the contract itself - in other words, it’s left to interpretation. One man’s idea of what a fair use of a service may be is completely different from another. In fact, the customers idea of fair use (of an unlimited service) won’t meet with the preconception of the provider. And when all’s said and done, it’s the provider that holds the power - if you don’t like it and don’t pay up, you’ll lose your connectivity. Ultimately this means it’s down to the interpretation of particular broadband provider you’re with and the amount you’ve used your unlimited broadband over the course of that month.
Whilst it has as of yet met little legal or regulatory challenge, it would seem as though any logical advertising standards authority would be quick to shut down this clearly underhanded practice that doesn’t seem to deliver on its promises. For now though, it’s up to you to find the best unlimited provider for you - which may well be one that doesn’t argue.
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Broadband is almost vital if you’re running a business. Regardless of the size and nature of your trade you’re going to require access to the internet - whether that be for engaging in business over the web or simply sending the occasional email now and again. With dial-up virtually obsolete, you’re going to need to find yourself broadband connectivity sooner or later, and knowing what to choose in this crowded and confusing market can be a difficult challenge to say the least.
What You Will Need
The broadband needs of a business will differ greatly from the broadband needs of your average home user. Whilst the kids might be watching movies or downloading music, business needs to be able to access the internet and fast in order to retrieve information, send and receive large, complicated documents and have reliable general access to the world wide web. Of course, depending on your specific business requirements your needs will again differ - a large scale law firm will require more in the way of service than a small, home based painter and decorator.
For those reasons it’s hard to classify in terms of specifications what you will need. Your best option is to speak to a customer advisor at your chosen Internet Service Provider in order to discuss your needs, including the number of staff that need simultaneous access, the amount of space you’ll require, etc. and to work out the extent of your monthly costs.
Some Things To Consider:
• how reliable does your connection need to be? Must you have permanent, lightning fast access or can you afford to opt for a less powerful (and cheaper) package?
• how many people will be required to access the connection at once?
• can you tie down for a longer term contract to save money?
• does your organisation require wireless access?
• are you currently tied down to an existing broadband package?
Wireless broadband is very much the ‘now’ technology, with virtually all new laptop computers coming with in-built wireless receivers. Wireless broadband allows the user to access the Internet remotely over a radio connection from a mobile location, without having to be physically stationery or actually hooked up to the network. What’s more, it’s also handy if you have multiple computers within your household looking to hook up to the Internet from a number of different rooms, in that they don’t all have to be connected to a central port which can save on cabling and is just altogether more convenient.
Even printers and scanners can be hooked up wirelessly, meaning you can print from anywhere in your home or office without being physically attached. Whilst there is a natural cost advantage in that you’ll require less hardware, there is also a tremendous and often underestimated risk to your private information when using wireless connections.
The Problem With Wireless
The problem with wireless connectivity is that it is extremely insecure. Compared to a standard wired internet connection, there is very little in the way of security to prevent hackers and malicious attacks on your information, which can produce alarming results. Consider your bog standard wired internet connection. Your computer is linked up to the modem, which is linked to the world wide web. There is a physical link which cannot as readily be intercepted by a foreign invader - without hooking his computer into the chain, a hacker would have a more difficult job trying to get at your files and the websites you are viewing.
However with a wireless connection the physical secure element is removed. All wireless devices are capable of tuning in to one another on the same channel like a radio is able to access an array of different stations - the only thing standing between is the password. Of course this is an oversimplification of the process, but it does help appreciate the problem with wireless connectivity.
Consider now the personal information you would tend to view over a wireless connection, or even store on your computer. Those with online banking services should be starting to wonder by now whether their service has been accessed by a would be hacker. In fact it’s quite common for criminals to access bank details, passwords and vital personal information, to the extent that it is possible for identity theft and fraud to take place on a massive scale.
Whilst there are massive efforts at banks and ISPs to improve the situation, it is up to the individual to ensure as far as possible that their connection is safe through encrypted passwords, firewalls and other security measures. Above all, if you’re not fully confident in your connection, it’s probably best to avoid accessing bank details especially until your in a more secure environment.
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Finding cheap broadband is usually one of the foremost, if not the most, important factors consumers take into account when searching for a broadband provider. With the overcrowded broadband market fighting tooth and nail to grab each and every customer, price is fiercely contested and it is possible to find services to meet even the most modest budget requirements. However not all broadband providers are created equal, and it’s important that you understand the service aspects as well as the pricing policy of any particular service provider. Here we’ve compiled a quick checklist of important factors to make sure your cheap broadband service actually turns out to be worth the saving.
• Speed - how fast is the broadband you’re paying for? Broadband speeds greatly vary and you’ll find yourself paying more for quicker access. Make sure your cheap service isn’t cheap for that reason.
• Type of Line - is the service you’re paying for compatible with your phone line and your local area? Depending on the service provider you opt for, you could face some compatibility issues which could cost a pretty penny to resolve.
• Contract Length - are you being tied down to this agreement for the rest of time? The less flexible the contract, the cheaper the price, so make sure this isn’t a factor in any agreement you sign up to.
• Freebies/Promotions - is the next most expensive provider offering a free modem? Calculate the value of the whole service and work it out on that basis, rather than just jumping for the headline price.
• Cancellation Charges - if you do want to get out of your cheaper contract, is that going to cost a fortune? Find out the cancellation charges or penalties for cancelling the contract before it’s due.
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Broadband is virtually essential nowadays for use in business and household settings, and as far as most people are concerned it beats dial-up hands down. Whilst we are all becoming more savvy and getting to grips with the lingo, broadband can still be a bit of a nightmare to navigate through for the first time buyer, or even the experienced user who can still find things a bit confusing. Here we’ve compiled a brief glossary of the terms you can expect to encounter in your journey into the world of broadband.
ADSL - (Asymmetric Digital Subscriber Line) A form of broadband connection that operates through a traditional phoneline without jeopardising the quality or usability of the phoneline for telephone calls. This means you can share a line and surf the net whilst talking to friends.
Bandwidth - The rate at which information can be shared across a network - more bandwidth equates to the ability to share more information at the same time. Generally, you will pay for a set amount of bandwidth although some providers offer so-called ‘unlimited’ packages
Dynamic IP Address - A different unique address assigned to a computer every time it logs on to the Internet, that enables your particular computer to be identified at any given time.
Firewall - a software application that stops hackers and foreign bodies from accessing files on your computer and providers all round protection to your network.
Hotspot - an area in which wireless broadband can be accessed for free, or on a paid basis. These are often found in hotels or cafes.
ISP - (Internet Service Provider) The company that provides your broadband service and to whom you pay your monthly bill.
Kbps - (Kilobits per second) A way to measure bandwidth, in thousands of bits per second.
LAN - (Local Area Network) A network of nearby computers sharing one singular internet connection.
Mbps - (Megabits per second) A way to measure bandwidth in millions of bits per second - like Kbps, but larger.
Router - Allows multiple computers to be hooked up to one another to share information, as well as an Internet connection. Can be wireless also, and many broadband providers will include a router free of charge when you sign up for certain contract terms.
VOIP - (Voice Over Internet Protocol) A technology that allows telephone communications to take place over a digital phone line for enhanced quality and at a lower cost than traditional phone services.
This is by no means an exhaustive list of the technical jargon you’re likely to encounter. Unfortunately for you, this is only the beginning. However, provided you do your homework and research the market a bit, you should get a feeling for which type of service provides you with the best level of service at the best price, without getting too confused as to the intricacies of broadband technology.
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