Broadband has become an essential part to every business and household and it's easy to see why. Traditionally, most people had dial-up but the download speeds were extremely slow, however, the introduction of broadband has been a technological revelation and has provided customers with the ability to download everything from films and music to vital PC updates. Business' have seen major improvements and are able to connect their entire workforce using one network. Other advantages of broadband are free VoIP (Voice over Internet Protocol) which enables initiatives such as Conference calling, call forwarding and caller ID. The recent innovation to hit broadband is Skype which enables 2 people to talk to each other over the internet using a headset; this saves money on long distance calls that can normally take place.

So how do you go about finding the right broadband deal? The best place to start with is by taking the broadband speed test. You simply enter your postcode and the test calculates the speed you should expect for the area you live in. This will give you a good starting point and when you come to comparing prices you know what to look for. There are a few things you need to be aware of when searching for broadband;

1. Download limits- Some providers specify a limit when you sign up and if you go over that limit; you can be heavily penalised.

2. Contracts- Providers will often look to tie you down to a long term contract and will charge you should you wish to move on. 12 months contracts are normal but anything more then double check the fees for moving on because there is likely to be a better deal around the corner.

3. Rising fees- Before signing up for any deal ensure you know all the details because deals look great and then you find the hidden costs and all of a sudden they don't look too impressive!

Read more about Why You Need Broadband

There are always internet viruses about and the best way to protect your computer against these is too have the latest anti-virus programmes that can be downloaded extremely quickly with broadband. Firewalls are a great way of stopping untrustworthy sites from opening, which is normally the way viruses are caught, you can set rules or criteria and if certain websites conflict with these then the firewall will block it. This will reduce the chance of your computer catching a virus.

The advantages for businesses are clear but there is also a definite advantage for people looking to set up the internet at home. In the past, a family of 4 would all have to fight for the computer to get onto the internet but you can connect all computers and laptops to the same network using a wireless router. The router connects all computers within a radius to a network. To prevent the wrong people accessing your network, you can apply a network key so no unauthorised person can access the internet through your network.

Switching providers can be a tricky thing but thanks to Ofcom (the telecoms watchdog), this is becoming easier. Check the terms of your contract because the money you have to spend cancelling your existing contract may outweigh the savings you can make by switching.