Today, there are well in excess of 100 hundred different broadband providers competing for your business, so needless to say, selecting a broadband provider can get rather confusing from the off. You will also need to consider an even larger selection of packages which in turn are linked into different pricing options. Cost is important, however you still need to make sure that that the provider you choose is going to suit your own particular data needs.

To try and help you make the right choice the following guide has been out together to both give you an understanding of how broadband can be of benefit and how to opt for the right package with the right provider.

How is broadband delivered?

Broadband Providers can deliver either via a standard telephone line, through a digital satellite service or over a digital TV cable connection. You can also have broadband delivered over a mobile connection however for the purposes of this article; mobile broadband services are being excluded.

Why should you use broadband provider?

Broadband providers are able to provide a much faster internet connection of between 1Mb and 50Mb, (compared to just 56K on a dial up connection) improving the time it takes to browse websites and download files, both of which are becoming larger in file size terms. Broadband providers also charge a flat rate regardless of the time spent downloading information, compared to a dial up service in which you generally must pay for the time you are online.

What speed should I decide upon?

Low to medium users, that is you access the internet daily to web browse and pick up emails, should opt for an entry level broadband provider service at the 1Mb-2Mb download speed as even with today's file sizes this is going to provide you with a service that is perfectly adequate.

High internet bandwidth users or Businesses may use applications including online multiplayer internet gaming, multiple users browsing the internet, high quality audio or voice (allowing multiple telephone conversations) or download large data files. If this sounds more like you then a broadband provider that can provide an 8Mb-50Mb connection speed is required.

Selecting a broadband provider?

The fastest way to choose a broadband provider is by using an online price comparison service. Simply type in "Broadband Provider Comparison" into your search engine and check the results. It is recommended to try a few sites to see if they give you the same or similar results. Once you have your shortlist of two or three potential providers check the small print in there terms and conditions. Look out for download restrictions, sometimes the vendor will limit the amount of information that you are allowed to download on a monthly basis and if you reach that limit extra charges could be levied. Also check the contention ratio of the service offered, a contention ration of greater than 10:1 could result in a limited service at peak internet times. Finally check the agreement length and that the price is not increased after a certain period, many broadband providers offer very low deals to gain extra interest but prices go up after a set time.



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