Broadband: FAQs
Most people find broadband easy to install
What do I need to get broadband?
You'll need a broadband modem, router, or wireless router - a piece of equipment you connect to your phone socket that enables you to access the internet. Some ISPs provide this free of charge in exchange for signing up to a 12 month contract.
Most ISPs provide a free installation disc and one or two microfilters - small devices that plug into your phone points and split the phone signal (there are two sockets - one for broadband and one for your phone) to let you receive calls and access the internet at the same time. You can buy extra broadband microfilters from around £4.
Broadband installation
Once you've run the installation disc, just plug the broadband modem or router into your computer's USB port and into the phone socket via a microfilter. Don't be put off if this sounds daunting - most members we've asked find broadband easy to install.
Installing cable broadband might require an engineer's visit but, if you already have cable TV, you can install broadband simply by linking your computer to your set-top box.
What speed is broadband?
Broadband can be anything from 10 to 150 times faster than a dial-up internet connection. ISPs quote maximum download speeds: your broadband service will almost certainly be slower, particularly at busy times.
Broadband data transfer speed is measured in Kbps (kilobits per second - one kilobit is 1,000 bits) and Mbps (megabits per second - a megabit is 1,000,000 bits).
Will I actually get the broadband speeds I see advertised?
The actual broadband speed you will receive depends on a number of factors, such as how far your phone line has to stretch from the nearest telephone exchange, the quality of the line, and the contention ratio of the broadband service (see below). So you may not always, or even ever, get the advertised speed, particularly for broadband services advertised as up to 8Mbps or higher.
Can I check what broadband speed my phone line can support before I sign up?
If you have a non-cable phone line, go to the Broadband ASDL Availability Checker and enter your phone number - it will give you a provisional guide on what broadband speeds your phone line should be able to support based on where you live.
To find out more about how to get the right internet connection speed have a look at the Which? broadband speed advice guide.
And how do I find out what broadband speed I’m getting in practice?
Try Speedtest.net or Thinkbroadband.com - results may vary by time of day, and accuracy will be affected by anything else you’re doing on the computer.
Is there any software I can download to speed things up?
Onspeed costs £24.99 a year and claims to increase dial-up and broadband (up to 2Mbps) speeds by compressing web pages and emails so they load faster.
Why are broadband upload speeds slower than advertised speeds?
Most home broadband users download more than they upload, so it’s more important for download speeds to be faster, and this is the speed ISPs usually advertise. Surfing from page to page, reading emails and watching online TV is all downloading. Adding photos to an online album, or sending emails, is uploading.
The fastest broadband upload speed we’ve seen is 2.5Mbps from high-speed broadband provider Be, but it can be as low as 0.256Mbps, so check upload speeds in advance if you think you’ll find slow speeds restrictive.
Is broadband internet always on?
With some broadband services, you're connected to the internet as soon as you turn on your computer. Others require you to log on. Either way, it's much quicker than dialling up.
So can I stay online for as long as I like with broadband?
Unlike dial-up packages, broadband services don't limit the time you spend online. Instead, most broadband ISPs charge a monthly fee and let you download or upload a certain amount of data.
Some ISPs offer unlimited use. These are usually subject to fair usage policies but are likely to be restrictive only to very heavy broadband users.
Why can't I find information on my broadband ISP in the Which? product picker results pages?
We provide details on more than 130 broadband packages from around 30 broadband ISPs that we have customer satisfaction ratings for, plus a selection of other broadband ISPs that offer services we think you should be aware of in order to make an informed decision.
Other broadband packages may be similar in terms of price and features, but we have no evidence on what the service is like in practice.
My broadband provider has increased its charges. Is it allowed to do this?
Most contracts allow ISPs to increase prices by a certain amount, although there's often a clause to say they have to let you know in advance and allow you to break the contract if the increase is significant.
If I have a complaint about my broadband ISP, what should I do?
In the first instance a broadband complaint should go through the ISP's internal complaints procedure.
If that fails, after 12 weeks from the date of the original broadband complaint (verbal or written), you can take the broadband complaint to the telecommunications ombudsman (Otelo), or the Communications & Internet Services Adjudication Scheme (Cisas). Every broadband ISP must belong to one of these complaints schemes. You can also try the Internet Service Providers Association (ISPA), if your ISP is a member.
Keep records of all written and verbal communication with your ISP.
I've been told I can't get broadband internet because my telephone exchange hasn't been set up for it. What can I do?
You may be able to get broadband via cable, if you live in an area that has it - check if your area has cable.
Alternatively, you could consider mobile broadband or satellite broadband. See 'Features explained' for more.
What are the 'contention ratios' I see mentioned in information about broadband ISPs?
The contention ratio is the maximum number of people an ISP will allow to share a connection at the same time. The higher the contention ratio, the more people could be connected - and the slower your download speeds. Some ISPs use broadband 'traffic shaping' rather than contention ratios, which may mean that you'll find speeds restricted at peak times - especially if you're a heavy internet user.
Residential services are most commonly capped at 50:1, which means you'll never share a connection with more than 49 other people.
How can I protect my broadband connection from computer viruses?
One of the biggest risks of being online comes from files you download, which could contain computer viruses, but hackers are also finding increasingly innovative ways of getting access to your system.
So it's really important you protect yourself from these threats by installing anti-virus and firewall software on your computer and updating it regularly.
You should also look for an ISP that offers security features, such as spam filters.
How do I switch to a different ISP?
If you want to switch ISP but aren't quite sure where to start, take a look at the Which? guide to switching ISP which explains how to change broadband provider or how to upgrade from dial-up to broadband.
I've heard you can make phone calls over a broadband internet connection - how can I do this?
Take a look at the Which? review of internet telephone services.