Broadband package reviews: Features explained
Broadband is much faster than dial-up
Broadband internet is anything from 10 to 150 times faster than traditional dial-up internet connections, and is available to more than 99% of UK homes.
Broadband doesn't tie up your home phone line, and you pay by the amount of data (web pages, photos, music tracks or TV shows, for example) you download or upload rather than the time you spend online, so you can leave your internet connection on permanently if you want to.
With more people using the internet for online tasks that use a lot of data, such as watching BBC iPlayer and listening to the radio, home broadband providers are developing broadband technology and increasingly offering packages with higher download speeds and usage limits.
Not sure how much you use each month? Use the Which? broadband usage calculator to find out what broadband usage limit you need and get Best Buy broadband recommendations in just a few easy steps.
Broadband prices typically start from around £10-17 for standalone home broadband services.
Free vs paid-for home broadband services
Some broadband ISPs, such as Sky, offer 'free' home broadband. You have to sign up for Sky's digital TV and home phone services at the same time, so what’s on offer is an inclusive bundle for a single fee rather than a 'free' home broadband service.
You can find out more about which ISPs offer the best broadband bundles in the Which? review of phone, internet and TV packages.
There may be hidden costs to the so-called 'free' broadband, such as broadband connection fees, the service may have download and upload usage restrictions (see How to buy home broadband), and you'll have to sign up to a lengthy broadband contract (12-18 months). But if you're sure you'll make use of the paid-for service, 'free' broadband could be a cost-effective choice.
Many more broadband ISPs, including TalkTalk and Virgin Media, offer discounts on their home broadband services if you take them as part of a bundle with other home phone, TV and mobile services.
Types of home broadband
You can check what types of home broadband are available in your area at Broadbandchecker.co.uk.
ADSL broadband
Most homes can access broadband through BT's copper-wire phone network. This type of broadband is known as Asymmetric Digital Subscriber Line or ADSL broadband. ADSL broadband is available to more than 99% of UK households, though the broadband speed you'll be able to get will vary depending on where you live – take a look at Which? advice on how to boost your broadband speed for more information.
You don’t have to use BT's landline service to get ADSL broadband – home phone line rental providers such as the Post Office also use BT's broadband network.
In the Hull area, the phone line network is provided by Kingston Communications rather than BT, and at the moment no ISP other than Kingston Communications offers broadband services on this network.
All the broadband ISPs in the Which? broadband review review except Virgin Media's cable broadband services are ADSL.
Local loop unbundled (LLU) ADSL broadband
This is a type of ADSL broadband where ISPs install their own broadband equipment in BT telephone exchanges. Though the broadband ISPs still use BT wires, adding their own broadband equipment enables them to offer faster/cheaper home broadband. LLU broadband availability is limited to at most 80% of UK households, often in more populated areas.
This means there are often discrepancies between what broadband services are available with the same ISP. For example, TalkTalk offers cheap broadband to its phone package subscribers in LLU areas, but elsewhere you must pay more for home broadband.
The process for switching between LLU broadband providers can cause problems. Customers who have a fully LLU deal (on both phone and broadband) can find, when they want to switch, that there are few providers willing to accept them. They may be told that because their phone line is LLU, that it no longer counts as a BT line so it's not possible to switch easily.
Ofcom, the phone regulator, says the only option in such cases is to switch to a provider that offers new phone line connections – this will mean paying a new line connection fee. At the moment, only BT and the Post Office do this for a phone-only line. Other providers may be willing to install a new phone line if you commit to a phone and broadband bundle contract with them.
Cable broadband is only available from Virgin
Cable broadband
Cable broadband, available only from Virgin Media, provides an equivalent service to ADSL broadband, using cable phone lines instead of BT's phone network. Virgin Media's cable broadband is available to about half of UK homes, mostly in urban areas.
Mobile broadband
O2, Orange, 3, T-Mobile, Vodafone and Virgin now offer services whereby you can access broadband on your laptop or PC wherever there's a 3G mobile signal – at home or when you're out and about. Mobile broadband technology is fairly new and depends on there being a 3G signal, but may offer hope to anyone who can't get broadband via ADSL or Cable.
Because mobile broadband operates in a different way from normal, fixed-line home broadband, we haven't included mobile broadband services in this home broadband product comparison, but you can see how they rate against each other in the Which? mobile broadband review.
Mobile broadband prices start from £10 for a 1GB data transfer limit. Contract and PAYG mobile broadband deals are available. You may also have to pay for a USB modem, often called a mobile broadband dongle, that you plug into your laptop or PC to let you use mobile broadband. Some longer-term packages include the cost of the dongle.
Technically, you can use mobile broadband to surf the internet when you go abroad, but watch out – prices can be extortionate (bills for hundreds, or even thousands, of pounds are not unlikely). And download and upload usage limits and fair usage policies are often very low (typically just 3GB), and charges for exceeding these limits can be high.
For this reason, if you spend a lot of time online and download a great deal, mobile broadband might not have enough capacity for your needs – use the Which? broadband usage calculator to work out whether a capped or uncapped broadband deal is best for you.
But mobile broadband could be ideal for those who don't want to pay line rental for a fixed phone line – an essential for ADSL home broadband. And people who travel for work or leisure might value the flexibility of mobile broadband either as a replacement for fixed broadband or a second service.
See our mobile broadband reviews for more information.
Other types of home broadband
If you can't get the main types of home broadband in your area, there are a couple of broadband alternatives.
Satellite broadband is delivered via a dish attached to your house – similar to Sky TV. But it's extremely expensive – AVC broadband charges £69 a month for 0.5Mbps speeds, plus more than £1,000 for equipment and installation.
Another option is one of the wireless broadband providers, such as W3Z, which serve localised areas. Radio masts send a broadband signal to antennae attached to houses. No home phone line is required.
Thinkbroadband.com has a list of local wireless broadband ISPs and where they operate.
Networking your home broadband
To share your broadband with more than one computer, you can use a router (with built-in modem). Routers tend to be more expensive than standard modems, though the price difference is narrowing rapidly. Many broadband ISPs now offer 'free' routers in exchange for signing up to an annual broadband contract.
Wireless home broadband
Don't fancy tripping over countless wires? Wireless home broadband modems and wireless routers are becoming increasingly popular and cost from around £50. They fulfil the same function as normal home broadband modems or routers but without the need for wires trailing all over the place.
For more information on wireless networking, take a look at our in-depth reviews of the best wireless routers.
Online security
Broadband internet is easier than dial-up internet for hackers to exploit because you can be online constantly if you wish, so internet security is paramount.
Many broadband ISPs provide anti-virus protection, but often these just monitor emails, so won't pick up viruses from other sources. To completely protect your broadband connection, you need independent anti-virus software, plus a firewall and anti-spyware software.
Consider buying an internet security suite that contains all three, typically from around £40. There are also plenty of excellent free security software options available, which you can find out about in the Which? review of security software.
To find out how to keep the information stored on your laptop safe, see the Which? guide to encrypting data on your laptop or watch the Which? video guide to protecting your PC from spyware.
Need help understanding computer security jargon? See our free guide to understanding PC security terms.