Broadband: Features explained
Broadband is up to 150 times 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.
So, you can wave goodbye to interminable pauses as web pages download, and say hello to a host of new services, including live radio, streamed video clips and online gaming.
Broadband doesn't tie up your phone line and you pay by the amount you down- or upload rather than the time you spend online, so you can leave your internet connection on permanently if you want to.
Broadband prices are competitive with dial-up internet subscriptions, starting from between £10 and £15 for standalone broadband services.
Free vs paid-for broadband services
Some ISPs, such as Sky and TalkTalk (from the Carphone Warehouse), offer 'free' broadband. You have to sign up for their mobile, digital TV or phone service at the same time, so what’s on offer is an inclusive bundle for a single fee rather than a 'free' service.
There may be hidden costs to the so-called 'free' broadband, such as connection fees, the service may have download and upload usage restrictions (see 'How to buy'), and you'll have to sign up to a lengthy contract (12 or 18 months). But if you're sure you'll make use of the paid-for service, this could be a cost-effective choice.
Many more ISPs offer discounts on their broadband services if you take them as part of a bundle with other digital services.
Our article on phone and broadband bundles has more details on the offers.
Types of broadband
You can check what types of broadband are available in your area at www.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, although the broadband speed you'll be able to get will vary depending on where you live - take a look at the Which? advice guide on broadband speed for more information.
You don’t have to use BT's landline service to get ADSL broadband – phone line rental providers such as TalkTalk and the Post Office also use BT's network.
In the Hull area, the phone line network is provided by Kingston Communications rather than BT, and at the moment no providers other than Kingston Communications offer broadband services on this network.
All the ISPs in our product picker except Virgin Media cable are ADSL.
Local loop unbundled (LLU) ADSL broadband
This is a type of ADSL broadband where ISPs install their own equipment in BT telephone exchanges. Although the ISPs still use BT wires, adding their own equipment enables them to offer faster/cheaper broadband. Where providers have opted for LLU, availability is limited to at most 70% of UK households, often in more populated areas.
This means there are often discrepancies between what's available with the same ISP. For example, Talk Talk offers free broadband to its phone package subscribers in LLU areas, but elsewhere you must pay for 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 telecoms regulator, says the only option in such cases is to switch to a provider that offers new line connections - at the moment, unless you want to switch to cable, this is only BT and the Post Office. Ofcom is currently working on a process that will allow seamless switching between phone and broadband providers in such cases. We hope it solves this problem swiftly.
Cable broadband is only available from Virgin
Cable broadband
Cable broadband, only available from Virgin Media, provides an equivalent service to ADSL broadband, using cable phone lines instead of BT's network. Cable broadband is available to about half of UK homes, mostly in urban areas.
Mobile broadband
All five mobile networks (O2, Orange, Three, T-Mobile and Vodafone) now offer services whereby you can access broadband on your computer via the 3G mobile signal. The technology's very 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 broadand operates in a different way to normal broadband we've not included these services in our product comparison, but mobile broadband prices start from £10 for a 1GB data transfer limit on PAYG, or £15 for 3GB on a contract basis. You may also have to pay from around £50 for a USB adaptor, often called a dongle, that you plug into your computer to let you use mobile broadband.
Technically you can use mobile broadband when you go abroad - but watch out, prices can be extortionate (bills for hundreds, or even thousands, of pounds are not unlikely). And note that download and upload usage limits and fair usage policies are often very low (typically just 3GB), and charges for exceeding this limit can be high. For this reason, if you spend a lot of time online and do lots of big downloads, mobile broadband might not have enough capacity for your needs.
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 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. O2 is the first mobile broadband provider to have cottoned on fully to the potential of people wanting both types of broadband and is offering home broadband free for a year with an 18 month mobile broadband deal.
Other types
If you can't get the main types of broadband in your area, there are a couple of alternatives.
Satellite broadband is delivered via a dish attached to your house - similar to Sky TV. But it's extremely expensive – www.avcbroadband.com charges £59 a month for 0.5Mbps speeds, plus more than £1,000 for equipment and installation.
Another option is wireless broadband providers, like www.w3z.co.uk, which serve localised areas. Radio masts send a broadband signal to antennae attached to houses. No phone line is required.
There’s a list of local wireless broadband ISPs and where they operate at www.thinkbroadband.com (in the FAQs).
Networking your 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 although the price difference is narrowing rapidly.
Wireless broadband
Don't fancy tripping over countless wires? Wireless modems and routers are becoming increasingly popular and cost from around £50. They fulfil the same function as normal 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 review on Which? Best Buy wireless routers.
Internet security
Broadband internet is easier than dial-up internet for hackers to exploit because you can be online constantly if you wish, so security is paramount.
Many 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 purchasing an internet security suite which contains all three, typically from around £40 (see the Which? review of security software). There are also plenty of excellent free security software options available such as: