Five things I'd never do as a broadband expert

Reliable broadband has become key to modern life - from work and education, to online shopping and banking. With the big name providers offering tantalising but often confusing deals, it's not always easy to work out whether you're getting a good value connection.

But years of extensive research, plus our analysis of feedback from broadband customers, has given us a unique insight into the common pitfalls and exaggerated claims that can ultimately lead to sky-high bills, erratic connections and terrible customer service.

We're giving you the inside track before brands start pitching their Black Friday deals - read on to find out five things you should never do when it comes to your broadband deal.

Check to see how your provider fares in our round-up of the best and worst broadband.

1. Forget when the fixed term contract is going to end

In most cases when you sign up to a broadband deal, you’ll be committing to a particular price for a fixed term (though annual increases may be included too). At the end of that term, you need to take action, otherwise you can roll onto what’s called a standard tariff – we’ve found it can cost you over 100% more than your fixed term deal.

Luckily Ofcom requires providers to issue end-of-contract notifications (ECNs) to warn you when your contract is coming to an end. But even once you’ve received that letter, email or text message, it can be easy to drop the ball and end up paying over the odds as a result. 

Make sure you set a reminder and be ready to either switch or haggle as soon as you’re in the final month of your contract. 

Our latest research shows that switching at the end of your contract can lead to savings as high as £165 per year – or £235 if you have a broadband and TV contract.

2. Take the first deal that’s offered at the end of the contract 

Not everyone will feel like switching at the end of their contract – if you’re getting good service, why change provider? Luckily there are still ways to save. Your provider will almost certainly offer you another deal when they send your ECN (End of Contract Notification) – and if you get in touch to discuss re-contracting to avoid paying for a standard tariff, they’ll happily agree.

But don’t sign up to what they’ve offered you too quickly. There are almost always better deals available, but it takes a smidge more pressure to squeeze them out of your provider – unfortunately, old-fashioned loyalty isn’t usually rewarded by broadband companies.

You don't need to summon the spirit of a detective to negotiate a new deal – it just takes a little prep. Read our advice on how to haggle with your broadband provider to get started.

3. Assume a Big Four provider offers a better connection

Together BT, Sky, TalkTalk and Virgin Media supply broadband to more than 20 million households. Customers often stick with them and many have never been with a different provider. But year after year, our research shows that their customers not only pay more, they’re also some of the least satisfied. 

Smaller providers offer cheaper deals and better customer service. If you’re in the market for a new provider, it’s worth exploring whether there’s a less well-known provider that can offer you a better deal. And perhaps there’s a local provider in your area that can offer you full fibre services – the most reliable kind of broadband connection. 

For information about some of the alternatives, check our guides on smaller broadband providers and regional broadband providers.

4. Get sucked in by unnecessary extras

It's easy to get tempted by add-ons but they're not always worth your time. For example, if you decide to take a landline service with your broadband deal, weigh up whether you’ll really benefit from something like an anytime calls package – if you have a mobile phone too, that deal quite likely comes with hundreds of free minutes so it’s not worth paying for even more on your landline.

Be wary of free trials to services like Netflix and Spotify – the cost will be added onto your bill if you forget about them. If you do take up a free trial, be sure to set a reminder to review whether you really need the service or not before the trial ends.

And always check what is included if you are offered any speed or wi-fi guarantee for an additional cost. It might be worth testing the service without them first - especially given your provider should give you a minimum guaranteed speed at sign-up anyway. Some of these guarantee packages do come with mesh networks or wi-fi extenders that can be useful if wi-fi is patchy in your property - but double check you're not better off buying one yourself.

Our broadband provider reviews lay out what the providers include in their various guarantees.

5. Skip the terms and conditions

As boring as it sounds, you need to know what you’re signing up to when you commit to a new deal – especially given providers are great at promoting the appealing parts of their deals but less good at highlighting the downsides. That makes reading the T&Cs a necessity.

Always check: 

• How long any initial discount will last for, and what the price will be once it ends – it’s common for providers to offer the first three months at half price, for example.
• Whether the price of your deal will go up every year, and how much by.
• Whether you’ll be on a fixed price or your provider has the right to increase how much you pay.
• How much you’ll be expected to pay when your fixed term contract ends and you move onto a standard tariff.

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