When it comes to living our best life, having internet access can help us a lot. Yet dependent on your budget, location and what you need it for, it can come at varying costs. While that means that you will always be able to find a great deal, you might find that you have too many options to choose from easily and narrow down the best broadband providers.

So how do you know which broadband provider is the best? Well, that depends on why you need the internet. How many people are in your house, where you live, and whether you like to stream or game regularly are all things that can affect your internet usage. 

There are a lot of different broadband providers out there, and all offer a variety of plans and Internet connections. To find out what is available in your area, you can check by searching your postcode for free on a broadband comparison site. 

Once you know what is available, you will want to start thinking about what would be the best package for you.

Dependent on Where you Live

If you live remotely then it might be worth looking at Satellite Internet instead. So how does satellite internet work? Well basically it relies on satellites not land-based Internet services. In rural destinations its a good choice as it is the only Internet service available nationwide. It’s all very clever as it involves the communication between satellites on the ground and satellites in space, rather than lots of wires and cables like with DSL.

The Amount of Data You Need

A big factor in choosing which internet provider to use will be how much data it provides. Spectrum internet plans offer unlimited data which is ideal if you have children gaming and streaming Netflix. Plus if you work from home downloading big files and making video calls you can soon go through a lot of data. Having to monitor your date usage can be a bit of a nuisance. It’s much simpler if you know you have an unlimited plan and can just upload and download whatever you need too, whenever you need too!

The Cheapest Provider 

For many people, the best provider will be the cheapest. And the good news is that you don’t need to be spending a lot monthly for good broadband. 

Some internet providers like Direct Save, NOW Broadband, TalkTalk, and Vodafone are known for their cheap deals. These all offer unlimited broadband with average download speeds that are in line with other more expensive deals. Even the cheapest of contracts run fast these days, so unless you’re planning on running a data server in your home, you won’t need to pay extra for very high-speed internet.

If you want the very fastest broadband then you can expect to pay more, though the priciest packages often deliver the same performance but with extra features like TV bundles or free Wi-Fi when you’re out and about.

Free Gifts

When it comes to cheap broadband deals, keep in mind that some may well offer free gifts. These can be anything from money off your bills for a few months to prepaid credit cards or shopping vouchers. These gifts can vary, and they don’t come with every package. If you are looking for a good deal that could help you cut back on your spending, these free gifts can help. A giftcard could be used to get products you need, or a discount could allow you to put a bit more money aside for a few months.

Still, these gifts shouldn’t be the only reason you choose a deal. A £150 Amazon gift card is great, but only if it was something you would have used anyway, and if the broadband package is right for you. A freebie is not a good reason to sign up for a deal that will last longer than you need or cost more than you want to be paying. 

Always take a note of when your contract ends, even if you are happy with your service, because the cost of your broadband deal will probably increase at the end of the term. If you know when it ends then you can renegotiate for a lower price. Or if the provider won’t offer you one, you can then look to switch providers.

The Fastest Provider

Getting fast broadband is now incredibly easy. Almost all homes are able to get internet speeds of 35-65Mbps, which means you shouldn’t have to worry about download limits. Faster speeds of 100Mbps are also becoming more readily available, something which will please people who stream or game a lot.

The fastest broadband is supplied by fibre networks, where fibre optic cables are used to bring the internet to your home. At present, most of these deals will be for FTTC (Fibre to the Cabinet) packages. What that means is that fibre cables are used to connect the internet to your house. But traditional phone lines connect it up so you can actually use the internet. 

There’s also a growing number of full-fibre broadband networks, where fibre is used within your house too. Fewer homes can get this right now. But coverage is increasing all the time, and if available this will probably be the fastest broadband you can get.

In many places, Virgin Media offers the fastest broadband. It covers around 53% of British homes and provides average speeds up to 1.1Gb. 

The thing to remember about Virgin Media is that it runs solely through a network it owns. Where a lot of other broadband providers share the same fibre cables, Virgin Media has its own infrastructure. That may mean you’ll have to have an engineer install new wiring if your house has never had Virgin installed. It’s also worth noting that because there is less competition, you will find fewer special offers.

The Provider With The Best Customer Service

No matter which internet service provider you choose, you will want good customer service. You hope you won’t have any problems that require contacting the team. But if you have any questions, or something does happen, you’ll want to know that the staff will be helpful.

Ofcom regularly checks customer service performance for some of the biggest providers by checking data such as the number of complaints. In the most recent edition of that study, the big-name internet providers like BT, Sky and EE have the best results for customer service. On the other hand, TalkTalk and Shell have the most complaints. 

The problem with the big providers having better reviews is that these tend to be slightly more expensive. However, there are some providers noted for good customer service that are a little cheaper, such as Plusnet. 

Of course, with so many different providers out there, it can be difficult to know how to pick. Ofcom might be one way to compare, but it’s not the only way. Trustpilot ranks the broadband providers by the reviews posted on their website. Through their site, you’ll find that a lot of the smaller companies rank very well. Community Fibre ranks the highest on their site with a rating of 4.9. 

It can be worth checking the providers on Trustpilot when you’re looking for a new internet provider. Check to see who is available in your area using a postcode checker and then see how they score on Trustpilot.

Customer Service can vary depending on what you need or even the day you need it. So, remember that one bad experience does not mean all their customer service is terrible.

Final Thoughts

So which internet provider is the best? That depends on your budget, what you need from them, and what’s available in your area. 

Broadband comparison sites are there to help you. Through them, you can find out what’s available in your area, compare reviews and even find some great deals. A little research can go a long way to helping you find a great new broadband deal.