Things to Consider When Buying Broadband For the First Time

Things have come a long way in a short space of time, as far as the internet is concerned. I remember the days when we had 56k (and less) connections, and at that time it was the best we had, but for anyone who enjoys modern fast internet connection speeds of 2mb and more, it does not bear thinking about going back to the speeds we used to have. In fact it would be an impossibility to go back now because of how much things have evolved. With all the content now, video, audio, social media sites and more recently IPTV, you really do need better speed because of the bandwidth that is being used up.

So where do you go and what do you consider when reviewing the options that are available to you. I was with NTL for many years which then became Virgin Media, and I was very happy with the service they provided. I had a bundled package which included my telephone, internet connection and TV channels. However, when I moved, the area I moved to was rural, and the cabling was not in, and so, I had to switch to BT. This proved very costly as I have one of three daughters who particularly liked to talk a lot on the telephone. Subsequently this left me having to pay for some very high bills indeed. I then switched to Tiscali, and they saved me a lot of money and I am very happy with the service which they provide.

So we have ruled out dial up. The only time I would suggest a dial up connection to anyone now is if they are going to be some very basic web browsing, and perhaps use it for a little email. Normally I would suggest a broadband connection of at least 2mb and would also suggest that it might be better for your to bundle your telephone, internet and TV if you can, because it means paying one bill, and invariably will save you some money. That has certainly been my experience. One thing I would say is to check what your estimated speed is going to be before you sign up for services. Most of the companies will have a line checker feature, and they will be able to give you a fair idea of what your line is going to support.

The next thing to decide would be the package you would go for. This would very much depend on your usage requirements. Generally I would say the faster the better. For me we have a package whereby we have over 2mb internet and we also have free anytime calls through the day and at weekends, and believe me, with a young family, it is a real blessing. Often you are constrained by a number of criteria depending on where you are and what services are available, so you really just have to go with the best of what is available to you in your area. The actual speed you will achieve is dependent on a number of factors:

The length and quality of the wiring between your home and your telephone exchange The specification of your modem or router The speed of connection between your computer and modem/wireless router (Ethernet and wireless are faster than USB) The speed of your computer Whether all your broadband microfilters are correctly installed

Broadband speeds can also vary depending on how busy it is on the internet at any given time, whether you are sharing the connection with others in your household. This can be the case say where you have a PC and a laptop and maybe a few of your children have laptops as well, so it would slow the connection somewhat if everyone was on at the same time. Spyware and some types of anti-virus software can also slow up your PC. During peak internet usage periods, your connection can be slower. These peak periods will generally vary from area to area, but your internet service provider should be able to tell you what times they are at, roughly. Normally when you get broadband in for the first time you may notice some variations in speed for the first 10 days or so, and your connection may also be intermittent. This is usually because your maximum line rate is being established and you need to allow a period of time for it to settle. In conclusion, check and see what is available in your area, check what speed is available to you before signing up to any contract, and finally, go for bundling some services together and save yourself some money in the process.