Saving money on your broadband can be a smart, and easy, way to reduce your monthly expenses. Here are some tips to help you bring down your costs
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If you’re in contract, cancelling your broadband could result in early termination charges. Cancelling or making changes can be done for free once your initial contract is over, and generally requires one month’s notice.
Most broadband providers increase prices at the mid-point and at the end of the contract, meaning customers can pay significantly more over time for the same service. If you’re out of contract, it’s likely you’re paying more than you need to, and cancelling, reducing or renegotiating are all options worth thinking through.
The biggest question is what speed you need. Many households are paying for broadband that is far faster than they actually require. This table below is a guide to the speed you need for different types of activities online. It could be that Superfast, rather than Ultrafast is actually enough for your household.
| Type of broadband | Speeds | Activities |
|---|---|---|
| ADSL | 10-11 Mbps | Make a high definition video call using apps such as Zoom, Teams, Facetime or Whatsapp. Download a 1 hour HD TV show (1GB) in 15 mins. |
| Superfast Fibre | 30-60 Mbps | 1 person streaming 4K video. Download a 1 hour TV show (1GB) in 4 mins. Several devices on the wifi at once. |
| Ultrafast Fibre | 60-1000 Mbps | Multiple people streaming 4K video. Download a 1 hour HD TV show in under 30 seconds. Improved upload speeds for gaming and video conferencing |
| Gigabit | 60-1000 Mbps | Provides quicker downloads than most ultrafast packages. Can download a full 4K film in less than 15 mins. May be delivered over technologies that are more reliable. |
It’s also worth noting that if you have 5G in your area, it might be cheaper to use the data on a 5G mobile broadband tariff or your mobile phone rather than having separate broadband – particularly if you’re not at home much.
Shop around for deals: Research different broadband providers to find the most affordable options in your area. If you’re a Nous member, we’ll do this for you.
The UK’s broadband infrastructure is undergoing a high-speed upgrade, so the availability of broadband services in your area may have improved since you last switched. You can check what services are in your area using the Ofcom availability checker.
<aside> ℹ️ View broadband coverage with the Ofcom availability checker
https://checker.ofcom.org.uk/en-gb/broadband-coverage
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By our estimates, a typical household could save £170 a year by switching broadband providers.
Negotiate with your current provider
Before you switch to another provider with a better price, call your current provider up, tell them you are going to leave, and let them know what price they need to match. You may find yourself getting that price, or close to it, and you won’t have to go through any of the bother of plugging in a new router from the new provider.
Downgrade your plan
Evaluate your internet usage and consider if you can switch to a lower-tier plan that still meets your needs.
Avoid unnecessary extras
Review your current plan and remove any unnecessary add-ons or features that you no longer use.
Pay attention to introductory offers