Broadband customers are being hit by a double whammy as download speeds fall short of expectations and download limits sting them with sky high charges for exceeding their usage caps.
A report by media and telecoms watchdog Ofcom has revealed that fewer than one in ten households on an up to eight megabits per second (Mb) package actually get over 6Mb, with users receiving average speeds of just 3.9Mb. At this rate, a DVD quality film would take more than two hours to download - longer than it takes to watch it.
To make matters worse, research we carried out here at moneysupermarket.com has found that three in four people risk incurring additional charges for exceeding their download limit. Of those surveyed, 24% don't know if they have a download limit on their service, and of those that claim they do, over half don't know what that limit is.
So how can you get a broadband package that delivers the speeds you expect and that doesn't penalise you with additional charges?
How to get the speed you need
The reality for millions of internet users is that the infrastructure their broadband provider uses simply cannot deliver the speeds advertised. Thankfully this issue is being addressed with the Government's Digital Britain campaign, which states that by 2012 every household must receive broadband speeds of at least 2Mb. We look at the campaign in more depth in our interview with Alex Salter from broadband consultancy agency Sam Knows.
However, there are things you can do yourself to boost your connection. Use our broadband speed test to check whether you are receiving the download speed you signed up for. Depending on the results, you may wish to upgrade to a package that offers faster speeds - but bear in mind that, as the Ofcom report highlights, this doesn't guarantee you a faster service.
Virgin Media came out top in the Ofcom study delivering average speeds of 8.1-8.7Mb on its up to 10Mb package. This package is available from as little as £5 a month for the first three months - £14 a month thereafter - if you take out a Virgin phone deal too. The package costs £15 a month for three months and £20 a month thereafter without a phone package bundled in.
For heavy users who want super fast speeds, Virgin even offers a package with speeds up to 50Mb, although this will set you back £50 a month. This can be reduced to £35 a month, however, if you bundle the broadband with a Virgin phone deal.
One of the main reasons why Virgin consistently delivers faster speeds than many of its rivals is due to the fact it has a fibre optic broadband network - all other providers rely on BT's network, much of which is still the old copper wiring.
Another consistent performer is O2, which, according to Ofcom, produces average speeds of 4.1Mb-5.1Mb on it's up to 8Mb package. Its standard package with unlimited downloads begins at £7.34 a month for O2 customers and £12.23 a month for all other customers.
There are further steps you can take to enhance your speed without switching packages - for more advice check out our article 'How to get faster broadband'.
What about download limits?
If you have a monthly download limit be careful because the penalties for exceeding it can be exorbitant - particularly if you have a dongle and use a mobile broadband connection.
For example, if you have an O2 dongle with a 3 gigabyte (GB) monthly download cap you could be charged £200 for every GB you go over the limit by.
It's therefore vital that you try and stay within your allowance each month, although your provider will probably send you a text message if you've exceeded the limit.
What download limit do I need?
A 3GB limit will be adequate for many users - as a rough guide it's enough to spend around two hours a day browsing on the internet; to send and receive 125 emails a day; to make 25 music downloads a month; or to make 45 minutes of video downloads a month.
If you're a heavier user, then dongles are available with higher limits - for example, O2 offers a 10GB mobile broadband package for £29.38 a month. An unlimited fixed-line tariff is a safer option for those planning to download a lot.
That doesn't mean that limited packages don't have their uses. Light internet users, such as those who only check their emails or browse the internet for short periods each day, may find that a limited package offers more value for money. The key is to assess how frequently you use the internet and pick a deal that's sufficient for your needs.
So how do you choose the right broadband deal?
When choosing a broadband deal, look beyond which package is the cheapest and think about which is the best for your usage levels.
Assess the speeds you want and how much you are likely to download each month before you search - then find the package that most closely fulfils your needs. Our broadband comparison tool allows you to compare the deals available in your area and by using our advanced search option you can enter the minimum product speed and download cap that you require, to ensure the packages it displays meet your requirements.
Once you've found the deal you want, the switching process should be straightforward - check out our video on "How to switch your broadband provider" for more tips.
Disclaimer: Please note that any rates or deals mentioned in this article were available at the time of writing. Products underlined can be applied for directly.
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