- Broadband, TV and phone offers from Tiscali
- Extras we can offer
- Talk deals
Thankfully, broadband is now the most common way of accessing the internet at home, enabling users to download music and movies, shop, game online, make cheap broadband telephone calls, work from home and enjoy all the other multimedia goodies that can be found on the web.
According to the Office for National Statistics, 90.1 per cent of connections to the net are now made via broadband.
What exactly is broadband?
The term can refer to any speed of 256kbps (kilobits per second) or more. This is the rate at which you download data (anything from music files to pictures and text on a web page) to your computer.
Broadband can be anything from 10 to 150 times faster than a dial-up internet connection.
However, most people sign up to speeds of between 1mbps (megabit per second) and 8mbps. The actual speed of a connection is usually slightly lower, thanks to a number of factors such as high numbers of users at ISP and exchange level or a bad connection.
I want to sign up for broadband. What do I need to know?
The broadband market is highly competitive in the UK and as a result there are a variety of deals on offer. Working out which one is best for you can be tricky. Here are some factors to consider.
How much does it cost?
The price depends on connection speed and usage. Basic broadband services start at around £10 a month (not in all parts of the country). High-speed services of 8mbps or more can cost from £50. Some cable firms now offer broadband as part of their TV and phone packages, but the actual cost is tricky to work out because of the variables in each part of the package.
Initial costs
A typical start-up cost includes £50 for your broadband connection. Some providers waive this if you sign up for 12 months. A free modem is another common incentive.
If you want to set up a router (a box that enables multiple internet connections in your home, either via cables or wireless), you will more often than not have to pay for this. For guidance, a decent wireless router will cost £30-£80.
What equipment do I need?
Not much - a broadband modem, an installation disc and a couple of microfilters. The latter are small widgets that you plug into your home phone points to let you receive calls and access the net at the same time.
Installing cable TV broadband sometimes requires an engineer's visit.
Can my phone line handle it?
If you have a non-cable phone line, go to the Broadband ASDL Availability Checker and enter your phone number. This will give you a provisional guide on what broadband speeds your phone line can support.
Speed
In the early days of home broadband a typical connection speed was 512kbps. This would enable you to download an mp3 music file in less than a minute. Now, the fastest advertised speed in the UK is usually 8mbps. A few companies offer 24mbps.
If all you want to do is surf the net, send email and download music, 2mbps is fast enough. Downloading films, watching streaming video and online gaming are better enjoyed at speeds of 4mbps and above.
What are download limits?
Many broadband services cap how much you can download and upload each month. While a limit of 250MB (low) or 50GB (high) might get you a cheaper deal, you could run into trouble if you regularly game online, download large movie files or watch a lot of streaming video (watching YouTube means you are technically downloading clips).
How much do I need?
As an example, in a week a limit of 4GB a month would let you surf the internet for 100 hours, send and receive 100 photographs, download 60 music tracks, watch one hour of videos, game for four hours, and send and receive 800 emails.
Some broadband providers charge you for exceeding the limit, from around £1.50 for each extra GB.
Fair usage
If you go for an unlimited downloads service, there may be a fair usage policy. You'd have to work pretty hard to really bust this - we're talking about downloading thousands of music tracks each month - but if you do so you will probably receive a warning letter. If you ignore this you will find your connection speed slows (they can do that) and you could even end up having your contract terminated.
Your ISP should detail what it means by fair usage in your contract.
Technical help
Notoriously expensive and not always that useful. Although the growth of broadband means there are numerous websites and forums dedicated to solving broadband internet problems, sometimes there is no other option than to call or email your ISP's tecchies.
Phone calls can cost from nothing to 50p a minute. However, the people at the end of the phone can be a lifesaver. When choosing an ISP, it's worth looking in detail at what support is offered. If possible, check out customer satisfaction levels with regard to helplines. The Consumer Association regularly updates its tables.
Security
Since broadband negates the need to dial your ISP every time you want to connect to the internet, most people stay connected all the time. It's not as if evil virus-senders will inundate your computer with nasties while you sleep. But people can connect remotely to your computer and the increased internet usage that broadband inevitably brings means you are more likely to come across security threats. So it is important that you get adequate antivirus protection for your PC. The market leader is Norton antivirus but it is worth shopping around the market.
Viruses are not such an issue for Apple users, thanks to the way the operating system works. However, there has been talk of a few viruses that can attack Macs, so having at least a basic level of protection might be a good idea.
Many broadband providers bundle security features such as email spam filters and antivirus security into their packages.
Complaints
If something goes wrong, complain first to the ISP in writing or over the phone. If you are doing it on the phone make a note of who you spoke to and the time and date.
If nothing happens, wait 12 weeks from the date of the original complaint you can take the matter to the Communications Ombudsman (The Communications Ombudsman), the Communications and Internet Services Adjudication Scheme (The Communications and Internet Services Adjudication Scheme) or the Internet Service Providers Association, if your ISP is a member.
