Can you Save Money with a Bundled Broadband Service

Do you have a bundled broadband service with your home phone or digital TV service? If not, make sure you consider it now as you could really find you save money.

Research by broadbandchoices.co.uk shows a third of UK broadband customers do not bundle up their home communications services – potentially pouring huge sums of money down the drain every year.

When asked why they chose to stay unbundled:

• 33% said they did not believe it would offer better value for money
• 27% felt it would be too much hassle to switch all services to one provider
• 22% didn’t think they would get a good enough quality of service through a bundled option.

Dominic Baliszewski, telecoms expert, commented: “The number of bundled broadband deals has exploded over the last few years, as providers fight to get a larger slice of your household spend.

“These bundled deals offer fantastic value when compared against buying two or more services separately, with possible savings of over £400 in the first year – enough money to pay for a weekend away for two.

He added: “It is incredibly easy to switch provider nowadays and customers will have the added convenience of just one bill to keep track of. Bundled deals vary by postcode so use an Ofcom-accredited comparison site to see what is available in your area and save a chunk of cash.”

With help from Broadbandchoices.co.uk here are some top tips on what to consider when choosing a broadband bundle:

1. Think realistically – what are your true needs as a broadband user. If you spend over 2 hours per day using iPlayer or downloading music and film you will need a package that can support that activity (20GB+ or an ‘unlimited’ usage allowance). If all you do is email and surf the net you’ll probably only need a basic service (20GB or lower).
2. Assess which TV channels you must have – providers offer different packages so make sure you do your research and consider the cost of adding that crucial sports pack or movie channels, depending on your priorities.
3. Think about broadband speed – whilst non-cable services can offer impressive broadband speeds, Virgin Media and BT’s cable technology does provide very fast and very reliable broadband. But if you’re a light internet user, high speed and unlimited downloads might not be the most pressing issue. A large family with multiple PCs in the home competing for bandwidth would benefit most from a fast 30Mb+ connection.
4. Home phone – Do you need free evening and weekend calls or do you make most of your calls during the day? If you need to make international calls, check the associated costs. Also make sure you understand the charges for calling mobile phone networks, as these can be expensive but are often overlooked when choosing a bundle.
5. Functionality – If you want to go for high definition television, Sky is pretty hard to beat. If your priority is video on demand services, you might be better off opting for Virgin Media. Do your homework and make sure you understand exactly what you are being offered.
6. Compare your current deal with the latest offers using an Ofcom accredited comparison service such as Broadbandchoices.co.uk. The best deals are usually found online and exclusive offers are frequently available through price comparison sites.

Diane Ray, MoneyHighStreet comments: “As so many people struggle to save money, why not take advantage of deals when they are so easily available. These research figures are staggering.

“Opting for a bundled broadband, TV and home phone service may well be a good move. That said, as always, do your research and don’t get sucked in to an ‘all singing, all dancing’ package if that’s not what you need. Get a bundle that includes what your really need, not what in that moment of weakness you think you need!

“As my father used to say, ‘if a steam roller is on offer at a fraction of its usual price, it doesn’t mean you need to buy it’ – the message of course being it might be a great offer but it’s wasted money if you get sucked into buying something that actually you will never use!”