Best broadband deal for very low usage Mum

Hi all, I wonder if I can get some sage advice.
I've been using a 3g dongle on my Mums laptop which has proven to be pretty unreliable.

So I'm seeking a BB deal for her. Because she only uses the internet for email and low level browsing, high capacity is not an issue. I also want a deal that doesn't hike up after 12 months and I'm happy to pay for the full contract upfront. I'd like here to maintain her BT if that is possible too. The cheapest I've seen is Plusnet, offering a £13.50 deal (£35 set up) but that's only 1-3mb download speed. That seems to me like the old school days of dial up. Anyway, just wondered if anyone can point me in a sensible direction.

Many thanks!

What does www.dslchecker.bt.com say her line is capable of?

It gives a high of 80, low of 71

So do you want FTTC or do you want ADSL?

Sorry forgive my lack of knowledge, I don't know the difference

He's asking for the ADSL section as well as the VDSL section which you gave. VDSL is more expensive and far faster than your Mum needs.

Edited by RobertoS (Sun 24-Sep-17 13:17:36)

If you look at the dslchecker output, you will see different rows showing different speeds for differing products,
VDSL which is FTTC (Fibre to the cabinet),
FTTP
FTTP on Demand (business only)
ADSL2+
ADSL max
WBC Fixed Rate

These are generally listed in descending speed order. ADSL is usually cheaper than VDSL.

You seemed alarmed by the Plusnet speeds on offer so what speeds do you want?

High 	Low 	High 	Low 				
VDSL Range A (Clean) 	80 	70.7 	20 	19 	64.2 	Available 	-- 	-- 	-- 	--
VDSL Range B (Impacted) 	80 	55.6 	20 	17.8 	39.8 	Available 	-- 	-- 	-- 	--

WBC FTTP Availability Date
FTTP on Demand 	330 	30 	-- 	Available 	-- 	-- 	-- 	--

ADSL Products
WBC ADSL 2+ 	Up to 17 	-- 	10 to 19.5 	Available 	-- 	-- 	-- 	--
WBC ADSL 2+ Annex M 	Up to 17 	Up to 1.5 	10 to 19.5 	Available 	-- 	-- 	-- 	--
ADSL Max 	Up to 7.5 	-- 	6.5 to 8 	Available 	-- 	-- 	-- 	--

WBC Fixed Rate 	2 	-- 	-- 	Available 	-- 	-- 	-- 	--
Fixed Rate 	2 	-- 	-- 	Available 	-- 	-- 	-- 	--

Hey, I may be wrong but I can't imagine that 1-3 mbs would be good for much at all. I suppose 8-15 but happy to stand corrected. Do you think 1-3 would be fast enough for light use?

Thanks Roberto, looking at your site now.

Sky broadband is £15 a month right now for the basic unlimited package. The price will hike but that's the same with nearly every ISP, you get a special introductory price, you can switch again in a year.

I would go unlimited, windows updates etc can use several GB.

1 - 3 Mbps is fine for light usage, you can stream Netflix on anything above 1Mbps. It would not blow you away with speed, but perfectly adequate for browsing and the odd stream.

You could also check Sky's 25GB usage fibre package. Costs the same as unlimited ADSL but has plenty of bandwidth for the odd bit of 1080p streaming and such.

Thanks! Yes I saw the Sky deal, similar to Talk Talk, just a pain to change but you're right, most do the same.
Am I right in thinking that in each instance the existing BT line would have to be handed over or can that exist in isolation?

Yes, actually, I remember when my connection dipped to around 3 but I could still watch Netflix.
Have you any experience with Plusnet?

Does she wish to stay with BT for line rental and calls? If yes then either BT for a full package or another ISP that provides broadband only would be suitable.

Have a look at Freeola BB on BT line

In reply to a post by gazid:

Thanks! Yes I saw the Sky deal, similar to Talk Talk, just a pain to change but you're right, most do the same.
Am I right in thinking that in each instance the existing BT line would have to be handed over or can that exist in isolation?

All these deals assume line rental is moved over to them, there are very few deals which can be exclusive just broadband, and where they do exist you generally pay more.

If she wishes to have line rental + phone line with BT, likely easiest to take broadband from them also.

Switching is now very easy, all you do is ring the provider you wish to take services with e.g. Sky, they then notify your existing provider you are leaving and take over. There is no need for you to cancel the existing provider or contact them.

E.g. Say I have BT today, I wish to switch to Sky.
All I do is call sky, negotiate a deal, give Sky my BT landline number. BT get notified I am leaving and issue a final bill. I never need to call or speak with BT and BT are not supposed to contact me with special deals to try and keep me.

On the switchover date all I do is plug in my new Sky equipment and I am online, the landline number is also moved over.

Easy, one phone call (or filling in online) with the new provider. Job done. Gone are the days of waiting for hours to cancel or begging for a special code to leave. You now have zero communication with the old provider.

Just ensure your contract is up with the old provider, else they'll charge you the remaining months

Worth noting, if you do speak to the old provider to cancel, your line now does get suspended entirely, and no provider can take it over, so best to keep them out of the loop, else you'll be paying for a new telephone line to be installed.

Edited by ukhardy07 (Sun 24-Sep-17 18:42:33)

To get these best prices your Mum needs to be connected to an exchange where Sky and Talk Talk have their equipment.

ADSL4Less will be benefit your mum on ADSL2+

https://www.adsl4less.com/

Or Breathe Internet

http://www.breatheinternet.com/broadband.html

Edited by adslmax (Sun 24-Sep-17 20:19:26)

hey, thanks - impressed with the website. Will make investigations tomorrow.

In reply to a post by gazid:

hey, thanks - impressed with the website. Will make investigations tomorrow.

Freeola ADSL unlimited "broadband only" looks like a partial LLU (SMPF) deal at the advertised price of "from £15.95 per month" subject to availability and on a one month minimum term. Apparently there's no activation fee but a Freeola pre-configured router will have to be bought from them for possibly £19.99 or the customer may use their own.

Might be worth trying Freeola partial LLU unlimited ADSL for a month with their current free for the first month deal, obtain a good unconfigured router from elsewhere and keep the line rental with BT

Good luck.

I don't know your mum's financial situation but if she is claiming certain benefits she can get something called "BT Basic & Broadband" for about a tenner a month, gives her line rental and 12B useage from BT, more info on it can be found here:
http://btplc.com/inclusion/ProductsAndServices/BTBas...

Hope you find what your looking for.

All1

In reply to a post by alloneword:

I don't know your mum's financial situation but if she is claiming certain benefits she can get something called "BT Basic & Broadband" for about a tenner a month, gives her line rental and 12B useage from BT, more info on it can be found here:
http://btplc.com/inclusion/ProductsAndServices/BTBas...

Hope you find what your looking for.

All1

12B - cannot do much with that!

I would personally avoid these very small players, mixed results and often times issues with CS. In plenty of instances the ISP goes out of business leaving customers in a bad place.

Just my two cents.

In reply to a post by MHC:

In reply to a post by alloneword:

I don't know your mum's financial situation but if she is claiming certain benefits she can get something called "BT Basic & Broadband" for about a tenner a month, gives her line rental and 12B useage from BT, more info on it can be found here:
http://btplc.com/inclusion/ProductsAndServices/BTBas...

Hope you find what your looking for.

All1

12B - cannot do much with that!

OK fair point typo on my part 12GB

Thanks!

2 cents worth it. Cheers!

Thank you!

Really appreciate you taking the time. Great advice here.