Broadband Guide

8Mb broadband

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As little as three years ago, 8Mb broadband was considered a luxury. Now it’s the norm, with ever faster speeds being launched all the time. By Seamour Rathore, updated 03/03/2010. Read the guide to 8Mb broadband

Should I get 8Mb broadband?

Networks are rushing to upgrade their headline speeds, and where once 2Mb was touted as a breakthrough for the home broadband market, now increasing numbers of people are signed up to 8Mb, 20Mb broadband and even 50Mb broadband packages.

High profile internet companies, including Plusnet Broadband (www.Plus.net), O2 Broadband (www.O2.co.uk) and BE Broadband (www.Bethere.co.uk) all offer 8Mb as the headline speed on basic packages.

Superfast broadband

However, these providers also offer speeds of up to 20Mb or even 24Mb broadband - the fastest speeds available using copper wire ADSL connections.

Virgin Media (www.Virginmedia.com) will complete its upgrade of 2Mb customers to speeds of up to 10Mb as standard in 2010 - and will even be launching a 100Mb broadband package in 2010 for customers who want to take their Virgin Media 50Mb package even further.

TalkTalk Broadband (www.Talktalk.co.uk) upgraded all of its customers to its 24Mb package at the start of 2010 - offering up to 24Mb broadband for just £6.99 a month.

BT Broadband (www.BT.com) offered all of its customers a free speed boost to up to an 20Mb package in 2009 if they agreed to recontract and even launched its own fibre optic broadband packages at the start of 2010, offering speeds of up to 40Mb broadband.

What speed will I actually get?

While 8Mb broadband sounds like a great headline broadband speed, only a few customers will actually get it. Factors including the time of day, the number of people using an exchange at any given time, your distance from the exchange and other technical issues mean that you will usually get significantly less than 8Mb broadband.

In July 2009, the communications watchdog Ofcom found that the average broadband speed in the UK is 4.1Mb, despite many people subscribing to packages with much higher headline rates.

Nevertheless, a speed of 4.1Mb is plenty for sending emails and web browsing and will also guarantee a good experience when downloading or streaming on-demand TV such as the BBC’s iPlayer.

However, not everyone will get this “average speed” and some people - especially in rural areas - may have significantly slower internet connections.

What other features should I look for with 8Mb broadband?

As well as headline speed, you may be the sort of user who needs a decent download allowance - perhaps you use iTunes or download the odd film. The download limits offered by 8Mb broadband packages can vary, as you can see from the table at the top of this article.

If you download or stream a lot of TV programmes or films you should go for a broadband package with a higher download limit.

If you download more than the monthly limit on your package, you could be liable for penalties. You will normally be issued with a warning first, but if you go on using more than your limit or your usage is considered “excessive” you might find yourself faced with:

• Extra charges on your bill - especially if you have a set download allowance on your package so check your provider’s rules on the level of charges.
• Making you upgrade - your provider may suggest you upgrade to a more appropriate but more expensive package with higher download limits.
• Speed throttling - your internet service provider (ISP) may cut your speed at busy times of the day if you download too much data. This is often a feature of broadband services marketed as "unlimited subject to a fair usage policy".

Should I bundle my 8Mb broadband with my home phone?

As you can see from the table above, many providers are keen to encourage you to sign up to their phone service too. Bundling your services in this way can save you a packet on packages that can include home phone, digital TV or even mobile broadband.

Take advantage of the freebies with 8Mb broadband

If you’re planning sign up to a new 8Mb broadband provider, keep an eye on the latest offers in the marketplace. There is strong competition for switching business among broadband providers, so at any there are always good introductory deals on the offer.

These may include free connection or discounts for an introductory period. Many ISPs will also give you a new, free wireless router. This can be invaluable if you want a chance of getting the best possible speed, as router technology is improving all the time.

If you want to keep on top of the latest deals and introductory offers, sign up to the Broadbandchoices.co.uk RSS news feed.

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