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Best broadband for gaming
There’s nothing more frustrating than having your online gaming interrupted by a slow connection. We’ve put together a list of the best broadband packages for gamers and some technical specs to look out for.
Compare broadband packages
| Supplier | Speed (up to) | Usage limit | Contract length | Monthly charge | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| National Broadband: M + Phone: L | 20Mb | 10GB | 12 months | £2.50 for 2 months | |
| Broadband: XXL + Phone: XL + TV HD: XL | 50Mb | unlimited | 12 months | £3.01 for 2 months | |
| Plusnet - Value | 8.2Mb | 10GB | 12 months | £5.99 | Call PlusNet on 0800 694 0016 |
| Standard - O2 mobile customers only | 8.2Mb | unlimited | 12 months | £7.50 £50 credit off your Mobile bill Ends 31/03/10 | |
| Value (12 months) | 8.2Mb | 40GB | 12 months | £7.50 | Call Be on 0808 101 3421 |
What you need for online gaming
- Fast download speed
- Unlimited downloads or a very high download allowance
- Fast upload speed
- Reliable connection
- Low latency and pings
- XBox or Playstation compatible modem or router
The best providers for online gaming
Some providers offer gamer-specific broadband packages, or ones that can be “personalised” to suit your needs, such as Plusnet Broadband's (www.Plus.net) Pro package which optimises gaming traffic, allows you to personalise your connection and even lets you turn interleaving off if you need to.
Be Broadband (www.BeThere.co.uk) also allows users to optimise their line for gaming, speed, reliability, or general web surfing. Be’s packages are ideal for gamers as they’ve been designed for heavy internet users; it offers uploads at up to 2.5Mb and its fair usage policy is rarely applied. It also has tips on its member website on how to improve latency and ping, and make the most of your superfast, up to 24Mb connection.
O2 Broadband (www.O2.co.uk), which owns Be Broadband, is also a great option for gamers. It offers download speeds of up to 20Mb and uploads at up to 2.5Mb, giving you an even better gaming experience. Like Be, it offers “unlimited broadband” downloads but its fair usage policy is rarely applied.
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