Broadband beginners guide

What is broadband?

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Broadband is a fast, reliable internet service. With a broadband connection, you pay a monthly fee and you’ll be connected to the internet 24 hours a day. You can use the internet as much as you like, visiting as many sites as you want, without having to pay any extra charges.

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How does broadband differ from dial up?

There are two main differences: speed and pricing. If you’ve got a dial up internet connection, you’ll know how slow it can be to access a website or download a file; a broadband connection is much faster. And, while you’re waiting for your dial up system to get cracking, it’s frustrating to think how much the wait is costing you. But with broadband you can take as long as you like. The cheapest standalone package now costs less than £6 a month, and you get a fast, 24-hour connection for that flat rate.

Does broadband have any other benefits?

Although ADSL broadband connections use your home phone line, they work separately from your calls, so you can be online and use the phone at the same time.

Your broadband connection speed has plenty of benefits too. Aside from quicker access to websites, downloading images, video, music and text becomes a lot easier.

Broadband is also about keeping up with the rest of the world - new internet technologies are being developed all the time, and you can use exciting new services such as internet telephony (VoIP), online TV catch-up services and social networking networks.

How do I convert my connection from dial up to broadband?

If you’re already using a dial up connection, you’ll have most of what you need. Obviously a computer is essential, as is the right software and a high-speed modem. Your dial up modem won’t work for a broadband connection but your ISP should send you one, or you can buy one from a computer accessories retailer.

I don’t have any kind of internet connection - should I start with dial up or broadband?

Because you can now get broadband for less than £10 a month, there really isn’t any reason to get a dial up connection. Broadband will give you so much more for the same or even less than a dial up connection.

BroadbandChoices.co.uk is completely impartial so we ask you to sign up to any broadband supplier if you don’t want to. We are here to help you make the right choice.

What kind of UK broadband package should I choose?

There are over 100 broadband packages available in the UK. To help you decide between them, go to our comparison calculator. You can use it to figure out what connection speed you need and which UK provider you should sign up with.

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