Find the broadband, phone or TV deal that's best for you

Frequently asked questions

1. Why should you use broadbandchoices.co.uk?
   If you’ve had the same broadband package for a few years there’s a good chance you’re paying over the odds. And, if you’re doing more and more online, it may no longer be able to keep up with you. Or perhaps you want to upgrade a package that includes phone calls, TV or something else.
   
   This is where we come in. Put your postcode into our comparison calculator - approved by UK communications regulator Ofcom, so you can trust it’s impartial - and we’ll show you what deals are available where you live clearly and simply. You can then tailor the results and find exclusive deals.
   
   Place your order online and that’s it - the provider will take care of the switch from there. We’ve also got loads of guides and videos put together by our experts to help you choose the right package and get the most out of it, as well as a speed tester so you can work out if you need to switch broadband.
2. Can I save money switching provider?
   We make it our business to find a great choice of deals for consumers - switching may, and often does, mean you can get a cheaper deal on your broadband, phone or TV service, especially if you take out an exclusive or limited-time deal.
   
   However, for some customers, cost isn’t the biggest issue. It is a matter of getting more for their money - a faster connection, free calls, higher usage allowance, more digital TV channels for example. It all depends on your needs, and the best thing about our switching service is that you can set your preferences so the packages offered will be tailored to suit your particular needs be that price, or speed, or additional features. Hey presto - happy customers with the right packages for them.
3. Can I keep my old email address?
   This depends on which provider your email address is currently from. Most - including BT, Sky, Virgin Media, TalkTalk, and Plusnet - let you keep your emails in some form after you switch, though you may need to pay a fee or let them know in advance. Take a look at our guide for more info.
4. Will bundling save me money?

   The great thing about bundling your services i.e. getting two or more of your home communications services from the same provider, is that it can potentially make your life both easier AND cheaper. Certain bundles can mean savings of up to a few hundred pounds when compared with certain separate deals. Plus, you will only have to deal with one supplier rather than getting two or three separate bills each month, and even worse, having to contact several different call centres if you have problems with your services.

   However, think carefully before you bundle. If you don’t plan on using one of the services then unless having it is cheaper than not, it’s not worth getting.

5. Can I get broadband without a phone line?
   Cable giant Virgin Media is the only major UK provider to offer broadband without a telephone line. Its fibre optic network is completely separate from the copper phone wire network that ordinarily connects you to the web. Aside from this, the only alternative is to use mobile broadband instead - then you have no requirement for a landline. But, if your internet use is anything other than particularly light, this might just prove to be too slow or too restrictive to need your needs. If these aren’t an option, then finding a provider with a low line rental charge might be your best bet.
6. Do you list every broadband provider on your site?

   As an Ofcom-accredited site, we make sure we offer a wide range of providers and packages to give our customers a great choice of local deals. We don’t list all providers but the providers we do include all of the major players as well as a number of the smaller ones too. We don’t list every single broadband package from each of the providers listed on our site, but you can be assured that the ones we do list are the amongst the most competitive deals on offer and we regularly have exclusive deals to offer broadbandchoices customers even better value.

   The broadband market is constantly shifting so we update the provider and package details on a regular basis to ensure the results you see are up to date and accurate. However, if you spot an error anywhere, please do let us know so we can correct it.

7. How do we rank your results?
   By total first year cost, including things like installation fees and postage and packing, and you can click the 'include line rental' button to see the results with line rental costs included too. We were one of the first comparison sites to sort by first year cost, as we think it provides the clearest picture of how much you’ll pay - it’s easy to be enticed by introductory offers that can look better value than they are.
   
   However, you can rank the results to suit yourself using the drop-down ‘sort by’ menu at the top of our results page, which lets you rank them by contract length, monthly cost, provider, speed, and more.
   
   We don’t manipulate the results in any way whatsoever, which is why we’re approved by Ofcom, the UK communications custodians. We do have some sponsored listings, such as the featured providers, featured deal and best picks but these don’t influence the results our comparison calculator shows you.
8. What is traffic management?

   Traffic management - also known as traffic shaping - is a technique used by broadband providers to prioritise, ration and even restrict how networks and connections are used by customers like you. This is done to ensure a smooth-running service, even when a lot of are people using the internet at the same time.

   Think of broadband as a motorway. When the ‘motorway’ gets congested, traffic management is like a priority lane that keeps certain types of traffic moving. The kind of traffic that’s prioritised differs from provider to provider, but in general things like streaming video content - watching EastEnders on BBC iPlayer, for example - are given right of way to keep it from buffering or cutting out.

   Traffic that doesn’t necessarily need to get anywhere quickly, like downloading movies and music, is usually kept to the regular lanes during peak times - rush hour if you will - as is light traffic like emails, which can get to its destination without needing a lot of space on the road, kind of like a motorbike.

   These days, most major broadband providers do not practise traffic management. Still, always check out your chosen provider's policy before taking out a plan with them, just in case it'll affect you.

   Read more about traffic management

9. How does broadbandchoices make money?
   broadbandchoices receives commissions and advertising fees from the companies that appear on our site. This does not push up the cost of any service that you might subscribe to through our site and we do not charge you for any of the services we offer on the website. Our listings include the providers that comply with our strict listing criteria - relating to the quality and comprehensiveness of each provider’s service. In addition to this, our commercial arrangements do not impact on the way we list the providers or packages that appear in your results list.
   
   Our comparison calculator also has the much sought-after Ofcom seal of approval so you can be extra confident of our impartiality.
   
   Our calculator lets you compare costs against other providers, check for hidden costs and fair usage policies so you can make sure you are choosing the right deal for you. We rank broadband packages on our site by total first year cost and you can also select other ways to rank the results including monthly cost, download limits or speed.
   
   Our ‘Featured deals’ table contains sponsored listings chosen by broadbandchoices. For the wider list of packages, sorted according to your chosen criteria, you can enter your postcode in the postcode box.
10. Why do we need your postcode?
    It allows us to find broadband, phone and TV deals in your area, as what’s available depends on where you live. Different kinds of broadband - whether BT Infinity, or Virgin Media's cable network - have rolled out to different areas of the country, and this varies a lot by postcode.
    
    However, we take your privacy very seriously, which means we won’t pass it on to any other companies or organisations. For more on this, please take a look at our privacy policy. This means you can put your postcode into our comparison calculator and look for a package that’s both better and cheaper than the one you’ve got safe in their knowledge that you won’t be bombarded with junk mail in the near future.