£££s DOWN THE DRAIN ON UNLIMITED DOWNLOAD PACKAGES
- Over 40% of UK broadband customers have a package with an unlimited download allowance.
- Most of those on an unlimited deal are not making full use of their allowance, indicating they could save money by downsizing to a cheaper package.
New research* from Broadbandchoices.co.uk has revealed that although over 40% (43%) of British broadband customers pay for a package with an unlimited download allowance, the vast majority don’t take full advantage of this feature. This means they could be paying more than they need to for a broadband service that is unsuitable for them.
Of the respondents with an unlimited data allowance, almost 1 in 10 (9%) said they used less than 1GB per month – a tiny amount. The other results were:
- 21% said they used just 2GB – 10GB per month
- 14% use only 11GB – 20GB
- 9% use between 21GB – 40GB.
- The majority, 37% don’t know how much they download in a month.
Michael Phillips, product director at Broadbandchoices.co.uk commented:
“What these stats highlight is the significant disparity between what broadband customers actually need and what they are paying for. Whilst the way we use the internet has changed dramatically over the last few years with the launch of online TV and gaming services, the main bulk of customers still use their connection simply for the basics – emailing, shopping, banking and surfing. These tasks really don’t require a high level package with an unlimited download allowance.
“Practical understanding of the issue is a big problem. Whilst awareness of download limits is growing, it is still difficult for customers to quantify what they do – as demonstrated by the 37% of respondents who had no idea at all how much they actually downloaded every month. Broadband providers have a role to play here, as a massive 90% of respondents claimed that their service provider does not help them monitor how much they download. Something as simple as providing a free download monitor would make a huge difference, by allowing customers to identify if they aren’t making the most of their allowance.
“Customers can make smart broadband switches to cut monthly charges, saving money on unwanted download limits. For example, Sky offer broadband ‘free of charge’ for customers of their satellite TV services, but with a low usage monthly usage limit of 2GB. While Plusnet charge only £6.49 for a 10GB without needing to take a bundle.”
“A service that isn’t being fully utilised is essentially a waste of money. The VAT hike this year has made all households even more aware of the need to trim back on monthly bills wherever possible. I strongly urge any broadband customers who might be overpaying for a service they are not using to really examine their needs and compare their current deal with more relevant, cheaper alternatives. With potential savings of over £200** they certainly have nothing to lose – and could have a lot to gain.”
Broadbandchoices.co.uk’s top tips for reviewing your broadband package:
- Track your usage – use a download monitor to identify your monthly usage. This will give you a reasonable idea of the kind of download allowance you will need.
- Be realistic – consider your habits as a broadband user. The thought of watching TV online and downloading music may sound great fun but how often will you actually do this? If you only intend to use your connection for emailing and general surfing you will only need a basic service.
- Compare deals in your area – package availability and costs vary by postcode. There might be a solution available in your area offering greater savings so use an Ofcom approved comparison broadband calculator (www.broadbandchoices.co.uk) to check out the best deals.
- Haggle with your existing provider – they may have a newer, cheaper deal you can move across to without changing supplier.
- Sign up online - many broadband providers offer additional discounts and incentives if you subscribe online rather than over the phone. Price comparison sites also frequently have exclusive deals negotiated with ISPs, so check an Ofcom-accredited site for the best offers.
About Broadbandchoices.co.uk
Broadbandchoices.co.uk was launched in 2005 and is the UK’s leading Ofcom accredited broadband comparison calculator.
We offer comprehensive and impartial advice on broadband, mobile broadband and bundled packages (broadband with home phone and digital TV) and can save our users over £200 when they switch.
The Broadbandchoices.co.uk calculator compares thousands of different combinations of packages and provides results in a clear, intuitive table where users can rank and compare services according to their individual needs.
Users can switch online or by calling our sales team on 0800 232 1279.
Broadbandchoices.co.uk powers over 20 leading comparison services including Confused.com, Comparethemarket.com and GoCompare.com.
Broadbandchoices.co.uk – working hard to save you money
Energy Prices are rising – but can you still save money on your bills?
· UK households expected to spend an average of £650 on and gas and electricity this year
· Over half of all households in Britain have never switched providers
This year industry analysts are predicting the average household will spend £650 or more on their energy in the three months of winter, which is a new record and over £100 more than the same time last year. The rise in the amount of money being spent is a combination of rising energy prices and a much colder winter. This week, one of the largest energy suppliers in the UK, nPower, raised the prices by 5.1% joining every other major supplier in the UK in rising prices, with the exception of EDF Energy who are promising to keep prices frozen until the end of March this year.
Things aren’t looking much better for gas either, with wholesale prices at their highest for over two years, and analysts suggesting that prices could rise again this year by as much as 10%.
With energy prices rising pretty much everywhere, you might think there’s not much you can do but put up with the extra costs, but just because all the main providers are charging more for energy it doesn’t mean that they are all charging the same amount, and you can still save money by making sure you’re on the right tariff for your energy usage and switching if this is not the case.
Around 15 million homes in the UK – around half the country – haven never switched Energy supplier, despite the fact the difference between the cheapest and most expensive deals can be nearly £300 overall.
Even if you don’t want to switch though, you can still save money by staying on the same supplier but moving to a different tariff. If you’re not already paying for duel fuel and doing so by direct debit, there’s a pretty good chance you can save money on your bills. You can save even more by opting to get your bills sent to you online rather than through the post, which is a very simple change that can save you as much as £30 a year on some suppliers.
Never assume that all energy providers were created equally. If you’ve never switched or haven’t done so in a couple of years, there’s a very good chance you could find a better deal somewhere else, so don’t be afraid to save on your electricity prices by looking at what sort of deals you can find online.
About Energychoices.co.uk:
Launched in 2005 the Energychoices.co.uk website has provided a wide range of features for people who wish to change their electricity and gas supplier. The site offers a large range of information about the world of moving providers and saving money on one of the biggest monthly outgoings most families have to face; everything from energy saving tips to completing a business energy price comparison.
While the main function of the site is to compare different service providers the features of the site extend well beyond that, giving deal hunters unparalleled access to community features, guides and FAQs, as well as providing regular new updates about the industry and one time deals including exclusive offers.
Cold weather makes finding the best breakdown cover even more important this winter
· Cold weather has seen a large increase in the amount of breakdown cover claims
· Without good breakdown cover, you may be at risk from high callout charges
Every year the UK is forced into turmoil when it begins to snow, but this winter has been worse than others when it comes to bad weather and freezing cold temperatures. Of course, no matter how cold it gets we still have places to be, and while roads can become congested or even dangerous in the cold weather, nothing’s going to stop us from making a journey we need to make. However, while delays can be annoying and snow can make plans difficult to make, driving without breakdown cover, especially in colder weather, could end up costing you a small fortune which is exactly what you don’t want to worry about only a few weeks after Christmas and New Year.
With the cold weather set to continue, breakdowns are more likely to occur, especially in older vehicles. While most cold weather related car problems are actually a case of the car not starting up at all, just getting onto the motorway doesn’t mean you won’t have problems. If something does happen, breakdown cover can give you the peace of mind to know that while frustrating, it’s not going to break the bank getting the problem sorted out. In fact, around 80% of all problems are sorted on the roadside, which is great news.
Breakdown cover can vary in price depending on what you’re looking for, and the best breakdown cover really depends on making sure you’re paying for what you need rather than simply buying the largest package. The very basic cover shouldn’t cost more than £50 a year, but you’ll be paying much more if you want ‘premium’ services, and even more on top of that if you want to insure your car for breakdowns in Europe as well. The important trick in getting breakdown cover isn’t finding the cheapest option, but finding the cheapest option where all of your needs are met.
Many people already get their cover through either a premium bank account service or through their car insurance policy, but if you don’t already have some form of cover or the policy you have doesn’t cover as much as you’d like, the best way to find a good deal is to go online and compare the offers from different insurance companies. Directly comparing prices doesn’t always work out well as different companies have a different idea of what services are considered basic and premium, so it’s hard to work out what you’re getting over the phone.
Online, you can directly read about every company, what they promise and the different cover they offer at different prices, without the pressure of sales people attempting to sell you anything. With the average charge for motorway assistance without cover reaching over £100, it’s worth spending a little time to see if you can find breakdown insurance before you’re stranded.
About BreakdownChoices.co.uk:
Launched in 2005 the BreakdownChoices.co.uk website has provided a wide range of features for people who wish to either find new providers or to switch from their existing provider, including motorcycle breakdown cover.
While the main function of the site is to compare breakdown cover providers, the features of the site extend well beyond that, giving deal hunters unparalleled access to community features, guides and FAQs, as well as providing regular new updates about the industry and one time deals.
For further information please contact:
Digital TV viewing hits 10 year high over Christmas
· Critics panned ‘unimaginative’ schedule but viewing figures best since 2000
· Digital TV mostly used for movies and sport and watching repeats
Nobody could have predicted it, but despite the huge popularity of the internet and gaming, digital TV has still come out on top this Christmas, reaching viewing figures that haven’t been seen for Christmas programming since the turn of the century, when the new rating system began. Viewing figures have been slowly declining since the popularity of the internet began to grow in 2000, and this year has been the first to see a large scale improvement in the amount of people tuning in. This is despite a schedule that didn’t impress very many TV critics who labelled it as dull and unimaginative.
Amongst the most popular television shows watched over Christmas were Doctor Who, Strictly Come Dancing, Come Fly With Me and a variety of soaps including Coronation Street and Emmerdale. The most viewed program overall was the EastEnders Christmas special, which managed to grab a massive 11.4 million viewers in the hour long show which aired at 8pm on Christmas Day.
These viewing figures show a promising future for TV as an entertainment medium, though it’s worth noting these figures include people watching television online using services like iPlayer and 4oD, so aren’t exactly a clear way of working out who is sitting around a coach and who is relying on the internet for their digital TV services. The rise in overall viewer numbers has been attributed to both the incredibly cold weather making other activities less appealing, and a wider amount of choice available as more and more people switch over from 5 channel analogue signal to Freeview, or use services like Sky plus box subscriptions.
Despite the popularity of digital television however, the five main UK networks accounted for the majority of television viewing with the BBC being the clear winner overall. Digital TV popularity is still growing though – this figure has dropped since 2005 showing a shift towards alternative programming and different channels. Analysts have found that people are turning to digital television more and more for movies and sport; things which standard terrestrial television has always struggled with providing consistently.
About DigitalChoices.co.uk:
Launched in 2005 the DigitalChoices.co.uk website has provided a wide range of features for people who wish to learn more about the often complicated world of digital television; everything from where to find the best deal on a Sky HD box to how to compare TV packages online.
While the main function of the site is to compare different technology and service providers the features of the site extend well beyond that, giving deal hunters unparalleled access to community features, guides and FAQs, as well as providing regular new updates about the industry and one time deals.