Cheap Broadband, or is it?

Choosing your broadband package isn't a decision to be taken lightly. With so many different offers floating around it's sometimes easier to just head for the cheapest and hope for the best. But the cheapest isn't necessarily the best, as many dissatisfied broadband customers have already found out.

First impressions are as important for a broadband provider as they are for someone going for a job interview. They want potential customers to be instantly attracted to their company, so they advertise a nice low monthly fee, usually under £10. This of course grabs a consumer's attention and they sign up unthinkingly, only to find out later that they're stuck in an 18 month contract paying much more than the £10 they initially expected.

Of course, this is a slightly exaggerated scenario, but the fact remains that there are usually hidden costs when it comes to a broadband package. For example, the initial monthly cost may not take into account the line rental, which is payable to BT on top of the payment you make to your ISP. There may also be a one-off connection charge, usually around £30-£40, which you have to pay before you can commence with the service.

Introductory offers are something to be aware of. Often a broadband provider will let you have the first few months of a contract at a low price, only to bump up the payments later. Also check the cost per minute of the helpline numbers, for if something goes wrong you may discover you spend more trying to fix it than you would have saved on your broadband.

More often than not a cheap broadband package will have a lower download limit. If you use the internet a lot, it's worth paying slightly more per month for a higher limit, as the costs of going over this could be much higher. And downloading doesn't just mean taking music and videos off the web. Anything you do on the internet, including sending emails, shopping or even just browsing sites, counts towards your download limit.

The golden rule is, you can't go by first impressions when it comes to your broadband provider. Look beyond the lovely low monthly offer and into the murky depths of the hidden charges.