Compare Free Broadband Deals With Installation And At No Cost In Advance
Unfortunately, while broadband companies will be selling to the business community, it’s never really going to be free. But that does not mean that there aren’t providers to offer certain aspects of it, to lure new customers – some of which have great deals.
There are two common tactics here: free months away from long contracts as well as no upfront costs on where the installation and hardware are free. Both can add great value if you’re looking for a new broadband deal. You can also pick up broadband with gifts such as coupons and gift cards.
You’ll often see offers for broadband ‘free’ for a period of one contract. The catch is, you have to pay the same company phone line rental, which is sometimes five times what you’d pay for the broadband. Broadband can be good, under £5 now per month, while phone line rent is closer to £15 per month – a price you’ll still have to pay.
Most broadband providers will give you a free wireless router, as well as possibly other sweeteners like antivirus software or free high street coupons. Others will waive the installation costs, but be sure that this still saves you money in the long run over the entire contract, compared to possibly cheaper monthly costs from other providers.
The Genius Guide to ‘Free’ Broadband
Free broadband eh? That would be nice! But you see it advertised so that it exists? Well, as you might expect, the answer is yes and no – it would never be so easy!
The following guide will begin with a few examples of truly free broadband, past and present, before looking at some of the more likely scenarios that will see a ‘free broadband’ placed on a product in the UK.
Is Broadband Ever Really Free?
Free broadband is not a myth – real examples exist. For example, when Orange entered the market in 2006, it provided free home broadband for every cell phone packet it could receive – and was promptly and predictably overrun. The initial service was terrible, but it drew a million customers showing what a good freebie can do.
No Costs in Advance: Internet Activation or Installation
Most commonly the word ‘free’ will mean there will be no setup costs – either no cost upfront for installing your broadband or rather its activation. The two are different, so it’s important not to get them confused:
Installation: You’ll have that fee if you need a new line in your home, so it’s most likely to have the new build or if you’ve got ‘Virgin Media/BT Openreach for the first time again, have had the other one for some time. This includes engineers coming to your home and can be an expensive one-time fee (sometimes over £100).
Free activation: ‘Activation’ simply means that your line connects to the right supplier at the switchboard. It does not include an engineer getting involved and is a very simple process. The standard cost for this is a one-time fee of around £20-50, which is often waived for contract customers.
Special Offers Only for a Short Time
The other common use of ‘free broadband’ is with limited time offers. These will also be mentioned in the ‘Extras’ sections of each product and tend to refer the monthly fees to a deal that waives a certain percentage of the fare.
For example, you can see ‘free broadband for the first six months’ advertised – usually on the longer 18 or 24-month contracts. These can be the best broadband deals, but remember what you are looking for as soon as the free time is over; Sometimes these offers do not work out cheaper than simply go with a budget provider.
Finally, ‘free’ often applies to hardware and software that comes with your business; In general, a free Wi-Fi router and often a certain amount of software free virus protection. But it may be a small fee for the router to post, and if you opt for a short-term deal (“no contract”), the router will likely come at an additional cost.
Comparing Free Offers – How To Get Free Broadband
With this knowledge, you should be able to approach comparison charts, and with confidence, you will find the best deals.
Before you start your comparison, we strongly recommend you to narrow down the product list by adding your postal code. Unfortunately, not all deals are available in all areas – you can buy only Virgin Media’s cable products in about 60 percent of the UK, while BT sees its incremental expansion of its exchange rates ranging from 7 to 76MB, depending on your location.
Broadband And Telephone Line Rental
An important point to keep in mind about any “free broadband” offer is that you almost always have to pay even telephone line rent. So, while you can not afford anything for the broadband service, it’s about an extra charge – usually, £12- £18 – required for the phone to operate the broadband.
Broadband without a telephone line is rare but does not exist, but in these cases, you are unlikely to find any free offers as the provider still needs to make money somewhere.
Other Ways To Save
A good option puts all your connectivity on one bill.
All the biggest broadband providers now offer television as well as home broadband and landline services; and the more you get on a bill, the more you’ll save – both regarding finance and comfort.
