When is a broadband special offer special enough?

When is a broadband special offer special enough

?

Think of broadband as a gift (it isn't a gift, of course, it's a utility but bear with me here).

Think of broadband as a gift: you have high expectations, it's so beautifully wrapped and so timely coming just when you were broadband-less, and then you tear off that wrapping and what's inside is... less than you expected.

This simile describes more or less accurately the situation when it comes to broadband deals in the UK.

Special offers have become the norm but, inevitably, some are a lot less special than others and many are just plain bad value. They're kind of gift that makes you sick somehow, meat bought back from too far away or a wrongly-chosen token of affection from a new partner.

This guide aims to help you tell the good gifts from the bad.

To stretch the present principle a little further it'll help you tell a genuinely thoughtful gift from one that was hastily picked up from the motorway service station.

This is particularly useful when looking at big providers such as Sky or Virgin who have very little else, apart from occasional special offers, to tell between them.

So: how can one tell a good broadband offer from a bad one?

There are two basic principles to adhere to.

The first is that you should always be aware of extra costs which may outweigh the amount saved by the special offers.

For example, some broadband providers have been known to offer a lump-sum as a special offer when you sign up but then they charge almost the same amount, or more, in 'set up fees' or 'installation fees'.

In that case, the best thing is to avoid taking the special offer into account altogether.

The second principle is that you should always compare taking everything into account and not just rely on the best special offers to be attached to the best broadband deals.

In the long-term, monthly price is a much better indicator of value than a decreased price for the first few months and hidden costs, such as expensive customer service phone lines, should also be taken into account by those looking to compare broadband deals for value.

In general, provider reputation can sometimes trump the best offers and, though they are becoming few and far between these days, unique selling points can trump them all.

Remember when there was only one way to get sky sports, for example?

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