Getting a broadband bundle from a provider usually saves you a lot of money. For the provider, it means they have your business for two or more services which are made up of:

• digital TV,
• broadband,
• landline phone services
• and mobile broadband.

When two or more of these come bundled, you get a reduction in price which is less than if you had paid for each service individually. Now, as all the providers are offering these bundles, you need to compare them in the right light otherwise you might end up comparing oranges with apples and getting a bad deal.

Which is right for me?

All four services

If you need all four, then look at all the main providers’ bundles that include all four and choose the one that gives you the best deal. When you are choosing, make sure that you are comparing like with like. So look at the speeds offered and the amount you can download. Then decide.

Two or Three services

If you want two or three services, then look at all the providers’ bundles that include just the two or the three that you want. Then look at the speeds and the download allowance and make your decision.

Phone deals

When you are getting great deals on landline calls in a bundle, look at the fine print and see if there are specific times for those discounts. If it says evening and weekend and that’s when you are at home and will be using your home phone, great – go ahead. If you hardly ever use your home phone, maybe you should look at a bundle that does not include a phone deal or you’ll be paying unnecessarily for something you don’t use.

TV deals

The same goes for TV deals in a bundle. Check to see if all your favourite programmes are included otherwise you will end up paying a lot more for the additional ones. Always check what the extras are going to be and if what you would like to watch figure in that list.

Free Broadband

This really is a myth because it comes free only of you sign up with a provider for his bundle of services. Check to see if any other good provider offers a bundle that costs just as much or less without getting carried away by the word ‘free’!

Time bound

With most bundles, you are tied up for a certain period – it could be anything from 6 months to 2 years. If for any reason you are unhappy with the service, you are either stuck with it or you lose a lot to switch to another provider. So make enquiries and don’t get blinded by a low cost bundle.

What you need

This is what is most important. First work out your requirements, then go looking for bundles that meet them. This way, you won’t get carried away by a low figure and end up with a lot of services you don’t want and having to pay for the ones that you do need.

The freebies

While it doesn’t make sense to choose a provider by the freebies offered, it does make sense to choose one of two where the deals are the same and one gives you free installation, free modems, free security software or free customer support while the other does not.