Complete Guide to...

Bundling your broadband, home phone and digital TV

This ConsumerChoices.co.uk guide to bundling your broadband, home phone and digital TV has everything you need to help you get the best deal, at the best price. Weve highlighted the pros and cons of bundling and added handy tips on how to choose the right package. Whether youre a first time bundler, want to add more services to your current package or simply want to switch to a better deal, our practical guide will help you find the best bundle for your needs. Sponsored by

In our ConsumerChoices.co.uk guide to bundling your broadband, home phone and TV youll find everything you need to know to help you choose the right services to match your needs. Many people pay up to three different suppliers for their broadband, home phone and digital TV, without realising how much money and time they could save by switching to just one provider. And these days its not just triple play packages that are on offer you can even bundle mobile broadband, internet telephone calls or your mobile phone with your home broadband all helping you save even more cash. So whether you want a bundle on a budget or a top-of-the-range package with superfast broadband, top TV channels and anytime calls, well explore whats on offer and help you find the right plan to suit your needs.

Contents
Section 1:

Whats inside your guide to bundling your broadband, phone and TV?
Section 3: Section 5:

The benefits of bundling

Make savings  How much can you save on a triple play bundle? Easy billing  What type of broadband service do you want?  Who offers which services?  What other services do you need?  Is bundling the right choice for you?

The impact of line rental on bundling costs

Standalone services
Best home broadband Cheapest home phone calls Cheapest digital TV Your custom bundle

Compare line rental costs Cutting the cost of line rental Compare call rates Call set-up fees v call connection fees

Section 4:

Important note

Alternative bundles
Mobile broadband Mobile phone contracts VoIP internet calling Wifi minutes

Section 2:

Choosing the right bundle

 Triple play broadband, home phone and digital TV Heavy home phone user Speed freak Heavy downloader Bundling on a budget

The prices in this Complete Guide to bundling your broadband , phone and TV are correct at 1 July 2009. For pricing updates, if you are reading this guide at a later date, see www.BroadbandChoices.co.uk

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Section 1: The benefits of bundling

The benefits of bundling

Bundling your home telecoms services has two main benefits; cost and ease. By combining your home phone, broadband and digital television you not only save money, but also save time by paying for everything on one easy bill.
And today its not just your home phone calls, broadband and TV that can be bundled, you can now get inclusive line rental, mobile broadband and even your mobile phone contract all from the same provider. Whether you just want to bundle your home phone and broadband, or want a triple or even quad play bundle, this complete guide will help you choose the right package to suit your needs. Make savings You can make big savings by taking all of your home telecoms services from the same company, which is why 40% of households already bundle their bills.1 Although the number of homes bundling their services hasnt changed much over the past few years, the types of bundles that people take are changing. Home phone and broadband bundles used to be the most popular, but since the digital switchover began, triple play bundles that include digital TV have become increasingly popular. Triple play bundles, comprising of home phone, broadband and digital TV attracted more than 32% of customers in 2008 an increase of 14% on the previous year.1 The savings you can make will depend on how many different services you want, and the provider that you choose. Some companies offer freebies such as free broadband or free line rental, while others simply offer very cheap rates. Some bundles include line rental while others rely on BTs own phone network instead. If you have to pay BT separately, it would mean at least another 11.25 a month on top of your headline rates.

ARE YOU A TV ADDICT? All providers offer slightly different combinations of channels. Do your homework and factor in the cost of that crucial sports or movie channel, depending on your priorities.

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Ofcom Communications Market Report, August 2008

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Section 1: The benefits of bundling

How much can you save on a triple play bundle? According to Ofcom, Real monthly household spend in communications services fell for the third year in 2008 and prices have fallen by almost 5% since 2004 so theres never been a better time to bundle. A customer taking BT line rental, with its inclusive Evening & Weekend call plan for 11.25 a month, plus AOL Wireless Broadband for 14.99 a month with one digital TV Entertainment pack from Sky for 16.50 a month would give you an annual total of 512.88. Bundling these three services from just one provider could save you more than 200 a year - and even more in the first year you switch if you take advantage of special introductory offers. You can find out how much you can save using the table below:

Bundle Provider

Triple play package

Line rental

Total annual cost

Total annual saving v solo suppliers 212.88 194.88 273 in LLU areas, 141.12 otherwise 59.55

Virgin Media Sky Tiscali

From 14 a month From 16.50 a month From 19.99 a month

11 11 0 in LLU areas, 10.99 otherwise 11.25

300 318 239.88 in LLU areas, 371.76 otherwise 453.33

BT

From 15.12 for the first three months, then from 30.33 a month

DO YOU WANT FAST BROADBAND? Virgin Medias cable network offers some great speeds but competitors on noncable networks are upping their speeds all the time. Speeds and high dowload limits are important if youre a heavy broadband user. But if you mainly use the internet for browsing and emailing, then super fast speeds probably arent worth the extra cost

Easy billing The second big benefit of bundling is that it combines all of your bills into one easy payment. Paying for all your services on one bill helps you keep track of how much youre spending and makes budgeting a lot easier. It also makes paying your bills a lot easier too no matter how many different services you take, theres only ever one amount to be paid, one direct debit and one company to deal with.

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Section 1: The benefits of bundling

What type of broadband service do you want? More than three quarters of Brits say that they cant live without the internet, so its important that you think about the kind of broadband connection you want with your bundle.1 Different packages have different strengths and weaknesses, so you need to think carefully about the level of service you need before signing a contract. Think about whether you need a superfast internet connection, a high download allowance or free technical support if youre technophobe. Todays broadband packages start from around 2Mb, going all the way up to 50Mb from Virgin Media, though the average package offers speeds of up to 8Mb. However, the speed that you actually get will also depend on other factors such as how far you live from your local exchange, how many other people are using the same line as you known as the contention ratio and any traffic management measures that your ISP applies at peak times. As well as broadband speeds, you also need to think about whether you want a set download allowance, or unlimited broadband downloads. While unlimited packages often let you download more than those with a set limit, almost all unlimited broadband packages have a fair usage policy attached, which could mean that your connection will be throttled if you download too much. Download speeds and allowances are important but you also need to take customer service into account especially if youre likely to need regular technical support. Who offers which services? Bundle provider Sky BT Tiscali O2 Virgin Media Broadband Digital TV Home phone Mobile broadband Mobile phone

ARE YOU A CHATTERBOX? Check to ensure the call package part of your bundle is suitable for you. Think about whether you need free evening, weekend or anytime calls

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YouGov survey for 118118, September 2008

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Section 1: The benefits of bundling

What other services do you need? When choosing a new broadband bundle it can be tempting to add loads of extra services just because theyre cheap but no matter how cheap these services are, if youre not using them, theyre still a waste of money. Again, you need to think about your needs as a user. If you already watch a lot of TV, then a package including digital television would be a good investment; if you spend a lot of time on the phone then a cheap home phone calls package, with low out-of-bundle charges would suit you well; if you want to access the internet on the go then look for a bundle offering mobile broadband. Is bundling the right choice for you? Theres no doubt that bundling your broadband with other home services can save you money and make paying your bills easier, but is it the right choice for you? As beneficial as bundling is, it does have its limitations. For example, where you live can dictate your bundling options. Virgin Medias cable network which offers superfast speeds of up to 50Mb currently only covers 51% of the UK, and many local loop unbundled (LLU) providers such as TalkTalk and Tiscali only offer their cheapest packages, or free services in areas where local telephone exchanges have been unbundled. Before you switch to cable or an LLU provider, there are some issues you should be aware of. If you move to Virgin Media or a completely unbundled provider where both your broadband and home phone line is supplied by the same provider then you will be leaving the BT phone line network altogether. If you later choose to return to a standard ADSL provider where you pay BT for your line rental then you might have to pay up to 122.50 to have a new line installed, though BT says that many people do not have to pay this, and the fee is only applied when an engineer has to be involved. TalkTalk also offers new line installation at the far cheaper rate of 59.99 for new customers, though you would then be on TalkTalks own LLU network. In addition to the possibility of having to pay for a new line to be installed, LLU customers switching back to the BT network might have to pay a cease and reprovide fee. Many standard ADSL providers wont accept a MAC code which allows a seamless migration from one ISP to another from an LLU provider. This means that you might have to pay a fee to have your LLU line ceased and a new line provided. The current cost for this depends on your provider but can be almost 60.

top Tip:
Find out if you can get the cheap deals offered by major providers before signing up. Many of these offers are only available to customers in certain areas. You might have to pay more if your area isnt covered by their network.

TOP Tip:
Bundling three services could save you as much as 200 a year.

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Section 2: Choosing the right bundle

Choosing the right bundle

To choose the right bundle for your home you need to think about your needs as a user; think about how many services you will need and the level of service you want from your broadband, home phone or digital TV.
 Triple play broadband, home phone If you want to join the 70% of BroadbandChoices.co.uk users who already bundle their broadband, then taking a triple play package could be the answer for you. Triple play packages are best suited to users who need broadband and a home phone package but who also watch a lot of TV or want to switch to a digital. Four main providers now offer triple play bundles in the form of broadband, home phone calls and digital TV; BT, Sky, Tiscali and Virgin Media, with Virgin Media and Sky representing the highest number of triple play users. Virgin Media offers superfast broadband speeds with its XXL 50Mb package currently the fastest in the UK, and 10Mb and 20Mb options also available, it was recently voted the Best Bundle Services ISP for Download Time, in the BroadbandChoices.co.uk 2009 customer satisfaction service. Sky is a good choice for a triple play package, offering reliable services across the board, and was voted the best Bundled Services ISP by respondents in our most recent customer satisfaction survey. Virgin Media also offers a great selection of digital TV options and has one of the best video on demand services going with both BBC iPlayer and ITV catch-ups direct to your TV as well as its own channels. The only drawbacks to its bundled packages are that its cable service is only available to 51% of the country and it doesnt offer the most competitive call rates.

and digital TV

TOP Tip:
WANT A FLEXIBLE DIGITAL TV SERVICE? If you want high definition television, video on demand and digital video recording, then Sky is pretty hard to match. But both Virgin Media and Tiscali now offer similar services and hardware

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Section 2: Choosing the right bundle

As well as the great digital TV services that Sky is known for including HD channels and Sky+. Sky also offers a selection of broadband packages ranging from its 2Mb free broadband to an up to 8Mb package or its unlimited broadband 16Mb package with no fair usage policy. Sky also has wider coverage than Virgin Media. Again, Sky doesnt offer the cheapest call rates though at the time of writing they were more competitive than Virgin Media. For example, calls to mobiles from Virgin Media landlines are around one-third higher than Sky. Customers must also pay an additional 5 a month for their broadband if they do not take a Sky Talk package. For the estimated 30% of people who dont live in an LLU area, or who arent covered by Virgin Medias cable network, BT Vision is an option. Any BT Total Broadband customer can add BT Vision the providers digital TV service at no extra monthly cost and with no additional contract. The service is essentially Freeview but users can then dip in and out with on-demand programmes and packages on a month-by-month basis. Heavy home phone user If youre less interested in digital TV and just want to bundle your broadband with a home phone package, then theres a host of options available to you. As well as the big triple-play providers, which all offer broadband and home phone services, you also have providers like TalkTalk to choose from. TalkTalk was originally a telecoms provider, so it has always offered cheap rates on home phone calls and as the pioneer of free broadband it has also always been one of the cheapest broadband and home phone deals on the market. According to the cheap broadband provider, 70% of the calls TalkTalk customers make are to local numbers all of which are now free. TalkTalk research has also shown that 72% of our closest friends and family live locally1. If this sounds like you, you could save a packet by switching to TalkTalk. Calls between TalkTalk users are also free, but when it comes to out-of-bundle mobile and international calls, the provider doesnt differ massively from BT, Sky and Virgin Media. However, boosts are available to reduce the cost of mobile phone calls by 50% or give you free international calls to 36 destinations.

SWITCHING HOME PHONE: You may need to switch your home phone provider to make the best savings on a bundle. However, when comparing pacakages, dont forget to factor-in the following: Cost of line rental Calls package Rates for calls to mobiles and overseas

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TalkTalk press release May 2009

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Section 2: Choosing the right bundle

Speed freak If broadband is your priority and you want the fastest possible connection, then Virgin Medias cable network is the answer. Not only does it offer the UKs fastest headline rate at speeds of up to 50Mb, but it also offers a 20Mb package and began upgrading all of its 4Mb customers to 10Mb for free, from May 2009. While Virgin Media often outperforms rivals to take the top spot in broadband speed tests, you shouldnt expect to reach the top advertised speed. Like all broadband connections, issues such as contention how many other people are sharing your line and traffic management could all work to slow you down. Heavy downloader If youre a heavy downloader and want to spend all day streaming and downloading BBC iPlayer programmes, uploading pictures to Facebook or playing online games or if you simply have a big family who all want to be online at the same time then youll need a package that can handle your needs. Skys Max Broadband package is the only consumer broadband package without a fair usage policy unlimited really does mean unlimited and it comes with download speeds of up to 16Mb. Although Virgin Media offers two faster broadband packages its 20Mb XL Broadband and 50Mb XXL Broadband it applies clear traffic management measures to all of its tariffs, which can slow you down at peak times and limit the amount that you can download.

UNLIMITED BROADBAND: Skys Max broadband package is the only truly unlimited broadband service on the market. Unlimited downloads mean that you can make the most of gaming, watching TV on your computer, and a host of other useful appllications.

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Section 2: Choosing the right bundle

Bundling on a budget If youre looking for a triple play bundle on a budget then Tiscali is a great choice as long as you live in one of its LLU areas. If you do, then youll be able to qualify for its free line rental offer saving you 135 a year compared to BT. Tiscali offers up to 8Mb broadband with unlimited downloads subject to a fair usage policy, digital TV with over 70 channels and a home phone package with inclusive UK weekend calls, inclusive calls to 10 international destinations and free line rental from just 19.99 a month by far the cheapest on the market. If its a broadband and home phone bundle youre after, then TalkTalk is a great choice. It offers its Essentials package with up to 8Mb broadband, a 40GB download allowance and free calls to other TalkTalk numbers, local numbers and evening and weekend UK landlines for a monthly total of 17.74 including 11.25 for TalkTalk line rental. You can also add a selection of broadband and phone boosts to increase download speed or allowance, boost online security or cut the cost of calls. Plusnet is another low cost broadband and home phone provider. It offers a selection of broadband and home phone bundles, with either a 10GB monthly download allowance, or an unlimited allowance with a fair usage policy. Customers in its LLU areas which Plusnet says covers 80% of UK households can get these packages for a total monthly cost of 16.94 a month including 10.95 line rental for the 10GB plan, or a total of 22.94 a month for the first three months for an unlimited package, 26.94 thereafter. Each package comes with free evening and weekend calls to UK landlines, plus 300 minutes to 20 international destinations, though anytime calls can also be added.

WHAT IS LLU? Seems complicated, but just think of it as meaning the company ie TalkTalk or Sky has their own network which is separate from BTs. Their own networks wont quite cover the whole of the UK, so in some areas they will still rent lines from BT. Thats why there may be price differences for people in some areas.

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Section 3: The impact of line rental on bundling costs

The impact of line rental on bundling costs

The headline rates of broadband packages and bundles often do not include line rental costs, which can be 11.25 or more if youre paying BT direct. This can mean that although youve found a cheap bundle package, costs will soon rise once youve added on line rental.
The rise of LLU providers has injected some much needed competition into the line rental market, and you can now get line rental for less than 10.75 a month or even free from Tiscali. Compare line rental costs Use the table below to compare line rental costs for some of the UKs biggest internet service providers. Bundle Provider BT TalkTalk Virgin Media Plusnet Sky Tiscali

Line rental cost (with direct debit and online billing) 11.25 11.25 11 10.95 11 (Can request paper billing for no extra cost) 0 in LLU areas, 10.99 otherwise

Many companies who provide bundled services have their own telephone and broadband networks. If you take your phone and broadband from one of these companies you may find that the overall costs work out cheaper

Cutting the cost of line rental Because many bundling ISPs are LLU providers, you can often cut the cost of your line rental by taking it direct from your broadband provider rather than BT. However, line rental and headline bundle rates arent the only thing that you need to take into account. Many bundle providers advertise low headline rates and make their money back with high home phone call costs. If youre a heavy home phone user make sure you compare the cost of out-of-bundle calls before signing up to a new supplier.

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Section 3: The impact of line rental on bundling costs

Compare call rates Use the table below to compare daytime out-of-bundle call costs. These call costs do not cover inclusive calls as part of bundles or international calling add-ons. All prices are correct at time of writing: Most internet service providers offer international call add-ons, so if you make a lot of calls to friends and family abroad, contact your provider to see if you can reduce your bills by taking a monthly add-on. You can further cut the cost of international calls by making VoIP internet telephone calls using providers like Skype and Vonage. You can even make free calls to other Skype users if theyre online at the same time as you. Bundle Provider BT TalkTalk Virgin Media Plusnet Sky Tiscali Local rate 4.5ppm free 5.39ppm 4.5ppm 4.5ppm 4.5ppm National rate 4.5ppm 4.5ppm 5.39ppm 4.5ppm 4.5ppm 4.5ppm Mobile call O2 12.23ppm 11.74ppm 15.68ppm 12.5ppm 11.62ppm 11.75ppm International landline call India 27.5ppm 23.24ppm 76.31ppm 24.47ppm 26.12ppm 19.58ppm Call connection or set-up fee 8p set-up fee 8p connection fee 8.8p connection fee 8p set-up fee 8p connection fee 8p connection fee

Call set-up fees v call connection fees Call set-up and connection fees are charged by providers on all chargeable calls those outside of your bundle and there is a difference between the two types of fee. Call connection fees are a set fee that you pay on top of the cost of your call, while call set-up fees are a minimum fee that you will pay for your call. For example, if your provider charges an 8p set-up fee, the first 8p of your call will be covered by this cost.

TIPS FOR CUTTING THE COST OF YOUR LINE RENTAL:

 Always pay by direct debit - many providers offer discounts to customers who pay this way  Opt for paperless billing - you might get a discount from your provider and youll be helping the environment too  Compare the market online to find the best deals  Make sure you take call costs into account too. Cheap line rental is no good if you end up paying over the odds for calls.

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Section 4: Alternative bundles

Alternative bundles
As well as the more traditional broadband and home phone, and triple play bundles, theres a host of other services that can be added to your bundled packages.
In a recent BroadbandChoices.co.uk survey, 58.5% of consumers felt that bundled services offered better value for money than subscribing to separate providers so why not make the most of your bundle with one of these extra services? Mobile broadband 85-90% of the population can now access mobile broadband services, depending on their provider1, and mobile broadband has become a popular add-on to home broadband services. Speeds of up to 7.2Mb are available in the fastest areas and over a million mobile broadband dongles have been sold in the past year2. Mobile broadband uses the mobile phone network to log you on to the internet, so even if you live too far from your local telephone exchange to get a decent fixed-line broadband connection, you might be able to use mobile broadband instead. Internet service providers such as BT, O2, Orange and Virgin Media allow you to combine home and mobile broadband into easy bundles, allowing you to do your heavy downloading at home, while staying online with mobile broadband no matter where you are. While most standalone mobile broadband packages start at around 10, bundled allowances can cost as little as 5 a month from Virgin Media though download allowances are often as low as 1GB a month as part of a bundle. Many mobile broadband providers now also offer free laptop deals as part of their packages, allowing you to spread the cost of a new PC over 12, 18 or 24 months.

TOP Tip:
Some mobile broadband providers such as T-Mobile and O2 include free Wi-fi hotspot mintes in their packages.

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1 2

Digital Britain report, 2009, page 70 Digital Britain report, 2009, page 79

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Section 4: Alternative bundles

Mobile phone contracts Bundling your home broadband with your mobile phone contract can save you even more money. O2 which won all six key satisfaction categories as well as being voted Best Overall Provider in the BroadbandChoices.co.uk 2009 customer satisfaction survey offers discounts to its mobile phone customers who also take its award-winning home broadband. This means that an O2 mobile phone customer can get speeds up to 20Mb, with unlimited downloads and a very generous fair usage policy for just 9.79 a month. Mobile phone provider Orange also offers home broadband and mobile phone bundles even offering free broadband with any Orange pay monthly mobile plan. Virgin Media also offers mobile phone contracts as part of its bundles and is the only provider to offer quad play bundles combining home broadband, home phone, digital TV and mobile phone and you can even add mobile broadband to the deal too. VoIP internet calling A number of broadband providers, such as BT and Orange, offer VoIP internet phone services that can be bundled with their broadband packages. However, this doesnt mean that you have to make all of your calls using a microphone and headset while connected to your PC. You will receive a handset like a traditional telephone that connects to your wireless router, allowing you to make much cheaper calls over the internet. BTs Hub Phone even allows you to switch between internet calls and traditional landline calls using the same handset. Wifi minutes BT, O2 and T-Mobile all offer free wireless hotspot minutes with selected home or mobile broadband packages. These wifi minutes allow you to log on to the internet using a fixed wireless network in a hotel, train station or caf anywhere that you can pick up a wireless signal offered by your provider. This means that you can get online even if you dont have mobile broadband, or save your precious mobile broadband download allowance. Wifi providers also have a network of hotspots around the world, allowing you to get online no matter where you are.

top Tip:
Think about the services you will actually use dont add them just because theyre cheap. If you wont use them, they will just be a waste of money.

What can you bundle with your broadband?

You can now bundle as many as six different services with your home broadband: n n n Home phone Mobile broadband VoIP n n n Digital TV Mobile phone Wifi

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Section 5: Standalone services

Standalone services
If you dont want to be locked into a big bundled package, then you could do some research and come up with your own bundle. That way youll know youve got the most suitable broadband package, the cheapest home phone service and low-cost digital TV.
If youre choosing on price alone, you could find that a Primus landline and calls package, Plusnet broadband and a Freeview box could be a great custom package. Best home broadband O2 came top in the most recent BroadbandChoices.co.uk customer satisfaction survey, as well as receiving a rash of awards since launching in 2007. Its packages offer great value for money especially if youre an existing mobile phone customer. As an existing O2 mobile phone customer you could get its Premium package for just 9.79 a month, with speeds of up to 20Mb and unlimited downloads. Non-customers can get the package for 14.68 a month. However, landline costs are not included. Be Broadband which shares its network with O2 also offers excellent broadband packages. Bes Unlimited package comes with speeds of up to 24Mb and unlimited downloads with a very generous fair usage policy, costs 17.50 a month on a 12 month contract, 20 a month on a three month rolling contract. However, like O2, you will also need a phone line for this service. Virgin Medias 20Mb XL Broadband package costs 30 a month for the first three months, 35 a month thereafter as a standalone product. Although you dont need a phone line to use cable broadband, you can actually save money by signing up to Virgin Medias phone line at 11 a month. With this you also get free weekend calls to national landlines. Taken with its phone line, Virgin Medias 20Mb broadband costs just 10 a month for the first three months, 20 a month thereafter. Cheaper standalone broadband packages are available, such as Plusnets Value Broadband at just 5.99 a month currently the cheapest in the UK. However, while the ISP has won awards for its service, the package comes with slower speeds of up to 8Mb and a set download allowance of 10GB a month.

TOP TIP Some less well-known operators offer priceconscious deals, such as Primus and YourCalls.net for home phone. In broadband, Plusnets Value Broadband is just 5.99 a month. Finally, if you dont want the slick TV service provided by Sky, a Freeview box gives you access to plenty of digital channels.

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Section 5: Standalone services

Cheapest home phone calls Primus offers one of the cheapest line rental rates on the market, at just 9.99 a month, which automatically comes with free evening and weekend UK landline calls, or anytime calls for just 5.99 a month. Out of bundle daytime calls to UK landlines are charged at 3ppm, mobile calls at 14.8ppm and calls to India at just 18ppm far cheaper than the big bundling providers. YourCalls.net is another cheap home phone provider, with line rental at 10.03 a month and free evening and weekend calls to UK landlines and a discount to your chosen golden destination. You can upgrade to anytime UK landline calls for just 3.90 a month and get a further 30% discount on mobile phone calls. Out of bundle daytime calls to UK landlines are charged at 1.32ppm, mobile calls at 11.74ppm and calls to India at just 19.57ppm again, far cheaper than the big bundling providers Chargeable YourCalls.net telephone calls are subject to a 4.5p connection fee. Alternatively, you could opt for a VoIP provider like Skype or Vonage which offer call packages from as little as 3.39 a month with Skype as well as free calls to other users online or 5.99 a month from Vonage. Skype users can even get a SkypePhone from 3, to make free calls to other Skype users direct from their mobile, while Vonage customers can use a traditional-style handset to make their calls.

TOP Tip:
Type in your postcode at www.HomePhoneChoices.co.uk to search for the cheapest home phone provider in your area.

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Section 5: Standalone services

Cheapest digital TV As the digital switchover makes its way across the country, everyone will eventually have to either subscribe to a digital TV supplier like BT, Sky, Tiscali or Virgin Media, or buy a digital set-top box for Freeview access. Because it doesnt require a monthly subscription, Freeview is by far the cheapest option for anyone wanting digital TV. Freeview now offers up to 48 digital TV channels and 24 radio stations, with set-top boxes starting from as little as 15. Digital TV recorders are also available, allowing you to record, pause and rewind live TV. Freesat the digital satellite TV service from the BBC and ITV is another alternative to monthly subscriptions. It comes with over 140 TV and radio channels and you can even get free HD programmes if you have the right set-top box and TV set. If you dont already have a working satellite dish you can have a Freesat dish installed for 80 and HD set-top boxes start from as little as 95. Your custom bundle This means that you can get the best broadband, with the cheapest home phone calls and line rental, along with a great selection of digital TV channels from as little as 19.78 as an existing O2 mobile customer or 24.67 a month as a non-O2 customer, plus the one-off cost of a Freeview set-top box without having to take a triple play bundle from one of the big four providers.

Freesat comes with over 140 TV and radio channels, as well as some HD programmes.

Useful guides
Why not use more of our consumer guides to help you speed up your broadband, find the best mobile broadband deal or learn how to watch TV online. Complete guide to speeding up your broadband http://www.broadbandchoices.co.uk/speeding-up-your-broadband-complete-guide. html Complete guide to mobile broadband http://www.broadbandchoices.co.uk/mobile-broadband-complete-guide.html Making the most of watching TV online http://www.broadbandchoices.co.uk/watching-tv-online.html Is cheap broadband really worth it? http://www.broadbandchoices.co.uk/cheapest-broadband.html Top tips for downloading http://www.broadbandchoices.co.uk/top-tips-for-downloaders.html

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ConsumerChoices.co.uk 2009

Bundling your broadband glossary

ADSL Asymmetric Digital Subscriber Line. Technology that converts standard copper wires, used for telephones, enabling them to support high-speed internet. Asymmetric refers to the fact that download and upload speeds are different the data travelling to your house (download) will be faster than the data going back to the exchange (upload). Bandwidth The data transfer capabilities of your broadband connection. The faster your connection, the more capacity it has. Broadband High-speed digital internet connection (ADSL, cable, mobile or satellite). Cable A way of obtaining broadband internet via fibre optic cables, offered by Virgin Media. Contention rate Refers to the maximum number of people that will be sharing the bandwidth on one connection between the local exchange and provider. For ADSL connections this is usually 50:1, meaning that at peak times youll be sharing your bandwidth with 49 other people on your street. Dongle A portable modem used to receive a mobile broadband signal. Download The transmission of data from the internet to your computer, such as pictures, videos and web pages. Gigabyte (GB) A measure of data size, also written as GB. 1,024 times larger than a Megabyte (MB). In a broadband package this would refer to your download limit. Hotspot A public place where users can access the internet wirelessly. ISP Internet Service Provider. The company that provides your broadband connection. Kbps (Kb) Kilobits per second, also written as Kb. This is a measure of bandwidth (the speed at which data is transferred). Kbps is usually used if the measurement is less than 1Mb. These measurements are used to represent the speed of your broadband connection. Local loop unbundled (LLU) When an ISP has installed its own technology in the local exchange, thereby unbundling it, and bypassing BTs network. This allows LLU providers to offer much cheaper packages but does have some drawbacks. Megabit (Mb) Also written as Mb or Mbps. This is a measure of bandwidth (the speed at which data is transferred). Mbps is usually used if the measurement is more than 1Mb. These measurements are used to represent the speed of your broadband connection. Not to be confused with Megabytes (MB). Megabyte (MB) A measure of data size, also written as MB. In a broadband package this would refer to your download limit. Mobile broadband Broadband delivered via the mobile phone network to a portable dongle modem connected to your laptop. Quad play Four services delivered as a bundle from a single provider. Triple play Three services delivered as a bundle from a single provider. Video on Demand (VoD) Allows you to watch selected programmes or films when you want over the internet or via digital TV. Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) Uses your broadband connection to allow you to make very cheap or even free calls over the internet.

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ConsumerChoices.co.uk 2009

About us
At ConsumerChoices.co.uk we empower you to save money and make the best choices to suit your own circumstances. We do this by providing thoroughly researched, practical, unbiased and comprehensive information on the following services: Broadband Home Phone Digital TV Financial services Gas and electricity; and Insurance We provide informative consumer guides, up-to the-minute news on key industry developments and the chance for you to Ask Our Expert for personalised responses to specific questions and issues. As well as detailed, insightful editorial, ConsumerChoices.co.uk has a wide selection of comprehensive calculators, allowing you to compare products and services across a broad range of suppliers. The site also provides access to a community of like-minded individuals where you can read reviews and share your thoughts. If you would like further information about the services we offer, including the full range of Consumer Choices Complete Guides then visit: www.ConsumerChoices.co.uk or email: customerservices@consumerchoices.co.uk. Consumer Choices Complete Guide to Bundling your broadband, home phone and digital TV ConsumerChoices.co.uk and the Consumer Choices Complete Guides are trade marks of Decision Technologies Limited.

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About Sky
Sky brings together a range of products that meet the whole familys entertainment and communications needs. It currently has over 9 million customers in the UK and leads the way in providing first-class sports coverage and the latest movies to its customers. Being a Sky customer doesnt only mean access to quality entertainment. It also means high-speed internet access with Sky Broadband and money-saving home Package telephone calls with Sky Talk. Since moving into broadband and telephony in August 2006, 15% of Skys customers now choose to take a combination of Sky TV, broadband and phone products. Sky came out top in the BroadbandChoices. co.uk Customer Satisfaction Survey 2009 winning the category of Best Bundled Services Internet service provider
Base Broadband + Sky TV (1 Pack) + Talk Freetime Everyday Broadband + Sky TV (1 Pack) + Talk Freetime Unlimited Broadband + Sky TV (1 Pack) + Talk Freetime Broadband Connect + Sky TV (1 Pack) + Talk Freetime1
1

with Sky, but you cant take broadband on its own. Its lowest price bundle starts at 16.50 a month and it offers a range of combinations depending on your particular needs. Sky also regularly runs deals for people switching to its services, these can include a 25 Tesco gift card or low-cost connection to Sky telephone. For more information see www.Sky.com.
Speed Up to 2Mb Download limit 2GB Monthly charge 16.50 1st year cost 228

Up to 10Mb

10GB

21.50

288

Up to 20Mb

Unlimited

26.50

348

Sky packages

You can build your own packages or bundles

Up to 8Mb

40GB

33.50

432

For customers oustide of Skys network area Table correct as of 06/07/2009