Buyer's guide: free broadband
We all love a freebie and that is a factor that has been used to grab the attention of free broadband customers for the last few years. When comparing broadband free connection is a simple way for providers to stand out. However, the reality of the situation right now is that no-cost broadband is unlikely to be available no matter how carefully you pick through the best deals and cheap offers that you find in the Broadband Genie website.
There's no doubt that it's still possible to grab yourself some cheap deals and prices are actually better now than they have ever been here in the UK. For example, many internet service providers, such as Virgin Media, BT, O2, Sky and TalkTalk all offer home broadband internet packages in some of the cheapest formats we've ever seen. All you need to do is carry out a little bit of comparison using our tables above, look at prices and read a few of our reviews to get an overview of what you can expect before you buy.
What are the broadband with free connection options?
As always, there are certainly a wealth of great cheap deals that allow you to buy ADSL broadband or fibre-optic broadband via cable services but the days of completely free broadband have probably disappeared. At one point in time the likes of TalkTalk and Orange had their own broadband free options that meant that consumers could sign up and enjoy free broadband internet without charge. Of course, with deals and offers like the these packages were often over subscribed and became victims of their own success.
The concept of free broadband internet was quick to catch on but the internet service providers that did pick up on the idea found it difficult to deliver the goods in reality, even if it was broken down into less spectacular deals such as low cost broadband free installation type of packages. Free installation broadband means the setup would be given away as part of the package while the broadband itself would only incur nominal fees.
Can I get free broadband today?
Right now, if you're on the lookout for free broadband then you'll probably be out of luck if you're looking to get it completely without charge. However, one of the best ways of saving money on your high-speed internet services is to look at the packages that deliver more than one service. While they might not be giving broadband free exactly, it might mean that by combining services you could get away with one of their broadband free installation deals.
Free installation broadband deals will often mean that they'll plumb it all in and get you connected without a charge for the work, although it's likely you’ll still need to pay for the high-speed internet connection deal that you get as a result of the internet service providers efforts. Broadband installation charges can occasionally be pricey, so getting broadband with free setup thrown in as a freebie can be a useful way of keeping your initial overheads down. That doesn't mean though that broadband and free connection is always free. One thing to watch out for with free set up broadband is that there may be additional charges if you do not already have the necessary cabling (such as a BT landline) or if the wiring is damaged.
What next for free broadband with no connection charge?
Although the market for high-speed internet via ADSL and cable-based fibre optic services is very healthy, the days of truly free broadband look like they are on the decline.
However, because the world of broadband internet is a very competitive one then there are always lots of new deals and incentives springing up from week to week and you'll discover that not only can you get free connection and broadband which provides a great internet service, but it doesn't need to cost a lot either. You'll find all of these well documented within the pages of the Broadband Genie website and while you may not get free broadband internet there are still quite a lot of the free installation broadband deals that come and go from time to time.
So if you spend a little bit of time comparing and contrasting the various different deals, offers and promotions that feature in the comparison tables then you'll soon see that internet service providers are still big on using the phrase free in their promotional deals. So alongside looking out for the 'free' headline remember that you can add extra value to a package that doesn't offer free broadband by opting to sign up for a deal that might offer a free wireless router, which is the bit of kit that can help you distribute your high-speed internet efficiently throughout your household.
No free broadband but still good deals?
While the days of truly free broadband might have disappeared into the ether, it's still very easy to bag yourself a bargain when it comes to the principle of free broadband internet. While you'll doubtless have to pay monthly fees and have a contract in many cases, it is possible to bump up the value of your deal or offer by signing up for a package that delivers other elements of the package for no cost. For example, you may find that by shopping around and using our comparison tables you'll be able to spot packages that have extra computer kit thrown in as part of the incentive.
There are quite regularly 'free' broadband internet offers that will give you something like a free PlayStation or similar style games console to persuade you to sign up with one provider over another. They may also offer free software, plus a selection of other freebies depending on the deal running at the time. If you're bundling a package of services under the supposedly free broadband banner then lookout for extra no cost sites such as free evening and weekend calls, if your package extends to this.
You'll more than likely get a free bit of kit that will allow you to use your free broadband service, such as a router, or hub gadget and these can often be worth quite a lot if you had to buy them as standalone items. Any software, such as anti-virus or anti-malware packages that get thrown into the mix are always worth having too because this is all stuff that you don’t have to buy later on down the line. What's more, being without an adequate frontline protection for your computer when it comes to anti-virus software is a definite no-no anyway, and good protection from a decent 'free' package like this can actually be worth its weight in gold.
Bundling free broadband
Remember that while you may not be able to get free connection broadband in the strictest sense of the phrase, there are great saving to be made due to the competitive nature of the internet service provider business. One of the most cost effective ways of saving money in the current climate is to try bundling your products and services into one special deal or offer. These bundling deals can be a really great way of getting a lot of added value into the service that you’re interested in.
Picking through the deals in our comparison charts will show you all manner of variants on this theme, so it's possible to get broadband and phone deals, broadband, landline phone and mobile deals, TV bundles with broadband and also phone plus one off options that include everything in one handy special offer or deal.
Of course, all of these options come and go in an ever changing array of packages, but the general consensus is that if you're looking to get a cheap option, even though it may not mean completely free broadband, then bundling can often be the best way forward for you.
Using free broadband
Broadband, whether it's without charge or otherwise, now offers excellent speeds, which can be checked when you carry out the comparison of packages available here in the UK. If you'd like to know more about that side of things you can also use the online tools within Broadband Genie to check things like line speed and the sort of service you can expect to get in your neighbourhood.
Now that many multimedia elements can be found online having a free broadband or other type of fast internet connection can mean that you'll have instant access to all manner of great forms of entertainment, including catch-up television programmes, movies, music and also online gaming. Aspects of the online world that were once almost unobtainable are now freely available from a host of locations on the web. While you may have to pay for the privilege these days, it is still worth signing up for a broadband service that will allow you to exploit all of these amazing things from your computer screen.
Don’t forget to check the terms and conditions of any deal however, as there can be rules and regulations that deal with elements such as the data allowance you are given. Cheaper and low-end packages can often have tighter restrictions on them than the premium level products and deals that cost more. If you're a heavyweight internet user then you'll need to factor this in to any broadband package that seems worth going for. That includes whether or not it's a free broadband package too, as there will always be terms and conditions surrounding any kind of deal.
