Buyer's guide: no contract broadband
We're all on the lookout for the best and cheapest prices we can get when it comes to broadband offers from the likes of Virgin Media, BT, O2, Sky and TalkTalk. After all, having home broadband is one thing, but if you can enjoy a high-speed internet connection for a cracking price then so much the better.
By using a little bit of selective comparison for UK broadband in the Broadband Genie website, plus reading a few of our reviews, you'll soon be able to get an idea of which broadband internet package will be right for you.
One of the main things with internet deals, both traditional ADSL and the newer, faster fibre broadband options from virgin Media and BT, is that many require you to buy a package that will lock you into a contract for a fixed period of time. This contract situation can cover everything from cheap deals right through to higher-end packages that come with all of the bells and whistles associated with them. But where do you start when you want to compare other more short term broadband deals?
Try broadband for 12 months or even a 1 month deal
Not all of us want to be signed up for a fixed period of time, which is why no contract broadband can be the option to look for when carrying out a comparison of the best deals, offers and services. After all, with so many of us moving around much more than we used to it's not always convenient to enter into even a relatively short 12 month broadband contract if you might need to move again shortly after. Even a broadband 1 month contract may seem to be desirable, especially if you're unsure of your circumstances or if you're not sure about the broadband provider you're signing up with.
There's no reason why our transient lifestyles shouldn’t mean that we can't still enjoy high-speed home broadband though, even if our home is always going to be somewhere different within the space of a few days or weeks. One option to think about is the possibility of getting yourself a pay-as-you-go mobile broadband deal or offer, as these are plentiful, cheap (as you only pay for what you use) and all that is needed is a broadband dongle and a laptop.
If you're looking into no contract broadband then going down this avenue gives you freedom from any kind of ties, although the only possible downside to this is mobile broadband itself. Mobile broadband deals are great for people on the move, who need to dip into the internet and their emails while they're on the go, although it isn't always ideal if you need to download lots of large files, stream TV shows to your computer or download things like movies and music.
Is no contract broadband flexible?
Internet service providers (and mobile broadband providers too) have realised that many of us want our broadband internet but not all of us want to be committed to a lengthy contract. As a result, we are increasingly seeing a stack of broadband no contract deals springing up, something that you'll be able to find from our comparison tables throughout the Broadband Genie website. Broadband without contract is perfect if you don't want to have to commit to a period of time that effectively locks you into a deal or offer.
If you think no contract broadband is going to be perfect for you then you'll need to do a little bit of homework using our comparison tables, but the great news is that there are all manner of deals available, ranging from 1 month broadband to 12 month broadband contracts and upwards. A 1 month contract broadband deal can be perfect if you need all the bells and whistles of an ADSL internet service but without the worry of having to be signed up for a long period of time.
Similarly, if you have a rough idea what you’re going to be doing for the foreseeable future then it may be an idea to plump for one of the deals that allow you to enjoy a broadband 12 month contract. Whatever option you go for on the deals front it will mean that broadband without contract gives you that extra bit of freedom that you don't get with standard home internet deals and offers here in the UK.
What does no contract or short term broadband offer?
If you're planning on going for a shorter term deal, such as a broadband 12 month contract, or an even more slim-line 1 month broadband package then you'll be glad to hear that some of the larger fixed-line broadband providers now also offer these flexible broadband deals in the shape of rolling contracts. While this isn't a broadband no contract scenario in the strictest sense of the phrase, it does mean that you can have the flexibility of enjoying all the usual broadband and high-speed internet services but without the long term commitment.
If you head down the route of the no contract broadband deal (or effectively a very short term broadband contract arrangement) it means that you can benefit from all the plus points that come with standard ADL home internet packages, including the flexibility of larger data limits. All that means you'll be able to download much larger amounts of data, which can include the likes of movies, music and files that might normally present you with some problems if you decide to go down the route of pay-as-you-go mobile broadband.
Compare 1 month broadband contract and other short offers
We've established that by going for a no contract broadband package you can still enjoy the benefits of a faster speed of service, in the same sort of fashion that you'd get from longer term packages like 12 or 24-month broadband contracts. In many cases you'll find that a six month broadband contract or even a 1 month contract broadband package will still get you decent speeds of up to 24Mb. That's more than enough for many users who will find that this sort of service allows them to everything they'll even need when it comes to the internet and email.
To get an idea of what is involved it's probably best to look over the table above as this will explain in further detail what does and doesn't come with a broadband no contract deal. Work your way along the top of the columns to see what is involved with no contract broadband packages. As you'll see, there is often a setup fee as the broadband internet provider will not really be getting the benefit from you as a longer term customer, so they need to recoup some costs in this way.
You'll also be able to see what sort of monthly costs are generally associated with broadband without contract deals, although these obviously change all the time subject to different broadband deals and offers being available in the UK. Nevertheless, it will reveal what sort of monthly fee to expect, and also next to that there is the all-important contract duration. You'll also want to check out the proposed speed of 1 month contract broadband service or similar; while alongside that there is also the download allowance.
Extras with broadband no contract deals
With a setup fee being very likely no matter if you've opted for a 1 month broadband or 12 month broadband contract on a rolling basis, there will be something to pay upfront. Nevertheless, this is actually a lot more sensible route to take than signing up for a longer term broadband contract and then trying to get back out of it mid-term, which will often prove rather expensive and mean a whole lot of hassle too. What's more, by signing up to these more flexible broadband no contract packages you should also find that different deals come with an array of incentives all the same.
In fact, if you pick through many of the no contract broadband deals you'll see that they often throw in a wireless router that will allows you to get high speed internet access from your no contract broadband deal in no time at all. It's simply a case of plugging in some cables and you're in business. The bottom line with the main no contract broadband package price is that it will be slightly higher than many other ADSL deals as you'll be paying for the privilege of being able to cancel the contract at any given time.
And, if you decide that you do want to cancel your deal, even if it is a very short 1 month no contract package, then you should read the relevant terms and conditions. All internet service providers will require some kind of notice period and this should be clearly spelt out in the small print. You'll need to pay close attention to this to ensure that you don't end up having to pay more than you really need to.
No matter what kind of no contract broadband deal you opt for though, there is no doubt that it offers a great new twist on getting high-speed internet, without all of the excess baggage and paperwork that comes with some longer term contracts. Above all, no contract broadband packages offer flexibility and convenience.
