Ten Tips On Switching Broadband

You wouldnt think twice about shopping around Evolution Of Cable High Speed Internet 5600 Mobile Voip Calling Wifi Wimax And best value gas and electricity, so why pay over Basics Of Comcast Cable Company 06 odds for your broadband? The Office of National Statistics estimates that more than 13 million people in the UK have access to the internet at home, with 73 per cent of those choosing broadband.

Whether youve had poor service, an unreliable connection or are just tired of paying too much for your ISP, switching broadband provider can save 2008 05 18 Archive money and get you a better service. Simply follow our Going Wireless With Satellite Internet tips to get the most out of your broadband.

1. Ask for a better deal

It may seem obvious, but simply 2008 06 08 Archive your current provider for a better deal could be the answer. As the market continues to become more competitive, companies have to work harder to keep their customers.

The average 1Mb connection cost 50 in 2003; by the end of 2005 it was only 16. So if youve had your contract for some time, chances are that you could get the same thing for a lot less just by asking for it. You never know, so try your luck and ask for the latest deal.

2. Your rights

Check: Is your supplier signed How To Watch Satellite Tv On Pc 03 to the Streamyx Code of Practice? This voluntary agreement between providers works to fairly facilitate the migration?of customers from one supplier to another. Your current provider will issue you with a Migration Authorisation Code (MAC), which you then pass Enhancements Rehinfo to your new provider, allowing them to set Broadband Going Underground Broadband your service without a break in your connection.

Your new provider must also be signed up for the MAC code to work. The code is not applicable to services delivered by cable, such as ntl or Telewest. See Ofcoms website for more information on the Migration Code.

If your provider isnt signed up to the Migration Code you will have to cancel your current contract before you can set up a new one. This means that you will have a break in your service and will either have to go without, or return to dial-up until broadband has been reinstalled in your home.

Check: Are you free of your contract obligations? If you have signed a contract you have to see it out or incur a cancellation fee, even if your current provider is signed up to the Migration Code of Practice. If youre unsure of your contractual duties, contact us and we will check for you (note that this is not legal advice).

Check: For Lightning Fast Speed What You Need the details of your warranty ?has your supplier made a service agreement they may have breached? If so, you might be able to terminate your contract with them on these grounds, but make sure you read the small print.

3. Keep a log

If youve been having trouble with your broadband connection, make sure that you keep a record each time you experience a problem. Take a screen grab of your error message, or keep a detailed written log.

Keep a diary of calls made to customer services; who you spoke to and how long you had to wait. Calls to premium or 0870 numbers can be expensive ?for example, 10 calls for 10 minutes at 15p per minute is 15. Call costs to customer service centres can range from free, up to 1 a minute, so check first and keep your phone bills as a record of the total call charges.

This information may be crucial evidence if you want to cancel when you still within your minimum contract period.

4. Otelo and Ofcom

If you are having service problems and want to switch provider but are having trouble doing so, you can write an open letter to Otelo, the office of the telecommunications ombudsman. 33 per cent of ISP providers are members of the body, which was set up to investigate complaints made by telecommunications customers. While the service is free for members of the 2008 06 02 Archive it will actually cost your supplier money to be investigated, so you will be taken more seriously if Otelo get involved.

If your supplier isnt a member of Otelo, you can still write to Ofcom, the independent regulator for the UK, for help.

Its always a good idea to send a copy to the head of customer services at your supplier.

5. Keep the pressure on

Being on hold for long periods of time and then getting nowhere can be disheartening, but dont give up. Ring regularly, stay cool and dont be abusive.

Make sure that you are Streamyx Availability73107 organised and have your facts to hand ?you could also offer to post factual evidence of your problems.

For 12.75 a quarter, you can get easily accessible, reliable legal Mobile Broadband Comparison Is Fixed from the Which? Legal Service, so you can make sure you know your rights before relaying them clearly to your service provider.

6. Make yourself heard

If none of this works get in touch with the papers. But make sure you have your facts straight before you get the media involved.

7. Complications

The type of broadband you currently have could limit your choices. If you are currently with ntl, Telewest or Kingston, then you have a cable connection and will need a mobile or landline if you want to switch to 3G or ADSL MAX.

If you want to do an LLU to LLU swap you will find that there is no migration procedure in place and that, having invested heavily in LLU technology, your supplier will try to hold on to you.

8. When is free really free?

Before you switch, make sure you have checked out any hidden costs in your chosen package. If you are considering a cheap or free?broadband deal, take into account the quality of service you will be getting. Your new contract might also have a download limit which could mean that you to end up paying more than your monthly rate for big downloads.

9. Think about service

There is more to broadband than a cheap monthly charge. Consider the opening hours and costs of the call centre on our calculator.

For example, Talk Talk have recently come clean about over-stretching their customer service operation, so make sure you do your research and read customer reviews before committing to a contract.

For advice on choosing a cheap broadband package, read our comprehensive guide on http://www.broadbandchoices.co.uk.. Click here for further a full length version of the switch broadband article.

I am not a technical person so I don't know how well to explain this whenever I would hear someone mention that the World Wide Web and the Internet are one and the same.

Well, I am very sure that they are not one and the same. The Internet is the connection of the millions of computers all over the world. The World Wide Web is the information being shared on the Internet and how they are presented to make those information readable and consummable by the Internet users.

So that's the best way that I can explain it. I don't want to start a debate, I just want to make a clarification of things that I am sure that I know of.