Choosing your broadband provider

So full fibre broadband has arrived in your area… 

Speeds on existing ADSL (standard copper) broadband will stay the same. You’ll need to upgrade to fibre to enjoy all the benefits of ultrafast connectivity! You already knew though, didn’t you? You’re here to find out how to upgrade and which provider to choose.

Shop around

There are lots of price comparison sites out there to compare offers and get impartial advice on which provider to choose.

We would highly recommend thinkbroadband who are completely independent and  have a ton of information and guides available.  Check out their offers section which lists all the latest deals from the major ISPs.

Once you’ve got an idea of what’s on offer, double check on some other comparison sites (just to be sure); uSwitch, Cable.co.uk, Compare the Market, Broadband.co.uk and Broadband Genie are just a few of the alternatives on offer.

Want to stick with your current provider?

You can. Always ask for their best deal, upgrade discount or to match a competitors offer. If you have an idea of all the offers available, you’ll be able to negotiate the best deal possible.

What to look out for

If you’ve recently signed up to a new contract you may have to wait until that ends before upgrading or switching. If you want to stay with your current provider, most will still allow you to upgrade to fibre before your existing contract ends.

Also check what’s in the offer. It’s rare to see data limits on fibre broadband products but they do still exist, so look for ‘unlimited data’ and read the small print. You’ll be surprised how much data you can get through once you have access to ultrafast speeds.

Don’t overbuy! Most providers offer packages with different speed ranges or as part of TV or phone bundles and each comes at a different price. Do a bit of research first, you might not need that 1000Mbps package now? Maybe the 40 or 52Mbps option is plenty? You can always upgrade again later.

Other providers

Within Leicestershire there are a growing number of small independent providers of ultrafast broadband which you won’t find on the price comparison sites. These tend to operate in specific villages or towns. Below is a list of the smaller companies you may also wish to consider.

(Please note neither Leicestershire County Council or Digital Leicestershire endorse these companies – our aim is to provide as much information as possible for residents and businesses to make their own informed choice).

Did we miss one? If you know of any other superfast providers please let is know so we can keep this list up to date: broadband@leics.gov.uk

Fibre to the Premise (FTTP) providers:

Fibre to the Premise (FTTP)

If you get enabled with FTTP, you can order it through one of the following Service Providers:

Supplier Wholesale Passive & Access Product and Pricing

To see Openreach’s prices on their family of products, please follow the below link:

https://www.openreach.co.uk/cpportal/products/pricing

 

In summary, follow these four steps to upgrade your broadband today:

1

Check your current broadband contract

If fibre broadband is available in your area, you will need to check your current broadband contract. Typically, customers sign up for contract periods (normally 12/18 months) and you may need to complete this agreement if you would like to switch broadband providers. If you are still within your contract and wish to stick with your current broadband provider, most providers will allow you to upgrade to a fibre package.

2

Do your research

Digital Leicestershire is working to upgrade the infrastructure that provides your broadband connection. Unfortunately we can’t offer any advice on the best broadband package for you, or which provider you should sign up with.

As mentioned above there are lots of comparison websites that allow you to compare packages, or look out for offers in local and national media. When comparing packages, look out for things like:

  • Speed – check this carefully as some broadband packages cap download/upload speeds in return for a cheaper tariff.
  • Usage – is your package unlimited or can you only download/upload a limited amount each month?
  • Contract – check your contract length. Depending on your package this means you will be signing up for 12/18/24 months.
  • Calls – you could combine your broadband package with your telephone service and your TV package, which may help you to save money.
  • Offers – there are lots of incentives on offer from broadband companies to sign up to their products. Typically these are discounted introductory periods or vouchers for high street stores.

3

Place your order to upgrade to an ultrafast broadband service

Once you have selected your broadband provider (also known as Internet Service Provider), you will need to get in touch with them to place your order. This can usually be done by telephone.

Your provider will supply you with an installation date and details of what you will need to do to get up and running.
Once you’ve spoken to your chosen provider they will arrange for an engineer to visit your property who will set up your new fibre service ready for use.

Get in touch

If our FAQs don’t answer your query and you want to know more, or you want to share your story, please get in touch.