While cord cutting usually means you ditch the “traditional” cable TV companies, many of Cord Buster’s visitors still search for regular, cheap Broadband and TV bundles.
Will Pointing from greatdealsmadeeasy.com, who is a cost comparison broadband expert (and has previously worked for MoneySuperMarket and TalkTalk), was kind enough to share with us this guest post, where he explains why it’s sometimes a good idea to get broadband and TV from the same company, and how to use comparison sites to find the best deal.
Table of Contents
What Are Comparison Sites And Should You Use Them?
Comparison websites allow you to get quotes from a variety of firms in a single click of a mouse. This means you can find out the best offers across the market without having to fill in multiple sets of forms with different companies (imagine all that time and hassle).
These sites will get the best deals from the providers, as they are aimed at deal hunters who are searching the market.
Comparison websites do not sell products themselves, they show you details and prices from companies and they make their money in the form of commission from the company directly (you don’t pay anything to them).
Why Combine Broadband And TV Packages Together?
Getting both services from one provider offers a couple of benefits:
1) By using comparison sites like Great Deals Made Easy, uSwitch or Broadband Choices, you are likely to save your money by agreeing to a new single contract covering both TV and Broadband (and your land-line phone as well). If you see a great deal on a comparison site with your current provider (and you are out of contract), call them up and threaten to leave if they don’t match the price you see. You are very likely paying more than you should!
2) Combining three services reduces the hassle! One provider, one contract, one bill and one regular payment, so it’s much easier to manage your budget
TV And Broadband Bundles: Things To Consider
There are potential negatives of getting broadband and TV from one provider.
- You may end up buying TV channels you don’t need, TV channels you don’t watch or ones which are free on Freeview.
- You may miss out on upgrades from your existing suppliers – quite unlikely, but worth checking when you threaten to leave.
Always check what you actually need – if you don’t like sport, don’t be tempted by a provider who throws in all their sports channels.
Or if you are perfectly happy with Netflix, don’t invest in Sky Cinema too, especially if you barely have time to watch Netflix films. Or if you barely use the internet , ADSL maybe be better than spending more each month on Fibre.
And before you switch, review the penalties of your existing contract (most are 12 – 18 months), if they are costly, it might be worth waiting the contract out, then changing.
Who Are The Main Players In The Broadband & TV Market?
NOW TV Broadband – These are the newish guys on the Broadband and TV block with no contract TV and 12-month contract broadband deals. This is ideal for students and short term renters. Their Entertainment pass includes over 300 box sets and the latest must-see TV on 11 channels you won’t find on Freeview, including Sky One and Sky Atlantic. (Editor’s note: Read our full NOW TV review here).
Sky Broadband / TV – Sky is most renowned for their TV shows from Sky Atlantic to Sky Sports. You can combine your TV packages with Broadband, whilst also benefiting from Sky Go, where you can watch TV on your compatible tablet, mobile or laptop – at no extra cost. Prices are higher than many other providers, but they offer popular shows you can only get with Sky.
Virgin Media – Expect a very quick connection, but usually the monthly cost is more than other providers. Their Big Bundle packs cover all the essential entertainment with over 110 channels, M50 (or higher) Fibre Broadband for day to day browsing and streaming plus inclusive weekend calls. You can pick the latest films to rent with Virgin Movies, or buy them to own from the Virgin Media Store.
EE Broadband – EE is BT’s younger brother. Their Broadband And Apple TV 4K Bundle looks good. Apple TV 4K gives you access to a range of entertainment apps like BBC iPlayer, ITV Hub, UK TV, Netflix, Prime Video and NOW TV. You also get BT Sport on the big screen so you can watch unmissable live sport on your Apple TV 4K.
BT Broadband – A long standing brand in telecoms. Their TV Entertainment + Superfast Fibre + Weekend Calls package includes AMC, National Geographic, E! and loads of other premium channels for top US shows. It also includes BT Sport and the Freeview channels.
You can find more deals, interviews and guides on Will’s Great Deals Made Easy site.
Very informative