Unlike ten years ago, when the idea of having the internet in your home was still a relatively new idea, nowadays everyone has a broadband connection at home; it has become one of the necessary luxuries of the modern technological age.  Although it is now as commonplace as the home telephone, many customers are paying excessively for the service they receive.

The main reason for overpayment is customers opting for a high-speed broadband package, when they may not be able to receive anywhere near upto that amount, due to their location.  This issue has had a lot of press attention in recent months, particularly for rural areas, where many households are only able to receive speeds of upto 0.5Mb/s yet they may be paying for upto 10Mb/s.  The further you live from the nearest exchange, the slower your broadband speed will be.  In more built up areas, factors such as population density and tall buildings should also be taken into consideration.

Whether you already have a broadband package or are considering a new one, it is worthwhile checking what speed you are able to receive in your area.  You can do this by doing a broadband speed test on the internet which will tell you what speed you are currently getting.

By downgrading your package to a slower speed that is nearer to the speed you can realistically receive, you could save around £70-£100 a year!  You can also change provider – with so many to choose from they are constantly offering money off deals and undercutting the competition, so you can be sure to find a great deal if you do your homework.

It can sometimes be daunting searching for a good broadband deal, with many different providers, bandwidth, packages, speeds and prices to consider.  By using a price comparison site to search for a new broadband deal, you are taking all of the hard work out of an otherwise time-consuming job.  Comparison sites allow you to search for a deal by price, bandwidth, speed and contract length, so you can find the best deal for your needs.

So why not check your bill or ask around your friends to see what they are paying for their broadband service, then have a look on a price comparison site, such as Top 10 Broadband (the largest broadband comparison site in the UK), and you may be shocked to see just how much money you could save.

By: Kimberley Howson