Budget Price War Continues as TalkTalk Slash Broadband Prices
Low cost ISP TalkTalk appears to be taking the fight to Vodafone and other UK rivals by introducing new discounts, which will make some of their broadband and phone (with optional Pay TV) bundles as cheap as they were all the way back in 2016 (e.g. 38Mbps “fibre” for £22.50).
The aggressive discounting is said to be available to both new and existing customers who put in an order before 28th March 2018. As usual all subscribers will receive unlimited usage, included phone line rental, a wireless router, no setup fee and various other features (e.g. network-level Parental Controls, nuisance call blocking and Internet Security).
We should point out that the new offer only applies to those who take out the operator’s 12 month contract term, although you can also choose from an 18 or 24 month term at a different (higher) price. TalkTalk claims to “guarantee no mid-contract price rises on all our broadband packages.”
Fast Broadband (up to 17Mbps down / 1Mbps up)
Price: £17 a month for 12 months (£27 thereafter)Faster Fibre (up to 38Mbps down / 9.5Mbps up)
Price: £22.50 a month for 12 months (£33.50 thereafter)Faster Fibre Large (up to 76Mbps down / 19Mbps up)
Price: £25 a month for 12 months (£38.50 thereafter)
Customers can also add one of TalkTalk’s TV boxes to the same packages for a £25 one-off charge (or £50 for the TV Plus box with video recording) and for an extra +£7 per month on top you can take their TV Plus subscription that adds 30 premium entertainment channels. Take note that if you need a new line installed then there’s usually a one-off charge of £85.
The obvious concern with all this discounting is that some ISPs may be risking a race to the bottom, which leaves very little money left over for investing in future upgrades and improvements to service or support quality. Meanwhile TalkTalk’s share price has suffered a hit over the past few weeks due to the weight of recent concerns over their debt, dividend payments and FTTH investment plan etc.
NOTE: We understand that the discount price for ‘Fibre Large‘ will return to £27.50 a little earlier than the other offers on 2nd March 2018.
Keith is a computer engineer and website developer from Dorset (England) who also assists, on a part-time basis, in the general upkeep of ISPreview.co.uk's systems and services. He also writes the occasional editorial and special offer article. Find me on Contacts.
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This would be the race to the bottom Ofcom is desperately encouraging. Worked here. TalkTalk read the new price controls from the review and announced some price cuts.
“This would be the race to the bottom Ofcom is desperately encouraging.”
And who demands cheap as chips broadband? You only have to look at forums such as MoneySavingExpert where people are always looking for bargain basement broadband deals.
Much of Jo Public assumes all broadband is the same (a bit like gas & electric which REALLY is the same irrespective of who the supplier is) so they feel why should they pay more for the same thing? Of course the reality is different but try explaining that to the masses. So you could say OFCOM are only doing what most of the public wants them to, ie force ISPs to offer dirt cheap broadband.
Ofcom are not there to please the public. If the people running Ofcom want to do that there’s a career in politics waiting.
I say that of course, Ofcom seem to have taken on the short-termist politician approach to everything. Pretty pathetic really.
“If the people running Ofcom want to do that there’s a career in politics waiting.”
The reality is that all regulatory authorities that come to the attention of politicians rapidly turn into instruments of politics. The independence of such bodies is now often questionable. Not just regulatory bodies too. The Crown Prosecution Service is a good example of just such a body.
“Much of Jo Public assumes all broadband is the same (a bit like gas & electric which REALLY is the same irrespective of who the supplier is) so they feel why should they pay more for the same thing? Of course, the reality is different but try explaining that to the masses”
I used to be an ISP snob, been with them all including ZEN, Plus.net, BT….I’ve been on TalkTalk 76Mbps for over 2 years, no problems, always get just under 75Mbps no matter what time I do a speed test. Never been down (unlike Plus.net).
So, what exactly is the difference?
In the case of the examples you gave ask the people on Zen who have single-thread speed issues. Those on Plusnet that had a nightmare before they moved their backhauls over to the same system BT use. TalkTalk: the various issues with customer service and billing, as noted by Ofcom, and the less common now but occasional network congestion issues.
One customer’s experience is certainly not indicative of everyone’s. If you want a prime example of differences check out Andrews and Arnold and tell me the service they provide in terms of technicals, customer service, etc, are the same as TalkTalk.
You have something go wrong you can be wrestling with TalkTalk for months, or you can be with someone good.
Nothing has gone wrong and you’ve been fine. Good for you. You are one data point in, in the case of those ISPs combined, something like 10 million.
That’s the issue with talktalk some people don’t have issues with congestion yet some do.. I was one of them but a friend who lives on the other side of the city has great speeds night and day.. Just pot luck
Seems like the competition is heating up in the british fibre network area now, which is great news now.
Why? Who apart from BT are rolling out FTTP on a large scale? (Virgin, using a mixture)
Whats the large scale FTTP from BT?
3 Million by 2020. 10 Million (aspiration) by 2025.
Who else is actually doing more, not saying.. doing
I thought both those figures were “aims”. Even if the 3 Million figure is a guarantee how does around 10% of premises equal “large scale”?
I would consider a million of anything a large number. What is the largest non BT coverage, about 350k I think. So… yes large in comparison.
So not large scale then only larger compared to others. Others also have plans to reach 1+ Million homes by a specified date so i would not say BTs effort is that impressive.
No, large-scale
If you are having issues with the understanding of the term. Google can help:
https://dictionary.cambridge.org/dictionary/english/large-scale
“involving many people or things, or happening over a large area”
Ah right so using that definition BT are a useless provider on a “large scale” as more than one IE many (or 2 or more if you prefer) people have problems with them.
As for the description stating “happening over a large area” since when was covering 10% (or approx 3 million premises) a large amount of anything?
I do love the way you try to paint them in a good light though, six months more training and you would do a hlaf good job.
“Why? Who apart from BT are rolling out FTTP on a large scale? (Virgin, using a mixture)”
“If you are having issues with the understanding of the term. Google can help:
https://dictionary.cambridge.org/dictionary/english/large-scale
“involving many people or things, or happening over a large area” ”
Err that description would mean Virgin are doing a large-scale rollout, infact Vodafone, Gigaclear B4RN and practically every provider is large-scale.
If “large-scale” equates to “many people or things, or happening over a large area” Then all those ISPs meet that criteria as they have all done “MANY” FTTP connections. SOmeone did misunderstand the term, right from their first post.
We have one of his “large-scale” providers locally. Run by a total of 4 people. They did custom installs for the local business park. They must of done all of probably 500 units in total. Who knew to be a “large-scale” provider you could be so small and do it. LOL
Would a kind soul be able to provide a link to this offer, please? I’m only seeing the £27.50 price for their “Fibre Large” product on their website, gone through the hell of live chat with predictable results. One of them suggested it was an “affiliate” offer but wouldn’t say which without me giving all of my details… to TalkTalk…
Edit to above – found it at uSwitch.