According to the OECD, the first half of 2006 saw an 18 per cent jump in the number of UK consumers signing up for broadband services. This upsurge in broadband adoption was propelled by offers of ‘free’ broadband services from the likes of Talk Talk and others, with nearly two million consumers signing up to fixed 12 to 18-month contracts through the middle of 2006. These subscribers will soon be approaching the end of their contracts, and are in a position to review the market and switch to a better deal.

“Unfortunately, switching your broadband provider is not like switching other utilities such as energy. Unless you want to pay a penalty, you can only switch once your contract is up, so with terms getting longer and deals getting better, it’s more important than ever for broadband users to consider all their options,” said Aamir Baloch, director of telecoms at firsthelpline.com. “The majority of customers choose to stay with their incumbent broadband provider, but in this case, apathy could cost them dearly.”

According to recent data from the UK regulator, Ofcom, product offerings and prices have become increasingly competitive year-on-year. The cost of an up to 8Mbps Internet connection has dropped by 75 per cent in the last couple of years, and a number of providers are now rolling out super-fast broadband of 10Mbps or more at affordable prices.

Baloch continued: “It’s important not to accept the status quo. If you have experienced problems with your current provider, or feel you’re paying over the odds for what you’re getting, then it’s critical to research other deals in the market. And the better deal isn’t always from the larger provider – you’d be surprised, sometimes the smaller ISPs can offer the most value for money with better service.”