Blog 4 Techies The Fastest Speeds
A lot of people pay too much for the internet, without realizing that they’re overpaying. Many people are sucked in by a good welcome deal, and then find that prices and line rental rocket when the deal is over, but just keep on paying. If your internet costs have shot up, you don’t need to keep overpaying. There are some helpful tips that you can use to lower the costs of your internet, beyond blinding searching for ‘ISP near me’ and hoping for the best.
Broadband is the most common way to connect to the internet. The key difference is the speed, which is measured in megabits per second. The faster the speed, the more expensive it is, usually. Consider whether you really need fiber-optic or superfast (and more expensive) broadband.
Fast fiber is the best option for heavy users. If you stream a lot of content, play games online, download a lot, or have lots of people using the internet at the same time, it can be worth it. All this will slow down your speeds, so it may be worth the higher price. The fastest options are best for large households with lots of devices, or for those who often stream 4K content. If you’re just using the internet for simple tasks, like emails and some light browsing, then average internet speeds, which are usually much more affordable, should be more than enough for you.
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Haggle On The Price
Switching is usually the best way to get a lower price on your internet. However, not everybody wants to switch. Maybe you like your current provider, apart from the price, or maybe you’re out of contract or are nearly the end of your contract, you could try to haggle on the price instead.
There is a lot of competition for internet service providers, so most providers really want to keep hold of their existing customers. This makes a lot of them a lot more open to haggling on prices or offering deals than you might expect. If your contract is up, call your provider and see what they’re willing to offer you in order to keep you as a customer. A quote from another provider can be a useful bargaining tool to do this.
Get A Landline Package
Many of us no longer use a landline phone, and it can seem like a waste to have a landline in your house that you never use. However, most broadband packages do require you to have a line as the broadband is delivered through this line. However, even if you’ll never use it, your provider will probably make you take out a standard line rental deal as though you are going to use the phone, rather than offering you a discounted price for only the broadband.
There are some broadband-only deals out there, but not many, and most of them are actually usually more expensive. If you really want this, you will need to keep a careful eye out for any good deals. The higher cost means that it is almost always cheaper to get a broadband and landline package. You can get the line and just not use it if you’re not bothered about having a landline phone in the house.
Speak To Your Provider
If your internet costs have risen, and you’re having trouble meeting the higher cost, don’t just bury your head. Most people assume there’s no point doing it, but in fact, it’s usually well worth speaking to your broadband provider, like Centurylink Internet, as soon as possible if you know you are going to have a problem paying your monthly bill. If you warn them, most will be willing to work with you, such as by delaying the bill or readjusting your agreement. Some of the larger internet providers actually have schemes in place to help customers who have run into financial difficulties.
They want to keep you as a customer, so it’s worth their while to work with you if an unexpected bill, job loss, or illness has hurt your earnings for the month. Broadband providers also understand that internet access is essential for most people now, so would rather try to help you than disconnect you altogether.
You can often find the best prices on the internet by doing some research. Monitor your usage and decide how fast your internet really needs to be. Negotiate with your provider, and keep an eye out for good deals.