Which is the best Broadband?

Broadband is the quickest way to connect either one, or several, PCs to the Internet and email. 

There are three ways of getting broadband depending on your requirements. Through a cable operator such as Virgin, though a phone line through companies such as BT, Talk Talk or Plusnet or through a 3G dongle.

You can only get cable if it has been laid in your area and you can check on the company's website if it has or not. Cable (or fibre) is by far the best method if you can get it. It is much faster - 10 mbits to 200 mbits - and you can get the full advertised speed unlike phone line connections. I have 60 mbits cable at my house and it is very fast and reliable.

The most common broadband is through a phone line connection via BT or one of the many other service providers. The speed of this is limited by several things, the most important being how far you are away from your nearest telephone exchange. It is worth going on the various broadband providers website as many of them have a way of calculating how fast your broadband will be with them. This can also depend on whether they have their own equipment in the local exchange or they are using the BT equipment.

When you install your broadband make sure you follow the instructions to the letter as wrongly installed broadband can run very slowly.

3G dongles are useful for people on the move a lot (or people without a phone line) and work through a mobile phone type connection. They can be very useful but be very wary of going over your useage allowance. I have a deal with 3 where I get 1 gigabyte a month for £5. Guess how much it costs if I use an extra gigibyte - £100!!! So I don't - ever.

Take a look at Martin Lewis's Money Saving Expert website for the best deals. http://www.moneysavingexpert.com/phones/cheap-broadband

Or how about VOIP, or Voice Over Internet Protocol (huh!). You can make phone calls over your broadband connection for free if the person you are phoning has the same setup, or worldwide for the cost of a local call. You can choose your dialing code and it can be in any country. So if your sister lives in New York you can have a New York dialing code and she can ring you for the cost of a local call! Or you can ring her for the same cost.

With some VOIP suppliers you can have virtual numbers so if you can have a local phone number in an area nowhere near where you live. You can also pick up your voice mail from any computer. You can either use special phones for this or if you have a VOIP router (free with some providers) you can use any phone including cordless multi phone systems.

My setup is I have a local 01604 number which rings on my VOIP phone in my office. If the call isn't picked up there within two rings it is then forwarded to my mobile.

Areas covered: Kingsthorpe, Brixworth, Spratton, Boughton, Pitsford, Chapel Brampton, Church Brampton, Holdenby, Teeton, Ravensthorpe, East Haddon, Coton, Hollowell, Creaton, Guilsborough, Cottesbrooke, Thornby, Hanging Houghton, Lamport, Scaldwell, Old, Walgrave, Hannington, Holcot, Draughton, Maidwell, Kelmarsh, Harrington, Arthingworth and Haselbech. Northampton, Northamptonshire, Market Harborough, Moulton, Overstone, Sywell, Mears Ashby, Broughton, Great Cransley, Loddington, Thorpe Malsor, Orton, Arthingworth, Clipston, Naseby, Cold Ashby, Sibbertoft, Sulby, Welford, West Haddon, Long Buckby, Whiton, Great Brington, Little Brington, Nobottle, Duston, New Duston, Althorpe, Harlestone, Dallington, Kettering, Rothwell, Desborough, Wellingborough, Pychley, Wilby, Earls Barton, Ecton, Great Billing, Little Houghton, Cgenhoe, Whiston, Great Doddington, Mears Ashby, Hardwick, GReat Harrowden, Orlingbury, Isham, Burton Latimer, Finedon, Kislingbury, Harpole, Upton, Duston, Little Brington, Whilton, Great Brington, Althorpe, LOng Buckby,East Haddon, Ravensthorpe, Wets Haddon, Kelmarsh, Naseby, Harrington, Arthingworth, Clipston, Sulby, Sibbertoft, Welford, Hisbands Bosworth, Great Oxendon, Braybrooke, Loddington, Dingley, Stoke Albany, East Carlton, Cottingham, Great Oakley, Newton, Geddington, Weekly, Rushton, Glendon Hall.