Having a good internet connection is a priority for most people these days. Even if you don’t work from home, you’re probably using the internet at home for work. You’ll also rely on it for all sorts of other things, even if you don’t realize it. If you went a week without the internet, you’d realize just how reliant you are on it. You won’t be able to watch the TV that you like or find out the basic information that you usually just Google. The internet is most people’s go-to option to entertain themselves when they’re bored. That’s why it’s so important that you upgrade your connection regularly to make sure you’re getting the best speeds at a good price. But people often don’t realize how easy it is to get it wrong. If you’re going to update your internet connection soon, you need to avoid these mistakes.
Choosing Based On Advertising
When you’re trying to decide on a new provider to go with, you can’t let adverts sway your decision too much. The big companies are always putting out TV adverts detailing their amazing new offers but they’re not necessarily your cheapest or best option. The big providers aren’t the only places you can get internet, there are a lot of smaller providers as well and they often give you better prices. That’s why it’s best to do some research yourself and compare prices for yourself. You can find a deal here on this great comparison site. It’s also a good idea to switch regularly because the prices are always changing. You won’t get any discounts for loyalty and if you just stick with the same company because it’s easier, you’re probably going to end up paying a lot more than you need to.
Slow Speeds
There’s nothing more frustrating than a slow internet connection so you’ve got to be careful about which provider you go for. The speeds that they advertise aren’t necessarily what you’ll get. Those speeds are the absolute maximum in the best areas. Always read the fine print to get an idea of what speed you’re actually likely to get most of the time. You also need to use a speed testing service once the connection is online to make sure you’re getting what you’ve paid for. If you aren’t, take it up with your internet provider and make sure they do something about it. People often end up getting a slower connection because they’re paying a lower price. If you think that you can make do with a slow connection, you’re probably wrong. You’ll get frustrated eventually and you’ll end up switching to a more expensive tariff anyway.
Buying The Wrong Hardware
When you’re buying routers to set up a network in your house, there are a lot of different options. If you go into a shop and ask for advice, they’re going to start selling you all sorts of different things that you might not even need. Before you know it, you’re walking out with the hardware needed to set up a network that runs 10 computers when you’ve only got a couple in the house. They’ll also try to sell you things like signal boosters that you might not need. Before you start buying any of your router’s, think about what your needs actually are. Do some of your own research beforehand so you’ve got an idea of what you do and don’t need. That way, you won’t get fooled by any sales talk and end up spending more than you need to.
Limited Usage
Most broadband deals give you unlimited usage but there are some cheaper options that limit you to a certain amount of usage. Usually, it’s around 50GB to 100GB. It’s a cheaper tariff on paper but in reality, it’s going to cost you more in most cases. Once you’ve hit your limit, you can still carry on using the internet but you’ll be paying for each GB you use and the price is pretty high. Streaming a film on Netflix uses about 2GB so you can see that it’s easy to eat through that allowance in no time at all. Then you’re paying a premium for anything that you use afterward. For most people, a limited usage tariff is going to cost a whole lot more than just paying for an unlimited tariff. The only time that it is a better option if you don’t use the internet that much. If you aren’t using any streaming services or downloading anything, you might be able to stay within your limit.
Avoid these mistakes to make sure that you’re getting good speeds at a reasonable price.
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