How to get the best deal on your Internet and phone package

For many of us, the Internet in our homes is an integral part of everyday life. However, there are often substantial costs that come with unlimited Netflix streaming and multiple users.

These costs can soon add up, and this can cause unnecessary financial strain on the bill payer. That’s why this month we’ve pooled our top tips on getting the best deal on your Internet and phone package.

For new customers

Compare the market

This goes without saying. You need to compare the market to get the best deal on your Internet or phone package. When you’re hunting around for the best price, make sure you remember what you’d like most from your provider. This may be unlimited downloads; it might be free evening and weekend calls.

Keeping this in the forefront of your mind can help you focus; especially when you’re bombarded with introductory offers and appealing deals.

Aim for unlimited data

In the modern household, streaming is becoming an everyday occurrence. That’s why if you’re hunting around for a new Broadband package, it’s important that you consider unlimited data.

Unlimited broadband packages are commonly seen as a promotional deal, but many providers are seeing them as a standard addition to their packages. However, if you haven’t been able to find a suitable unlimited deal, it could be worth paying slight extra each month to upgrade.

This might seem counter-intuitive, but it could save you money in the long run. For example, BT currently charges £1.80 per GB of data over your monthly allowance. In comparison, an hour-long episode streamed in HD will use approximately 1 GB of data.

Think about what you really need
Many phone and Broadband providers do offer additional services, but these do come at a cost. For example, Plusnet charge (at the time of writing):

• 99p per month for caller display
• £2.50 for call waiting
• £2.50 for call divert
• £2.50 for ring back
• £3 for Voicemail Extra
• £4 for anonymous call reject

It might be nice to know that you won’t be bothered by cold callers or automated messaging, but there are free services you can sign up to, ensuring that your home phone isn’t plagued by unwanted telesales throughout the day and night.

One such service is the Telephone Preference Service (TPS). Free to use, this service adds your phone number to a central opt-out service, protecting your time and patience from unsolicited calls.

For existing customers

Haggle, haggle, haggle

Internet and phone providers are some of the easiest companies to haggle with, especially if you’re near the end of your contract. There are plenty of other providers out there vying for your business, so why would your existing one want you to leave?

You might not even want to leave, but speaking to your provider could land you with faster upload or download speeds, a better Broadband router, a better price, and potentially other freebies.

However, if the provider isn’t budging, or they can’t offer what you’d like to pay, then it might be a case that you have to ditch and switch.

Remember your renewal dates

When a contract comes to the end, it’s common for you to receive notification from your provider. They’ll likely inform you that it will automatically renew, and if you’re busy, you might forget.

However, it’s important that you remember your renewal dates so that you get the best deal. Whether you simply set a reminder on your phone, circle the date on a calendar or opt for a free policy reminder service, remembering these dates can save you a bundle.

Tell them you’re leaving

Many of us have heard that telling an Internet or phone provider you’re leaving is one of the easiest ways to get a reduction in price. However, in a small number of cases, they may just let you leave.

Taking this approach does take some careful planning, so if you’re considering it, there are a few things to remember. These include:

• Call them when you’re in the final stages of your contract. Any sooner and you may have to pay a cancellation fee.
• Have a list of other providers, along with their current prices and what’s included in a new contract. This will help you prepare for the standard “what can we do to make you stay” conversation.
• Be prepared to stand your ground. The Internet or phone provider may offer you another deal, but if it’s still too much money, say so.

Bring up your problems

If you’ve had problems with your Internet or phone lines in the past, now is the time to bring them up. No company likes to hear that their customers have received bad service, so you can use this to your advantage.

If you decide to take this route, it’s worth noting down the time, date and duration of outages or drops in speeds, so that you have a full list when you speak to your Internet or phone provider.

So there we have it, our top ways to get the best deal on your Internet and phone package. What do you think? Are there any tactics that you’ve used in the past that have helped save you money?

For more tips, tricks, helpful links and our useful jargon buster click here.

We’d love to hear your thoughts, so make sure you share your experiences in the comments below. Alternatively, you can join in the conversation with our community of money-savers on Twitter and Facebook.

Remember, if you’re searching for an easy way to cut the cost of your bills, then BeeMyMinder is here to help. Our free policy reminder service has been created with your needs in mind. Find out how else you could benefit here.

Last updated by BeeMyMinder at January 18, 2018.