Broadband is the only household utility bill to buck the trend
of rising household bills in the wake of the credit crunch,
according to broadband comparison site
Top 10
Broadband.
"Broadband bills have plummeted by more than 60% in the past 18
months, while gas and electricity have risen by 15% and are set to
rise further by the end of the year," said Jessica McArdle, a
spokeswoman for Top 10 Broadband.
McArdle said, "Rampant competition among ISPs is driving the
broadband market to cut the cost and raise the speed of home
broadband packages.
"If you signed an 18 month contract in January 2007, the average
deal would have cost £13.73 a month, if you were to switch from
this package now you would be looking at offers starting at just
£3.25 a month. The opportunity for savings is obvious and people
need to consider switching broadband provider if they are
over-paying."
As well as cheap home broadband, another alternative and
potential cost saving for some households is mobile broadband, she
said.
Despite being more expensive per GB of download, it may work out
cheaper than home broadband as it removes the need to have BT line
rental at home.
Starting at just £10 a month, "it ticks all the boxes during
this credit crunch", McArdle said. The saving of £131 a year in
landline charges makes this a particularly enticing prospect as
belts tighten.
"Mobile broadband was once considered a luxury to supplement
one's broadband use outside of the house. However, like home
broadband, mobile broadband prices have dropped dramatically in
2008. Its speeds have risen and its download allowances have become
more encompassing," she said.
UK broadband prices hit all-time low, study says >>
UK broadband market to be deregulated >>