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Broadband bundles may not prove the most appropriate
Added: (Sun Apr 22 2007)
Broadband households in the UK that opt for a bundle with broadband, TV, and phone, may not be getting as good a deal as they might think.
According to recent reports consumers in the UK that decide to have broadband as part of a bundle package with phone and television services may actually be losing out over the long term. Around forty percent of broadband customers in the UK now opt for a bundle, where they receive digital television, a landline telephone, and broadband, all bundled together in one package from a single provider. For many this is the most convenient and cheapest option, because the subscription fee is lower, the billing is combined, and they have a single point of contact when it comes to queries and problems with these services.
However, Yvan Bamping of broadband comparison site http://www.broadband-expert.co.uk expressed some concern over these bundles, stating that: �consumers may not be getting as good a deal as they might think. Whilst bundles may appear good value the level of service and quality of customer service are for some providers has been well below par. Consumers need to take into consideration speed and quality of connection as well as price."
In a recent survey that was conducted by the regulatory body Ofcom, a number of people were asked to select from four options that would affect which Internet Service Provider they opted for. The speed of the Internet seemed to be the main determining factor, with twenty nine percent, but bundling and price came a close second, with twenty seven percent. Customer service did not seem that much of an issue, and received only ten percent.