Student broadband

With the new academic year drawing closer broadband comparison site www.broadband-expert.co.uk has put together a guide to help students determine which type of deal with give them the most for their money.

What do you need to use your broadband connections for?

Download limits and speed are the main two considerations to take into account when deciding which type of broadband connection is suitable for your needs. Even the cheapest fixed line broadband and mobile broadband connections with the slowest speeds and lowest download limits will be suitable for browsing the web, emailing and the occasional music of video download. Mobile broadband can be a little slow when downloading music or video, particularly in an area of poor coverage (typically coverage and speeds are better in towns and cities than in rural areas) and if you're a regular downloader of music then you should opt for one of the packages with a higher download limit. If you plan to download lots of video or play online games then a fixed line home broadband connection with a high speed and a high or unlimited download limit will cope much better.

Mobile broadband or fixed line broadband?

Mobile broadband is proving very popular with students who want to be able to get online at home, on campus, at friends' houses or even in the pub. Mobile broadband works by plugging a small device, often called a dongle, into the usb port on your laptop or desktop meaning it is highly portable and can be used anywhere with a mobile connection and with any computer. By comparison home broadband is limited to use in one location. Most fixed line broadband deals have 12 month contracts meaning that you won't get full use of the connection if you're back at home outside of term time. Being portable, this isn't an issue with mobile broadband.

For those who want to make the most out of their mobile broadband connection including downloading music and video a high download limit package like 3's 15Gb monthly download limit package at £15 a month represents great value whilst those who only plan to use their connection very occasionally should consider one of the pay as you go options or cheaper monthly contract deals.

Is a 'free laptop' deal right for me?

With a new laptop high on the priority list for students setting off to university or college for the first time the range of mobile broadband deals offering a 'free laptop' as part of the package are proving very popular. Whilst these offers may appear tempting the laptop is never actually free as the cost is covered in the monthly payments over the length of the contract. Typically, you will pay more than buying the same level of mobile broadband connection and laptop separately. For example the popular Samsung NC10 netbook is bundled with O2's 3GB monthly download limit mobile broadband dongle for a monthly cost of £29.38 over a 24 month contract (costing £705.12 over the length of the contract). By comparison the same level of O2 mobile broadband connection can be bought for £9.79 a month on a 24 month contract and the NC10 laptop is available for under £300 from a variety of online retailers bringing the total cost to under £535 (representing a saving of around £170). However, if you do need a new laptop and want to avoid the initial outlay of buying one outright then one of the many free laptop deals could be a good option.

Pay as you go or contract?

There's a wide range of pay as you go mobile broadband deals currently available which can be a good option for those who want to closely manage their costs and don't want the commitment of a long contract. Pay as you go deals allow for a certain amount of data usage after which you top up your data allowance. If you're a heavy data user (if you download lots of music, video etc) then a contract broadband or mobile broadband package with a higher download limit will prove much better value.