Broadband prices more important than speed for buyers
Price, not speed, is the most important factor to customers when considering a broadband package, according to a new survey.
Whether a package allowed unlimited usage or not was the next most important factor, before consumers considered speed.
All those broadband adverts seem to not be having much effect though, as advertising is deemed the least important factor.
The data comes from a survey of 2,500 broadband users conducted by the comparison website cable.co.uk, which asked people to rate each aspect out of 10.
| Factor | Average score (out of 10) |
|---|---|
| Price | 8.2 |
| Usage limit | 7.99 |
| Speed | 7.59 |
| Contract length | 6.98 |
| Inclusive call package | 6.52 |
| Router/hardware | 6.2 |
| Special offers/freebies | 5.8 |
| Provider advertising | 4.11 |
Given how much importance is put on price, it is perhaps surprising that consumers are not better at seeking out the best deal, as cable.co.uk editor in chief Dan Howdle points out:
Research we conducted earlier this year found that half of us have never switched broadband provider. Not once. That's a vast proportion of people stuck in deals they're almost certainly paying too much for. It's a sort of collective dissonance, where, on the one hand, we all want to pay less for our broadband, and on the other we can't be bothered with the hassle of switching broadband providers. We should not be so easily put off.
Finding a better broadband deal and switching to it has never been easier than it is right now. This month, Ofcom brought in new rules to bring switching broadband into line with other utilities such as electric and gas. Choose a new broadband deal, sign up, and your new provider will do the rest. Most of us could be saving hundreds of pounds a year.