Tesco Broadband: Are you Considering Signing Up to Tesco Broadband?

Unlike a handful of providers, Tesco does not own its own network. Its broadband connection is run by Cable and Wireless, the global communications giant. Cable and Wireless provides Tesco with as much as 20Mb/s in speeds on their ADSL2+ network using the numerous BT exchanges that cover around 85% of the UK population. Any connection that is not made on this network is managed by BT on the much slower ADSL connections.  

On Tesco Broadband, the average speed is 8.1mb/s. This is in-line with the numbers released by Ofcom in their latest speed reports for ADSL2+ connections.  So, anyone on the same technology as Tesco uses can expect speeds of 3mb/s at the lowest, and 10mb/s under ideal conditions.

What is in the Tesco Broadband Package?

On all Tesco broadband packages, the subscriber gets unlimited downloads and a Technicolor wireless router with 4 Ethernet Ports.  The subscriber can also call the UK call centre on 0844. This call can cost as much as 6.5p/min, and a further 5p for each call made from a BT line from Monday to Friday. Calling this centre is cheaper during the evenings and on weekends.  You will get a 12-month contract as standard but, if you choose to, you can get a 30-day rolling contract.  To get the 30-day rolling contract, though, you have to pay a 40-pound connection fee; but you cannot get this 30-day rolling contract on the broadband-only package.

Basic Package Option

The basic internet-only package from this provider will cost you £16 a month including your line rental with the provider you are with at the moment.  People who are not on the Tesco network can get broadband for £20 a month.

Additional Phone Call Packages

Broadband packages that have phone call packages included can start at 6 pounds a month. When Tesco’s line rental, which is valued at £14 a month, is added, the amount climbs to £20 a month. On this package, you will be able to call UK landlines in the evening and at weekends, free of charge. If you prefer free calls at any time of the day, you’ll be required to pay £10.50 pounds monthly for the broadband.  Added to the line rental fee, you will have to pay £25.40 a month for the whole package. 

Internet Security Package

If you want Tesco Internet Security included in the package, you have to pay an extra £2 a month. The internet security comprises of firewall, anti-Virus, anti-spam, anti-spyware, browser protection and parental controls.  You also have access to the Tesco broadband accessories shop, where you can purchase power line network adapters, as well as voice-over-IP phones that can be used for making calls using your broadband connection.

A few important points to keep in mind about Tesco broadband

• Not as cheap as advertised

One of the main reasons why people sign up with Tesco is the cheap prices that they advertise. They offer some of the cheapest prices - based on adverts alone – but, as you have seen above, their prices are not as cheap as marketed.  After you have added the line rentals, setup fees and even the internet security fees, etc., you are back to what others are paying on other bigger brands.  So, if your major reason for considering using them as your broadband provider is down to the cheap price, you may want to have a rethink.   They’ve not done much wrong in the way they’ve gone about marketing their offers, but it is better you sign up with a provider that tells you the exact amount you are expected to pay, instead of one that would only tell you 10% of the price, leaving you to see the remainder for yourself when the final bill is presented.

• Router is very low quality

Probably, in a bid to keep prices down, Tesco supplies routers that are not exactly garbage but not top-notch, either. If you are only going to use the router with an Ethernet cable, then it may not be of great concern to you. If, on the other hand, most of your connections are done wirelessly, you may have a problem getting signals in some parts of your house. Again, even though they throw in the router as a deal-sweetener, it doesn’t truly belong to the customer. Read through your terms and conditions to see!

• Speed

This is one major consideration you must think of before you decide to pay for any of their packages. If you are not living close enough to an exchange, you will find that your speeds will always be at the lower end of what is permissable.  This makes it hard for individuals sharing the connection to enjoy it. Various reasons have been given for this slow speed. Some think it has to do with their inability to cope with the number of subscribers on their network, while others feel it’s just down to negligence and poor infrastructure on their part. Whichever it is, just ensure you check properly to see what speeds are in your area before you sign up.

• Unlimited Downloads is not truly unlimited

This is another point safely tucked away in the terms and conditions: they market their packages as unlimited but, in reality, it has a 100GB limit. The reasoning behind this is that it would be very rare to see someone go above the 100GB limit in a month, and they are right on this one. Only very few individuals go above 100GB in their data usage, and the majority of these heavy users are on much faster connections, like the 100mb/s offer from Virgin Media, and not on a 10mb/s connection. All the same, just bear in mind that the limit is 100GB for each month.

• Non-flexibility

You essentially only have one package on Tesco - the other ‘packages’ are simply the subscriber making a choice on which call plan he should add to the broadband deal. So, people who want faster packages and higher download limits cannot get them, as everyone gets basically the same thing. Their offers are, however, very good for people who want a straightforward internet package.

So, Tesco Broadband is a good choice as long as you take out time to decide that it is exactly what you need.