Advice On Choosing The Best DSL Provider

When you're on the hunt for a DSL package there are many things you will be considering. Connection Speed, Download limits, Service Quality, Extras, and of course the price. With so many thousands of companies offering what seem almost identical services at varying rates, how do you weed out bad ones and get the best package at the best price? Well this guide should set you on the right track to broadband heaven.

First of all you need to consider what other services you use in your house. If you have cable TV then you may want to consider an all-in-one package that gives you broadband, Cable, and telephone all for one flat monthly fee. Other things you may want to consider is the extras that some companies offer. Firewalls, anti virus software and suchlike are all common incentives. If the software provided is good then you could save yourself a bundle by signing up. But, it's important to know that you are getting value for money.

Before I sign up to any service I do a number of things to check it out. Online reviews are an invaluable way of finding out about a company. Make sure you are looking at third party reviews and not just testimonials from their own website. If you look hard enough you will find reviews and comments from current subscribers that will tell you almost everything you need to know. One of the reasons that this is so important is because DSL companies have notoriously poor customer service. Many have call centres abroad and service representatives that speak poor English. For normal enquiries this is fine but for technical issues (of which I have had personal experience) you need somebody with a good grasp of the English language to get to the route of you problem so if possible check this out before you buy. The other thing to check for is downtime. There's no point getting the cheapest option if it means that half the time you can't connect to the Internet. Online reviews will quickly inform you if there is a particular problem with a DSL company.

The next thing I do is speak to friends and family. This is perhaps one of the best ways of getting good advice. Most people have a DSL connection nowadays and people you know will be able to give you their honest opinions of the service they are with. I have actually recommended my current service provider to three of my friends and they are all happy they took my advice. I get good customer service, no downtime, and it's very easy to install and use.

Once you are satisfied that you have found the right company you will probably find they have a variety of packages to suit the light to heavy Internet user. Here's the crucial but that can cost you if you don't get it right. It's very hard to know exactly what your needs are and I would therefore always opt for the lowest package first unless you are completely sure it will not be enough. Of course you will want a connection speed that suits you but you don't want to pay for download limits you will never reach. If you go over your download limit, your DSL provider will be happy to upgrade you to the next package.

With all this in mind, take your time, select the top three packages you can find, and them compare those three against each other. This way you will be sure to find the right one for you.