The chances are that if you have clicked onto this article, you are not sure if you’re paying over the odds for your home broadband service. We are conscientious when it comes to shopping around for the cheapest electricity supplier but often we don’t think about switching our broadband package to get the best value for our money.

Are you getting what you are paying for?

Is your broadband connection as fast as it should be? Do a free speed test online for an indication of your download (taking data from the web) and upload (sending data) speeds. There are plenty of websites where you can take these tests; try to get a range of results by recording the speeds at different times of day to get a full picture. Check your average speed against the broadband package you are paying for. If the speed is significantly lower than advertised, it may be time to switch supplier provided you are not stuck in a contract. If you are tied into a contract, contact your supplier as there are many things you can do to improve your speed.

The speed of the service you get depends on the distance between your home and your telephone exchange. There are many online tools available which will show you on a map where the nearest exchange is and what sort of speeds are possible in your neighbourhood. You should also be able to see which company owns the exchange.

How to get the best broadband deals

As with energy tariffs and utilities, you’ll almost always be able to find a cheaper broadband package by using price comparison websites. The advantage of these sites is that they collate all of the relevant information about deals from a number of companies, and put them side by side for you to analyse, allowing you to make an informed decision.

Alternatively, lots of companies now offer all-in-one packages which include phone, TV and broadband. These packages might look pricey at first but you may save a lot of money by subscribing to all of these services with one supplier.

At the end of every contract you should actively research the market again, your package may have been the best deal when you took it out but it might not be the best value option two years down the line. Changing your supplier may cause a day or two of inconvenience, but it may save you hundreds of pounds over the space of a year.