Broadband users ignoring the benefits of bundles

Almost a third of UK broadband users are not bundling their broadband service with home phone or digital TV despite the significant savings they could be making, according to research from BroadbandChoices.co.uk.

The survey, which had over 10,000 respondents, found that 30% did not bundle up their broadband service with home phone or digital TV, despite the fact that they could potentially save over £230 per year. Furthermore, an indecisive 29% of respondents said they were unsure if bundles were a more cost effective option than subscribing to separate suppliers and an additional 12% said they did not believe bundles offered better savings at all.

Michael Phillips, product director, BroadbandChoices.co.uk said: "Events of the past year have prompted a flurry of cost-cutting so it is surprising to see so many consumers continuing to pay separate suppliers for their broadband, home phone and digital TV - it is also a surprise to see that the same proportion did not actually know if a bundled package represents better value. The price of bundled packages has been steadily driven downwards as the major providers battle it out for market share and households subscribing separately for their three services could save £230 or more per year through taking out a bundled package.

"Of those respondents who did not subscribe to a bundled package, a large proportion (60%) had not shopped around for a better broadband deal in the last 4 years. We would encourage these consumers to get online and compare providers to see what bundled packages are available to them - they will almost certainly find they can enjoy superior services for much less than they are currently paying, with the added benefit of only having one monthly bill to keep track of."

The four main service providers offering broadband, phone and digital TV bundles are BT, Sky, Tiscali and Virgin Media, and each has its own strengths and different options. Some providers will have special offers such as ‘free broadband' or ‘free line rental' as part of their triple play packages, but ultimately consumers need to choose a package that suits their specific needs.

BroadbandChoices.co.uk's top tips on what to consider when choosing a bundle:

TV channels - all packages and providers offer slightly different combinations (or packages) of channels. Make sure you do your home work and factor in the cost of adding that crucial sports package or movie channels, depending on your priorities.

Broadband speed - whilst non-cable services can offer impressive broadband speeds, Virgin Media's cable technology does provide very fast and very reliable broadband. But it's horses for courses and if you're a light internet user, high speed and unlimited downloads might not be the most pressing issue.

Home phone - check to ensure that the call package is relevant to your specific needs. Do you need free evening or weekend calls (or both)? Also take international and mobile phone call charges into account, as these can often prove expensive.

Functionality - If you want to go for high definition television, video on demand and digital video recording, then Sky is pretty hard to match but both Virgin Media and Tiscali now offer similar services and hardware.

Compare your current deal with the latest offers using an Ofcom accredited comparison service such as BroadbandChoices.co.uk. The best deals can usually be found online and exclusive offers are frequently available through price comparison sites.