Queen’s University Belfast
Provided in partnership by Ofcom-accredited comparison site
Cable.co.uk
Student broadband guide
While you’re studying at Queen’s University Belfast, you may find that you have to
arrange your own broadband for the first time. If you’ve never looked at the range of
options available, the variety can initially be overwhelming. When faced with different
broadband speeds, capped or unlimited data allowances, traffic management controls
or references to superfast downloads, it can be difficult knowing where to start. That’s
where our guide to getting the best broadband deal comes in.
Find out what’s available
Wherever you are in or around Belfast, you’ll find that a wide selection of different
broadband providers operate in the city. With an increasing number of towns and cities
in the region benefitting from a fibre broadband rollout, now is the best time to get
online in Belfast.
To see exactly what’s available where you are, an Ofcom-approved availability checker
can quickly provide the answers. Seeing the logo of the UK telecoms regulator means
that the results you’re presented with are accurate, impartial and up-to-date.
If you’re looking for the fastest possible connection, the speediest widely available
broadband in the UK offers up to 152Mbps – but even if your availability check shows
you’re not in a fibre area, you could still reach up to 32Mbps with an ADSL connection.
To compare broadband packages where you live, click here.
Already online? Check your speed
If you’re already connected to the internet, it’s worthwhile checking exactly what speed
you’re getting. Broadband providers advertise their products with optimum “up to”
speeds, which only 10% of customers actually need to achieve before the rates can
be promoted in adverts, so many consumers may find they’re not receiving the
advertised speed.
If you’ve passed the minimum term of your contract, then knowing the speed you’re
actually getting can put you in a better position when it comes to renegotiating with
your current provider or thinking about moving to a different one. Whatever the case,
you can check your download and upload performance by using the broadband speed
test you’ll find here.
Don’t pay for something you don’t need
You might be tempted to automatically go for the fastest and most unlimited
broadband package you can find. While for heavy and frequent internet users this may
be a wise move, if you’re not spending long online or and don’t indulge in dataintensive activities like HD movie streaming, peer-to-peer file sharing or online gaming,
then a slower or data-limited package might be the way to go.
Contracts explained
The majority of broadband contracts feature some kind of minimum term (either one
year, 18 or 24 months). When you sign up for one of these deals, you’re technically
tied to that provider until the minimum term passes. Although it is possible to break a
contract, you’ll find that you’ll be asked to pay a potentially very expensive, early
termination fee if you decide you want out.
Generally, the longer the time left on your contract, the more you’ll be asked to pay.
As such, it’s important to spend time before you sign to ensure you’re getting the best
possible deal.
Should you find yourself in shared student accommodation while studying at Queen’s
University Belfast, you could consider getting more than one name on your broadband
contract. This shares financial responsibility between more than one of you: handy if
you’re worried about being left holding the bill. Unfortunately, not all providers allow
multiple names on contracts, but it’s worth checking and explaining your situation to
see if it’s allowed.
You should also be aware that just because your contract ends doesn’t mean you’re
completely free from your provider. They could ask you to return any routers, modems
or other pieces of hardware that they’ve supplied to you. If you don’t, it’s possible
you’ll be charged for replacement costs – so double check that they don’t want any
technology back before you leave your student house for the last time.
What about student broadband?
An increasing number of broadband providers are starting to offer packages aimed
specifically at students, having realised that many in further or higher education don’t
need broadband all year around (those in student accommodation during the academic
year who go home during the breaks are a good example of this).
This is why you’ll find that, between June and October, internet service providers start
advertising short, nine-month contracts intended to keep you online for a typical
academic year.
If you’re planning on staying in your accommodation throughout the calendar year,
then committing to a standard broadband deal for up to two years might make better
financial sense. For everyone else who goes home outside of term time, however, a
nine-month student broadband contract can help save money. It’s important to point
out that, although these student broadband deals do have a minimum term, if you
don’t cancel at the end of that period then you’ll carry on being billed for broadband
that you might not be using.
Unlimited vs truly unlimited
Confusingly, unlimited broadband doesn’t always mean what you might expect. Most
broadband packages advertised as unlimited actually do impose controls on how much
data you use. Checking the small print in your chosen contract should reveal if your
internet service provider operates a “traffic management” policy. This means that,
depending on how heavily you use your connection, the provider could slow down
your optimum speed for a pre-determined period.
This is usually triggered if you download a lot of data, or take part in activities that
they classify as low priority (online gaming or file sharing are two good examples).
To avoid data limits or traffic management controls, you should try and find a truly
unlimited deal. This will increase the likelihood that you’re getting exactly that:
unlimited broadband access with the fastest speed possible.