To get the most out of what the internet offers today, the keen surfer needs broadband in their life. With cable broadband surfers have the capability to enjoy all that high speed internet connectivity has to offer, whether its downloading music or movies, playing the latest online games, experiencing interactive websites in all their glory or even just browsing news or current affairs at instant load-up speeds.

What is cable broadband - what can you do with it?

Cable broadband is the natural successor to dial-up internet access. It is the technology that ensures that every household really can be connected to the information super highway at super fast speeds. As the name suggests, broadband allows for large amounts of information to be transmitted along fibre optic cables because it offers wide bandwidth capabilities.

With cable broadband surfers no longer have to wait to load up their favourite internet sites, access is instantaneous. And broadband technology has revolutionised our internet outlook. Music and movie downloads no longer take half a day, they are available in minutes and high speed broadband makes online shopping a reality.

With broadband the sky really is the limit and the globe really has become a village. With cable broadband we have access to almost all we could want in our own front room. It has spawned a completely new market place, allowing us to shop until we drop without going out of our front door. It has allowed us to gather knowledge at the touch of a button, to speak to friends, family and business colleagues around the world as if they were in the same room. It has allowed us to communicate more effectively. It has opened our eyes to a new, closer, interactive world.

Who offers cable broadband services?

Cable broadband is big business in the UK. It doesn't take much to convince us that broadband is a must have service, so with so many willing customers out there, there are many many providers competing for our business.


Unlike the digital TV sector, where there are only a few real players, there are literally hundreds of broadband providers to choose from in the UK. All the major media outfits are represented. From the world of TV both Sky and Virgin offer broadband services. From the telecomms sector, BT, Tiscali and AOL are active in the UK broadband sector. And from the mobile phone arena O2, Orange and Talk Talk (Carphone Warehouse) all also offer broadband products. But there are many more as well. Some limited to specific geographical areas, some rolled out on a national scale.

What does it cost? (choose your broadband speed)

Cost varies depending on connection speed, limitation caps and other criteria of use selected by the customer. Typically, broadband in the UK costs between £10 and £20 per month for a standard service. However, those looking for a low cost service can go to Talk Talk for a deal costing under £6 per month, while at the other end of the scale, for around £50 per month the really serious internet surfer can catch just about all the big waves they like.

In fact when checking out prices it is important to know what you want and need. If you want the internet for casual surfing you don't need massive download capacity. However, if you want to regularly purchase and download movies and games from the internet, you will require a high speed broadband ability.

In terms of the headline figures, download 'speeds' are quoted in megabites, although this actually refers to the bandwidth available for transmitting data. The larger the bandwidth, the more information can be passed at one time. Most broadband providers now offer at least 2Mb download speed, with the best mainstream broadband provider's download speed coming in at around 8Mb. However, the serious serial internet user can go to specialist heavy use broadband providers that offer up to 24Mb of download capacity.

Input your postcode into our search facility to get a list of the best broadband deals in your area. Whatever your most important criteria, whether it's price, accessibility, download speed or other, our search facility can find the best deals for your broadband needs.