THE average UK family is spending over £500 per year on digital TV, broadband and home phone services, which make up a significant proportion of household bills – according to a study by Simplifydigital.
But because the services are complicated and switching is seen to be tricky, many homes are not regularly reviewing the deals they are on, and are wasting big money as a result.
Research from impartial broadband, digital TV and home phone comparison service Simplifydigital shows that families can save an average of £360 pa by bundling their services with a single provider.
The research shows that the most extreme example was a family that saved over £2,000 pa on their TV, broadband and home phone bills by switching providers.
So here are the four easy steps to saving big money on your digital bills.
Step one: Use a comparison site with an availability checker to see which deals are available in your area today
Digital TV and broadband service availability varies hugely depending on your location and so too does broadband pricing. Remember, that headline cheap deals that you have seen advertised may not be available in your area. So, find a reliable comparison site with a postcode availability checker to see what new deals are available in your area.
Preferably, choose a comparison site with Ofcom’s accreditation for accuracy and comprehensiveness, such as ours at Simplifydigital.
Step two: Bundle your services – the more you bundle the more you save!
If you bundle the services from a single provider, you are highly likely to save – and the more services you bundle the more you save, as well as having the advantage of a single bill.
The three best bundle deals on offer are: bundling your mobile phone with your broadband service; bundling your broadband and home phone services; and lastly bundling your digital TV, broadband and home phone. The latter will deliver the biggest savings of all.
For example, O2 mobile phone customers can get a high quality broadband service for just £7.50 per month. Whilst if you want to bundle your broadband and home phone, TalkTalk offers a great family broadband service with free evening and weekend calls for just £6.99 per month.
But the biggest savings of all come from ‘triple play’ digital TV, broadband and home phone bundles. Sky and Virgin Media triples start from as little as £18 per month excluding line rental.
Step three: Clearly define what you need from your service before choosing a deal
Take into account all members of the family’s needs before choosing a deal. Be clear of your family’s needs in terms of: TV channel must-haves and nice-to-haves; high definition TV and PVRs (like Sky+); broadband speed; broadband usage limits; wireless versus a wired connection. Remember, most contracts are at least 12 months, so don’t switch and find that the cheap deal really is not right for you, as you will face a penalty to exit.
Step four: Check for special offers and cashback deals
Deals change all the time. January is a great time to buy as the market is very active. The majority of leading providers are currently offering introductory discounts, including Sky, Virgin Media, O2, TalkTalk and Orange.
In addition, some online sites offer attractive cashback deals on top, so check the specialist comparison sites like ours at Simplifydigital.
Bundle deals are quite complicated, so if you want some impartial advice over the phone Simplifydigital may be worth a try. They offer impartial advice via their London based experts over the phone (0800 1 388 388) or online at www.simplifydigital.co.uk.
About Simplifydigital:
Simplifydigital is the only retailer of digital TV, broadband and home phone services in the UK to be accredited by Ofcom as impartial and their experts are available to answer all your questions and explain the pros and cons of each package option. For anyone wanting to compare broadband, home phone services or digital TV online, no-one can make the process easier than Simplifydigital.
MEDIA RELEASE posted by Simplifydigital. You too can post media releases (aka press releases) on allmediascotland.com. For more information, email here.
Contact: Charlie Ponsonby
Phone: 020 3159 4071
Email: cponsonby@simplifydigital.co.uk
Website: http://www.simplifydigital.co.uk
