Choosing an operator
The choice of broadband operator is entirely up to you. However, when reviewing the results of the callcosts.ie price comparison, you should also take into account other factors other than price which, depending on your individual needs, may be of importance to you. Some of these factors are listed below. For more advice on these and other broadband issues you can the broadband service provider or you may wish to visit
www.askcomreg.ie- Availability
- Contract
- Billing and Payment options
- Customer Service and Technical Support
- Additional Services
- Consider the total cost
Availability
The broadband service provider will be able to confirm if you can avail of their broadband plan. Availability is influenced by a range of factors including distance from the telephone exchange and telephone line quality or line of sight for wireless broadband services. Callcosts will indicate if a particular broadband service is generally available in your county and you can then click on the ‘Check Operator Site’ button to check availability at your address.Contract
When signing up to a broadband service you generally commit for a minimum contract period. Its important to check what the contractual commitment is before signing up and always check your existing contractual obligation before switching tariff plans or switching service providers as penalties may apply if you exit your contract early. You should also check what your responsibilities are in respect of any broadband equipment such as routers/modems, aerials etc. as these may need to be returned.Billing and Payment options
You should check with your operator what payment options are offered and if additional charges apply if for instance, you want to pay by cash or if you want to receive a paper bill. You should also check whether there are any discounts if you choose to pay by direct debit.Customer Service and Technical Support
When availing of a broadband service you should check what customer service commitments are offered and also what type of technical support is offered. You should note that technical support services may not be available on an operators customer service number. Most service providers have dedicated technical support numbers and the cost of calling these services can vary from free to local/national rate calls to premium rate technical support. This may be an important factor to consider for many people especially those who have never used broadband previously who may have a number of queries when setting up the broadband service.Additional Services
You may be interested in other services such as parental control, antiviral software, webspace etc so check if these are available and what charges, if any, apply for additional services that you intend to use.Consider the total cost
As outlined above broadband service providers may offer additional services such as TV or telephony so you may wish to consider the aggregate cost of these services. If you are considering the combined cost of home phone and broadband you may wish to use the combined services calculator on this website.