Beginner's broadband

Do you find broadband a bit confusing? Or are you looking to set up a basic, easy-to-use broadband connection for a friend or relation?

Below we have listed broadband packages for beginners. In each case, the broadband is easy to set up and the instructions are easy to understand. Each also represents tremendous value for those new to broadband.

Compare broadband suitable for beginners below.

If required, you can check your availability with our postcode checker.

Sort packages by: All packages Bestsellers		Speed	Downloads	Contract	Monthly cost
#1	O2 Broadband Standard Free wireless router. Discounted for all existing O2 customers More info…	up to 8Mb	Unlimited	12 months	£7.50 (£12.50 for non-O2 customers) Buy now »
2	TalkTalk Global Off-Peak Inclusive broadband & off-peak calls. Sign up on 0800 049 7864 More info…	up to 8Mb	40Gb	18 months	£3.25 (first 3 months, line rental £10.50) Buy now »
3	BT Option 1 Free wireless Home Hub & off-peak UK calls. Optional on-demand digital TV (BT Vision) More info…	up to 8Mb	10Gb	18 months	£7.95 (first 3 months) Buy now »
4	Virgin Media M Phone (Cable) Fibre optic broadband with free weekend calls, modem & PCguard More info…	up to 2Mb	Unlimited	12 months	£4.50 (landline £11) Buy now »
5	AOL Broadband Wireless Flexi Off-Peak Free wireless router & off-peak calls. No minimum contract. Sign up on 0800 049 1283 More info…	up to 8Mb	10Gb	1 month	£4.99 (first 3 months, price can vary on area) Buy now »
6	Be Unlimited Free wireless modem, static IP & technical support More info…	up to 24Mb	Unlimited	3 months	£18.00 Buy now »
7	Tiscali Option 1 Free wireless router, connection & weekend calls More info…	up to 8Mb	Unlimited	12 months	£4.49 (first 3 months) Buy now »
8	Virgin Media L Phone (Cable) Fibre optic broadband with free wireless router & weekend calls More info…	up to 10Mb	Unlimited	12 months	£8.00 (first 6 months, £11 line rental) Buy now »
9	O2 Broadband Premium Free wireless router. Discounted for all existing O2 customers More info…	up to 16Mb	Unlimited	12 months	£10.00 (£15 for non-O2 customers) Buy now »
10	PlusNet Option 1 Free modem, off-peak calls, VoIP & overnight usage More info…	up to 8Mb	2Gb	1 month	£9.99 (£9.99 line rental) Buy now »
More broadband deals...
11	Virgin Media M (Cable) Fibre optic broadband with a free modem & PCGuard. Landline not required More info…	up to 2Mb	Unlimited	12 months	£10.00 (first 6 months) Buy now »
12	AOL Broadband Wireless Off-Peak Free wireless router & off-peak calls. Sign up on 0800 049 1283 More info…	up to 8Mb	10Gb	18 months	£4.99 (for 3 months, price can vary on area) Buy now »
13	BT Option 2 Free wireless Home Hub 2.0 & off-peak UK calls. Optional BT Vision & free TV recorder More info…	up to 8Mb	15Gb	18 months	£13.99 (for 3 months) Buy now »
14	Tiscali Talk 1 Free line rental, wireless router & weekend calls More info…	up to 8Mb	Unlimited	12 months	£9.99 (first 3 months) Buy now »
15	Virgin Media L (Cable) Fibre optic broadband with free wireless router. Landline not required More info…	up to 10Mb	Unlimited	12 months	£17.00 (first 6 months) Buy now »
16	O2 Broadband Ultimate Free wireless router. Discounted for all existing O2 customers More info…	up to 20Mb	Unlimited	12 months	£15.00 (£20 for non-O2 customers) Buy now »
17	AOL Broadband Wireless (Free Laptop) Free laptop worth £500, wireless router & calls. Sign up on 0800 049 1283 More info…	up to 8Mb	40Gb	24 months	£19.99 (price can vary on area) Buy now »
18	BT Option 3 Free wireless Home Hub 2.0, Hub Phone & off-peak UK calls. Optional BT Vision & free TV recorder More info…	up to 8Mb	Unlimited	18 months	£15.99 (for 3 months) Buy now »
19	Virgin Media XL (Cable) Fibre optic broadband with free wireless router. Landline not required More info…	up to 20Mb	Unlimited	12 months	£29.00 Buy now »
20	TalkTalk UK Weekend Free weekend calls to UK landlines. Sign up on 0800 049 7864 More info…	up to 8Mb	40Gb	18 months	£4.99 (line rental £10.50) Buy now »
21	Tiscali Option 2 Free wireless router & free connection More info…	up to 8Mb	Unlimited	12 months	£6.49 (first 3 months) Buy now »
22	TalkTalk Global Anytime Inclusive broadband & calls. Sign up on 0800 049 7864 More info…	up to 8Mb	40Gb	18 months	£5.25 (first 3 months, line rental £10.50) Buy now »
23	Orange Home Starter Free off-peak landline calls & wireless modem More info…	up to 2Mb	6Gb	18 months	£6.00 (first 3 months) Buy now »
24	Virgin Media XL Phone (Cable) Fibre optic broadband with free wireless router & weekend calls More info…	up to 20Mb	Unlimited	12 months	£10.00 (first 6 months, £11 line rental) Buy now »
25	PlusNet Essential Free weekend calls to UK landlines & free set-up More info…	up to 8Mb	1Gb	12 months	£6.99 (£9.99 line rental) Buy now »
26	Be Value Free wireless modem & technical support More info…	up to 8Mb	Unlimited	12 months	£8.00 (for the rest of 2008) Buy now »
27	AOL Broadband Wireless Flexi Anytime Free wireless router & anytime calls. No minimum contract. Sign up on 0800 049 1283 More info…	up to 8Mb	10Gb	1 month	£4.99 (first 3 months, price can vary on area) Buy now »
28	Orange Home Max Free line rental, free calls, VoIP & wireless LiveBox modem More info…	up to 8Mb	Unlimited	18 months	£12.00 (first 3 months) Buy now »
29	AOL Broadband Wireless Anytime Free wireless router & unlimited calls. Sign up on 0800 049 1283 More info…	up to 8Mb	10Gb	18 months	£4.99 (first 3 months, price can vary on area) Buy now »
30	Sky - £16 Free wireless router, 1 TV mix, UK evening & weekend calls More info…	up to 2Mb	2Gb	12 months	£16.00 (plus £11 line rental) Buy now »
31	PlusNet Option 2 Free wireless router, off-peak calls & 120 minutes VoIP talk More info…	up to 8Mb	15Gb	1 month	£14.99 (£9.99 line rental) Buy now »
32	Virgin Media 3 for £16 (TV) Fibre optic broadband, 40+ TV channels, free weekend calls & wireless router More info…	up to 10Mb	Unlimited	12 months	£16.00 (landline £11) Buy now »
33	Madasafish Max Free connection, wireless kit & static IP More info…	up to 8Mb	5Gb	12 months	£9.99 (first 6 months) Buy now »
34	Sky Max Free wireless router & security suite More info…	up to 16Mb	Unlimited	12 months	£10.00 (existing Sky TV customers) Buy now »
35	Eclipse Home Lite Free to switch & free static IP More info…	up to 8Mb	2Gb	12 months	£9.95 (first 3 months) Buy now »
36	Be Pro Free wireless modem, static IP & technical support. Up to 2.5Mb upload More info…	up to 24Mb	Unlimited	3 months	£22.00 Buy now »
37	Tiscali Talk & TV 1 Free line rental, wireless router, weekend calls, set top box & TV variety pack with over 60 channels More info…	up to 8Mb	Unlimited	12 months	£15.99 (first 3 months) Buy now »
38	Tiscali Talk & TV 2 Free line rental, wireless router, weekend calls, set top box & TV variety pack with over 60 channels More info…	up to 8Mb	Unlimited	12 months	£19.99 (first 3 months) Buy now »
39	Eclipse Home Select Free router, setup & static IP More info…	up to 8Mb	10Gb	12 months	£17.95 Buy now »
40	Demon Home 8000 Free setup & modem More info…	up to 8Mb	Unlimited	12 months	£17.99 Buy now »
41	Sky Mid Free wireless router & free security suite More info…	up to 8Mb	40Gb	12 months	£5.00 (existing Sky TV customers) Buy now »
42	Eclipse Home Pro Free wireless router & static IP More info…	up to 8Mb	50Gb	12 months	£29.95 Buy now »
43	UK Online Lite 33:1 contention ratio & free email address More info…	up to 2Mb	Unlimited	12 months	£14.99 Buy now »
44	PlusNet Option 3 Free wireless router, off-peak calls & 240 minutes anytime VoIP talk More info…	up to 8Mb	30Gb	1 month	£19.99 (£9.99 line rental) Buy now »
45	Orange Home Select Free wireless modem, calls to UK landlines & 30 countries More info…	up to 8Mb	Unlimited	18 months	£10.00 (first 3 months) Buy now »
46	Madasafish Max Plus Free connection, wireless kit and static IP More info…	up to 8Mb	20Gb	12 months	£19.99 (first 6 months) Buy now »
47	Toucan Surf 2 Free weekend UK calls & modem More info…	up to 8Mb	Unlimited	12 months	£14.99 Buy now »
48	Namesco Bronze Free router. Extra bandwidth for a small fee More info…	up to 512Kb	1Gb	1 month	£10.95 Buy now »
49	DST Lite Broadband Free weekend calls & free USB modem More info…	up to 8Mb	5Gb	1 month	£9.95 Buy now »
50	Madasafish Max & Talk Free connection, wireless kit & static IP. Line rental & off-peak calls included More info…	up to 8Mb	5Gb	12 months	£19.98 (first 6 months) Buy now »
51	Demon HomeOffice 8000 Free setup, modem & static IP More info…	up to 8Mb	Unlimited	12 months	£22.99 Buy now »
52	Madasafish Max Premier Free connection, wireless kit and static IP More info…	up to 8Mb	50Gb	12 months	£25.99 (first 6 months) Buy now »
53	DST Family Broadband Free weekend calls & free 4 port router More info…	up to 8Mb	20Gb	1 month	£14.95 Buy now »
54	Tiscali Talk 2 Free line rental, wireless router & anytime calls More info…	up to 8Mb	Unlimited	12 months	£14.99 Buy now »
55	UK Online Pro 20:1 contention ratio & free connection More info…	up to 8Mb	Unlimited	12 months	£19.99 Buy now »
56	Sky - £21 Free wireless router, 6 TV mixes, UK evening & weekend calls More info…	up to 2Mb	2Gb	12 months	£21.00 Buy now »
57	UK Online Premier 20:1 contention ratio & free connection More info…	up to 16Mb	Unlimited	12 months	£24.99 Buy now »
58	Namesco Silver Free router & connection. Extra bandwidth for a small fee More info…	up to 2Mb	1Gb	1 month	£12.95 Buy now »
59	Toucan Surf 1 Free weekend UK calls and modem More info…	up to 512Kb	Unlimited	12 months	£13.99 Buy now »
60	Namesco Gold Free wireless router & connection. Extra bandwidth for a small fee More info…	up to 8Mb	1Gb	1 month	£14.95 Buy now »
61	Sky - 3 for £26 Free wireless router, Sky TV box & calls More info…	up to 8Mb	40Gb	12 months	£26.00 Buy now »
62	Namesco Platinum Free wireless router & connection. Extra bandwidth for a small fee More info…	up to 2Mb	1Gb	1 month	£19.95 Buy now »
63	Sky - £34 Free wireless router, 1 Entertainment & 1 Premium TV mix, UK evening & weekend calls More info…	up to 2Mb	2Gb	12 months	£34.00 Buy now »
64	Namesco Platinum+ Free wireless router & connection. Extra bandwidth for a small fee More info…	up to 8Mb	1Gb	1 month	£24.95 Buy now »
65	Virgin Media 2 for £25 (TV) Over 83 TV channels, free modem & PCGuard More info…	up to 2Mb	Unlimited	12 months	£25.00 Buy now »
66	Virgin Media 3 for £30 (TV) Free weekend calls, over 85 TV channels, modem & PCguard More info…	up to 2Mb	Unlimited	12 months	£30.00 Buy now »
67	Virgin Media 4 for £40 (TV) Mobile, home phone, broadband, modem, PCGuard & over 90 TV channels More info…	up to 2Mb	Unlimited	12 months	£40.00 Buy now »
68	Sky - £45 Free wireless router, 6 TV mixes, sports & movies, free off-peak calls More info…	up to 2Mb	2Gb	12 months	£45.00 Buy now »
69	DST Pro Broadband Free weekend calls & free wireless router More info…	up to 8Mb	40Gb	1 month	£24.95 Buy now »

Beginner's broadband explained

So you've used the internet a few times, have an email address (not entirely sure what it is) and think it's about time to sort out your broadband connection at home - sound about right?

What should you be looking out for?

Price - This one is pretty self-explanatory. As a basic user you should not be paying through the nose for your internet connection.

Speed - Though you may not notice the difference between 1 and 24Mb download speed at the moment, as you become more savvy this is something that you will recognise and appreciate. Generally anything up to 8Mb should suit your needs.

Reliability - When it comes to assessing the reliability of broadband providers, personal reccommendations are always worth listening to - speak to your family and friends.

Overall we believe that all of the major broadband providers now give a good broadband service, there are no obvious providers to avoid in our opinion. Your choice will come down to what you can afford, the type of broadband you want and the suitability of the deal available.

You have nothing to fear, by selecting one of the above packages- whichever seems most appealing, you will soon be up and running with easy to use broadband in your home.