words of wisdom please!

reallyjustme

Just moving into my first house and trying to work out what I NEED (while still keeping costs to a minimum! - home 'start up costs' are frightening!) Things that I need to take into consideration include....

1. I need broad band (but with low user - surfing not down loading) which should ideally be wireless. At the moment this is supplied free by the mobile phone company (and was added several months after I had sorted out my phone tarif so it really is free) and could come with me if I have a landline (still free and plenty for my needs)
2. I make all my phone calls on my mobile and i'm very happy with that deal, so I don't think I need a land line to make calls.
3. I watch very little tv but what I do watch I tape (on an old fashioned video recorder!) and watch later( I work shifts so I'm never in when the good stuff is on.
4. I don't watch sports and would be quite happy just keeping my 5 channels but I realise this digital thing is about to happen so I WILL end up having to change something!

What I have found out so far and questions this info has prompted!:

1. The property is supplied by virgin at the moment down a cable....... does this mean ANYONE could supply me down the cable (apart from my broadband via the mobile thingy!). IE should I be looking at NTL, SKY etc?
2. BT want to charge 130 pounds to connect me - do they have a deal coming up soon?
3. Virgin can do what I want for 25pounds a month but I can only record the channel I'm watching (would be better if I can record a different programme cos it's murphys law that on the one night I am in there's a fab film on the other side too)
4. Virgin will let me tape lots of stuff if I pay them 30 pounds a month plus 99pounds set up - this seems very expensive. Is there a cheaper way round?

Any help would be hugely appreciated - as you can see I just don't have a clue! PLEASE HELP!
Thanks

reallyjustme

thanks for that - can't find the other threads at the moment........all abit new to me - will keep looking for them.