A good broadband and mobile deal? 23 July 2022 at 3:48PM in Broadband & internet access 14 replies 359 views

dllive

Hi all,

I dont have a landline. Ive paid off my phone and Im not in a contract for broadband. I live on my own so dont need a massively fast broadband speed.

Im currently paying £29 per month for mobile, and £40pm for my broadband, so I want to bring those costs down a lot! Should I get a combined 'broadband and mobile' package with Vodafone to save money?

I think I only need 60Mbs download speed and Mobile sim with 2GB data usage. No landline needed.

Does anyone have any advice on what package to get? Im hoping to get my costs down to £30 for both.

Thanks 

J_B

If you've "paid off your phone" then you don't need to be paying £29 pcm for mobile.

I'm amused that you say you don't need fast speeds and then say "only need 60Mbps" - we manage perfectly with 30!

Could you get a sim only contract that includes tethering and use that as your broadband?

littleboo

Plusnet are doing Unlimited Fibre for £22.99, with a £75 reward card, 18 month contract, so real cost £18.82. The MSE Lebara SIM only deal is £4.90, 3Gb, unlimited texts and UK minutes, 100 international minutes, but £1.99 for the 1st 6 months. So real cost £3.93 over 18 months. There are other options. As above, it doesn't sound as if you will need 60Mbps, not sure how you arrived at that figure.

dllive

Thanks so much guys.

Yes, Ive paid off the phone.

Im not sure what 'tethering' is. Ill google it.

TBH Im not sure what download speed I need. Perhaps you can suggest?: I live alone, would like to stream Netflix while using my phone to check emails etc... So perhaps I only need 40M0bps... or less? (Id like to have some spare capacity when friends come over and also want to use the internet).

Thanks

400ixl

I wouldn't be looking at getting broadband and mobile from the same company, in most cases you end up with a compromised deal rather than the best. You want to be using the mobile network that gives you the best coverage for where you would be using it, then look at all of the companies that use that network. Just be careful if you use banking apps as some of the cheap providers don't support some of the functionality needed for some of the authorisation now required.

Broadband wise, you probably don't need 60Mbps, and may not be able to get it anyway. Do a check on what your projected speed is, if it is under 36Mbps then there is no point in getting a faster connection than that. If it will support higher then look at the costs and decide whether it is worth you having faster.

You should really be able to at a minimum get good quality services for a combined £30pm for what you need. Cheaper even with offers like above.

J_B

dllive said:

Im not sure what 'tethering' is. Ill google it.

It's just using your mobile as your router ... so, only one bill to pay.

Connect your phone to internet as usual, then set it up to 'tether' and connect your other devices to it. As long as you can get fast enough internet. Can you run a speeedtest on your phone? Just go to fast.com for a quick test.

400ixl

Tethering a mobile for PC / Laptop use is good for occasional use but can be a real PITA if doing it all the time. Your phone needs good signal, will be drawing more power so much more time connected to a charger, devices need to be in wifi range of the phone all the time and you cannot leave a device connected to the internet if you go out and take your mobile with you.

If you get good 5G signals, then getting a 5G router and contract may be a good alternative to a traditional broadband supply though.

J_B

400ixl said:

............ and you cannot leave a device connected to the internet if you go out and take your mobile with you.

But the OP says they live on their own, so, not real issue with that.

flaneurs_lobster

J_B said:

400ixl said:

............ and you cannot leave a device connected to the internet if you go out and take your mobile with you.

But the OP says they live on their own, so, not real issue with that.

Tethering to a mobile is fine for a few hours. More than that will probably shaft the battery or worse if it's running hot. I've killed a phone and badly maimed a second doing this to replace a non-functioning internet connection. 

J_B

flaneurs_lobster said:

J_B said:

400ixl said:

............ and you cannot leave a device connected to the internet if you go out and take your mobile with you.

But the OP says they live on their own, so, not real issue with that.

Tethering to a mobile is fine for a few hours. More than that will probably shaft the battery or worse if it's running hot. I've killed a phone and badly maimed a second doing this to replace a non-functioning internet connection. 

It worked fine during my non-functioning internet times (all evenings for a few days)

BUFF

If the OP wants to stream Netflix (a lot?) then he'll presumably need a sim with high/unlimited data allowance.
Also, having both a mobile &  broadband gives you redundancy in the event that one goes down.