Get clued up with the broadband lingo

Download speed refers to the general speed of your internet connection - how long pages and images take to load, for example. Most deals advertise speeds of up to 20 or 40MB because many factors, such as distance from the exchange, faults in the telephone line or computer or bad weather, affect the speed of any internet line. If you think that you can get by on 20MB, you will not need to pay a more expensive fee for 40MB. The fibre-optic BT Infinity offers speeds of up to 100MB in certain areas of the country, but it is rare for a household to need speeds that fast unless they have to share the broadband among seven or eight family members.

Data usage allowance is the amount of data you are allowed to download per month while online - this does not refer solely to actually downloading data such as files and songs, but can simply mean data used in order to watch BBC iPlayer or talk on Skype. Keep an eye on the amount of data you are using, as you may incur charges if you exceed it.

The different BT Broadband Packages come with free calls at certain times - evenings, weekends or any time - depending on the deal. As landlines are included free with the packages as standard, all you have to do is decide whether the amount of free calls you can make matters to you.

BT internet is not restricted to sitting on the computer at home - you can also take advantage of its services when you’re out and about on your phone, tablet or laptop with Wi-Fi minutes. BT operate a network of wireless hotspots called the BT Openzone, with three million dotted around the UK at hotels, restaurants, pubs and other public places. An additional 400,000 hotspots are located around the world - simply search for the BT Openzone option on your device and enter your password to connect. Certain amounts of Wi-Fi minutes are included as part of all the BT internet packages online.

As we have seen, there is a lot to consider when choosing your broadband deal - assess the feature is most important to you, find the deal which offers the best version of it and work from there. The more fully you understand the different terms and features that are on offer, the more likely you are to choose the best deal first time.