How much will it cost?
How much will it cost to connect to broadband?
The cost of your broadband connection will depend on theInternet Service Provider you choose and which plan you select with that ISP. The costs that you may incur are:
- a one-off connection fee,
- the cost of any hardware or software you need to purchase,
- an installation charge (this may be included in the connection fee),
- a monthly access fee,
- a fee for downloading data,
- a cancellation fee should you choose to terminate your contract prematurely,
- domain name registration,
- web hosting,
- email services.
The monthly access fee could take one of the following forms:
- A base fee giving you untimed access and a download allowance, plus a charge per megabyte to download additional data over that limit. Sometimes the download limit will be broken down into the maximum amount of data that can be downloaded at peak and non-peak times.
- A base fee with unlimited downloads, but a charge for every megabyte of data downloaded.
Typically the higher the download allowance and the higher the speed of the connection, the higher the monthly access fee. Internet service providers will usually offer several different plans at different prices and with varying download limits and speeds.
There is a wide range in the prices charged by ISPs. Visit www.broadbandxchange.org/abb/c01p055.htm for an indication of what you might expect to pay for various types of plans, based on offers currently being made by ISPs. Be aware, though, that ISPs offer special deals from time to time, so this information should be used as a guide only.
eSecurity and the Internet
NOIE has developed a guide to eSecurity for small businesses entitled Trusting the Internet. Talk to your broadband provider about e-security.
