Enthrone

Virgin Media led the way in the introduction of fast fibre broadband to the UK. The likes of BT, Sky and TalkTalk now offer competing services, but Virgin Fibre is still the fastest you can get.

After using TechRadar's postcode tool to see if Virgin is available where you live, you can check our comparison table to discover how much you'll need to pay for Virgin broadband, phone and TV packages. We'll get you the very best broadband deal for your home – prices just came down to less than £30 thanks to Virgin's new VIVID 50 plan.

See also: Broadband deals | BT broadband deals | Sky broadband deals | Fibre broadband deals

Virgin Media broadband only deals

Virgin Fibre's USP is its super fast broadband speeds. Using only cables there's no such thing as cheap Virgin Media broadband, but even its least expensive broadband only plan gives speeds of up 50Mb – that's faster than anything that the likes of Sky and Plusnet can offer, and you may see it cheaper still around Black Friday 2017.

VIVID 50 fibre broadband
Thanks to its dazzling speeds and independent cabling, Virgin Media's broadband has traditionally been more expensive than its competitors. But the newly launched VIVID 50 tariff now brings the monthly price down under £30 per month. Considering you'll be getting 50Mb speed (equivalent to 6.25MB per second), that's a very nice price.

VIVID 100 fibre broadband
No longer the cheapest Virgin fibre deal on the block, you'll need to pay over £30 to get Virgin's second lowest broadband tariff. But you're unlikely to feel too shortchanged with the connection speeds. The 100Mb claimed speed translates to 12.5 MB per second – you shouldn't be frustrated with any buffering, even when a few of you are streaming content at the same time.

VIVID 200 fibre broadband
As Virgin proudly points out, VIVID 200 more than doubles the maximum speed supplied by BT Infinity and Sky Fibre's fastest speed. The ultrafast 200Mb speed is a good fit if you stream 4K films and if there are 10 or so devices connected at once. And like all of Virgin's broadband offerings, it's completely unlimited – you can download and stream as much as you wish. 

VIVID 200 Gamer
There's more than just the 'boss-level broadband' tagline that should appeal to gamers about this fibre package. Pay an extra fiver from the standard VIVID 200 to bag up to 20Mb upload speeds – handy for online gaming. And you don't have to worry about online traffic management that can slow you down at peak times.

VIVID 300 fibre broadband
Home broadband speeds in the UK don't come faster than those provided by Virgin's VIVID 300 fibre plan, and no other provider comes anywhere even close. It costs almost £50 a month, but you get speeds of up to 37.5MB per second. That's extremely rapid.

How much is a Virgin Media bundle with broadband and TV?

To entice you in, Virgin has some broadband and TV bundles with an attractive price tag for the first year:

Player bundle Virgin's basic bundle adds 70+ TV channels, weekend calls, Sky On Demand and a brand new 500GB TiVo box to the VIVID 100 broadband plan – and for the first 12 months it won't cost you a penny more. It rises to £45 a month after the first year.

Mix bundle The Mix bundle more than doubles the amount of channels you get with the Player bundle, adding the likes of Sky 1, Sky Sports News and  Sky Living. Plus, you get upgraded to the Virgin TV V6 box, which allows you to record up to six channels at once until you fill the 1TB storage.

Fun bundle An extra tenner a month adds a bunch of children's channels to the Mix. As well as Nickelodeon channels and Cartoon Network, you get Discovery, too.

Full House bundle If you're happy to part with more than £50 a month for your broadband and TV, Virgin's Full House bundle combines the VIVID 200 fibre broadband package with more than 245 TV channels. There's good news for sports fans – the extra channels include BT Sport 1, 2 and 3. And there are included box sets if drama's more your thing.

VIP bundle With the VIP bundle Virgin rolls out the red carpet. As well as premium TV channels such as all the Sky Sports and Sky Cinema offerings, Virgin also throws in a second Virgin TV V6 box. That means you can record up to 12 channels at once with 2TB of storage – enough for around 1,000 hours of TV. Ideal for large families.

Can I get a phone line with Virgin Media broadband?

You can indeed – and the good news is that you can keep the phone number you previously had with your BT phone line.

The starting cost is roughly the same as a Virgin broadband only plan for the first 12 months, and then goes up after the first year. That includes unlimited weekend calls to landlines and numbers on Virgin Mobile.

After that, you can start adding extra talk time to your plan. An extra pound a month gets you Talk More Weekends, which adds all UK mobiles to your allowance. Talk More Evenings and Weekends allows calls to any UK number after 7pm on weekday evenings, while Talk More Anytime for £8 a month more gives you as many calls as you like at any time of day.

Got friends or family abroad? £15 extra a month allows calls to 30 international locations – including Australia, Canada and the USA – as part of the Talk More International Anytime plan.

Do I have to pay anything up front for Virgin broadband?

Yes, but not a lot. No matter which Virgin Media broadband package you choose, you'll have to pay a one-off £20 activation fee.

How long will my Virgin Media contract be?

The standard Virgin broadband contract is for 12 months, after which your monthly price may be subject to change.

But if you're a commitment-phobe, you can choose to go on a flexible 30 day rolling contract instead. The only downside is that you have to pay £65 upfront for the privilege.

How do I contact the Virgin Media helpline?

You can call 0345-4545-1111 to speak to one of Virgin's customer advisers, or 150 from a Virgin phone. But that's only between 8am and 10pm – outside of those times you'll have to rely on the company's online support pages.

Read More…

Sky used to be known best for its TV service, but now its just as synonymous with home broadband internet. Sky broadband is one of the most popular providers in the UK. Whether you want broadband only, or a package of Sky TV and broadband, we'll help you find your way to the best broadband deal.

Our postcode checker above will tell you whether the faster Sky Fibre is available in your area. Right now is a great time to buy, with some Black Friday-esque savings – including a £75 pre-paid Mastercard with all plans. And keep scrolling down the page to discover more information about Sky broadband.

See also: Broadband deals | BT broadband deals | Virgin broadband deals | Fibre broadband deals

Sky broadband plans compared – what broadband speed can I get with Sky?

Even before you start thinking about whether you want to add Sky TV or mobile to your internet package, you'll need to decide what speed and data usage best suits your household. Consider whether you want to crank up the speed – and price – with a fibre broadband package.

Sky Broadband Unlimited

If you simply want basic broadband for checking your emails and using the web, then Sky's entry-level Broadband Unlimited deal is one of the cheapest on the market. With download speeds of up to 17Mb (that's around 2.1MB per second) it may struggle a little with streaming, especially if there are lots of devices trying to use it at once. Sky Broadband Unlimited includes:

• Up to 17Mb speed
• Sky Hub router
• Unlimited data usage
• Sky Broadband Shield and McAfee security trial

Sky Fibre

You can potentially more than double your speeds by going for Sky Fibre – that's assuming fibre optic broadband is available on your road. But be warned…you're limited to use only 25GB of data per month. So you'll have to be careful to ration the amount of box sets you stream and music you download. Sky Fibre includes:

• Up to 38Mb speed
• Sky Hub router
• 25GB per month data limit
• Sky Broadband Shield and McAfee security trial

 Sky Fibre Unlimited

The name's a bit of a giveaway. Take the Sky Fibre package and make the data usage unlimited. It's quite a big jump in price and you'll be tied into an 18 month contract, but if you've got a data hungry household that are all simultaneously downloading, streaming and browsing, you'll be glad of the extra speed. Sky Fibre Unlimited includes:

• Up to 38Mb speed
• Sky Hub router
• Unlimited data usage
• Sky Broadband Shield and McAfee security trial

 Sky Fibre Max

This is the daddy of the Sky broadband family. The provider cranks up the speed to up to 76Mb, which could give download speeds of roughly 9.5MB per second. Rapid. Plus it throws in the more powerful Sky Q Hub instead of the regular router. Sky Fibre Max includes:

• Up to 76Mb speed
• Sky Q Hub router
• Unlimited data usage
• Sky Broadband Shield and McAfee security trial

Can I add any Sky TV packages deals?

When you sign up for Sky broadband, the sales pitch for Sky TV quickly follows. Each comes with a Sky Q box, which lets you record up to 1TB worth of programming – that's around 500 hours – and you can choose from the following bundles:

Original Sky's most affordable TV bundle throws in more than 270 channels, including Sky Atlantic, Sky 1 and Sky Living.

Variety If there are kids in the household, an extra tenner bags thousands of on-demand episodes of children's TV.  It takes the channel count to over the 300 mark, with documentary stations like Discovery and National Geographic, as well as two Eurosport channels.

Box Sets If you spend your evenings binging on box sets, Sky's priciest starter bundle gives you immediate access to more than 350. That's on top of the 350 channels you'll get.

Once you've chosen your starter bundle, you can begin adding more bespoke services. If you want Sky Sports, you'll be looking at almost an extra £30, while the suite of Sky Cinema channels is around £20. 

What Sky Hub router will I get?

Depending on what Sky broadband plan you go for, you'll be sent one of two different routers (a £9.95 delivery charge will be added to your upfront costs):

Sky Hub The standard wireless Sky Hub router should be good enough to provide a sufficient signal to the household. But it may not quite have the oomph to support a strong signal to every corner of larger houses.

Sky Q Hub It may be a little bit chunkier than the ordinary Sky Hub, but that translates into a more powerful router. If you're desperate for fast downloads, it connect to 5GHz channels and it has the capacity to connect 64 laptops, tablets, phones and other devices. If you're hankering for the Sky Q Hub but aren't intending to go for Sky Fibre Max, you can pay extra to upgrade.

How long will my Sky broadband contract last?

If you go for Sky's most affordable Broadband Unlimited plan, you'll get a one year contract. With all of the Fibre packages, you'll be tied into an 18 month commitment to Sky. You may not wish to be tied into a contract that long, but at least you'll know what you'll be paying for longer.

Sky Talk – do I get a Sky phone line?

The price you pay for Sky Broadband also includes Sky Line Rental, which lets you retain your existing home phone number.

You can pay an extra premium for a Sky Talk allowance – for example, Sky Talk Evenings and Weekends allows unlimited  calls during those windows (evenings are defined as 7pm-7am), Sky Talk Anytime Extra for as many calls as you wish to UK landlines at any time and Sky Talk International Extra if you have friends or family living overseas.

Do I get Sky email?

If you want it, you'll be assigned with a Sky Yahoo! Mail account. You can access this email account on any computer, smartphone or tablet – not just your home PC or laptop.

What is Sky WiFi?

As a Sky broadband customer, you'll get access to unlimited usage of Sky's wi-fi hotspots that are dotted around the UK. You can connect up to six devices to the thousands of hotspot locations, which include popular coffee and restaurant chains.

What is Sky Broadband Shield?

Access to Sky Broadband Shield is included with every internet plan and adds a layer of security to your online life at home. As well as seeking out malware and phishing scam attempts, the Shield includes parental controls so you can make sure your children aren't landing on websites they shouldn't.

For even greater protection, a subscription to Sky broadband also includes a free trial to McAfee Internet Security Suite. But it's well worth checking out our pick of the best antivirus software on the market before you commit to that.

Sky broadband help and the Switch Squad

There's a multitude of online guides, help and support on the Sky website, but you can call Sky Help as well to discuss your broadband on 0330-041-4376.

If you're having difficulty switching to Sky broadband, the company has a dedicated so-called Switch Squad to get you transferred over from your current broadband provider.

To transfer to Sky Broadband now, you can order online at the Sky Shop.

Read More…

All of the major players on the telecommunications scene now offer broadband, TV and phone package deals. But if you don't use a home phone and are happy with the standard TV channels, a home broadband only contract is all you'll need.

Use our postcode checker above to filter down the broadband deals available to you and whether you can go for superfast fibre broadband. Then use our comparison chart to home in on the perfect package – they all include a phone line, so you don't have to worry about getting one separately. And keep scrolling if you want some in-depth information about broadband plans and the broadband only plans offered by BT, Sky, Virgin Media, TalkTalk and others.

See also: Broadband deals | BT broadband deals | Sky broadband deals | Virgin Broadband deals | Fibre broadband deals

Cheapest broadband only deal this month

Sky Broadband Unlimited | 12 months | Up to 17Mb | Line rental inc. | No TV | £19.95 upfront | £18.99pm
BT-owned Plusnet had been leading the way for a while when it comes to the lowest broadband pricing – it was £17.99 a month back in May. But that's now come to an end, leaving Sky to take the title. This tariff is the very cheapest way that you can get home broadband – and now you even get a £75 pre-paid Mastercard with it as well! Total cost over 12 months is £247.83

View this deal at Sky broadband

What broadband speed do I need?

If you simply want broadband for the cheapest price possible, you'll need to go for a standard ADSL connection. When you compare the prices of the cheapest standard speeds and unlimited superfast fibre, you'll see that you can save more than a fiver a month.

But if you're in the habit of streaming TV and films from the internet, or have lots of people in your household all online at once, then it pays to upgrade to fibre optic to allay annoying lags and slow webpage loading times. Broadband speeds are represented in megabits per second, or Mb – the greater the Mb, the faster the broadband speed (although your actual day-to-day speed will vary depending where you live).

0-25Mb It's not an acronym you see so much these days, but ADSL broadband is now the entry-level connection you can get for your home. With speeds up to 17Mb – just over 2MB per second – it's perfectly fine for small households who want to surf the web, handle their emails and stream non-4k catch-up TV.

25-50Mb Fibre broadband speeds start at up to 38Mb, so more than double what you get with standard ADSL. It's the sweet spot between fast speeds and good value and just the ticket for a family household where four or five members are all streaming, downloading and surfing at once.

50+Mb If you want to stream uninterrupted 4K Ultra HD content from Netflix or Amazon Instant Video, then it's well worth going for superfast internet. The same goes if you know that loads of people will be using your router simultaneously. BT Infinity deals, for example, start at up to 52Mb. While only Virgin Media broadband can offer 100Mb and over – that's an incredible 12.5MB per second.

Fibre broadband checker – can I get fibre broadband?

If you've read our advice above but are wondering whether fibre broadband is actually available in your area (it can currently be accessed by around 90% of UK households), then wonder no longer! Head to the top of this page, bash in your postcode and if you see fibre broadband deals on the list, then you're all good.

What contract length should I go for?

Broadband providers can deal in 12, 18 or 24-month contracts, with some providers giving you the choice. If you've got commitment issues or aren't sure how long you'll be at your property, then it's worth bagging one year deal. While getting an 18 month or two year deal often means that your price is guaranteed for longer.

If you need even greater flexibility, some companies offer 30 day contracts as well. Take Virgin for example. But bear in mind that they tend to charge higher set-up fees for the privilege.

Will I have to pay anything upfront for broadband?

There are only a few exceptions to the rule that you'll have to pay at least a little something immediately when you sign-up for broadband. The best case scenario is that it's just to cover the cost of delivering the router, but some providers also charge a set-up or activation fee to get you connected.

But if you head to our comparison charge above and use the filter on the left, you'll see that some providers don't charge a penny up front. This varies from time-to-time, with companies such as BT, TalkTalk and Plusnet running limited-time promotions where they remove these fees completely. So fingers crossed…

Can I get a phone line and TV channels with my broadband?

If you're curious how much a combined broadband, phone and TV package might cost, you can use our filters in the comparison chart above to tailor the best broadband plan for you and your household. There are hundreds of combinations, allowing you to cherry pick the amount and type of TV channels you get or when you can make calls. So our table will take the pain out of choosing.

BT broadband only deals and speeds

BT Unlimited Broadband | Up to 17Mb
BT is still the most popular broadband provider in the UK. You get the Home Hub 4 with its standard internet, as well as a Reward Card that you can spend anywhere Mastercard is accepted (the amount varies from week-to-week, so check our comparison chart for more details).

BT Unlimited Infinity | 52Mb-76Mb
Infinity is the name BT gives to its fibre optic broadband service. Infinity 1 gives speeds of up to 52Mb (around 6.5 MB per second download speed), which is faster than most other companies' entry-level fibre. Upgrade to Infinity 2 and crank the speed up to 76Mb. With both, you get the rangey BT Smart Hub router and a more bountiful Reward Card.

View and compare BT Broadband only deals

Sky broadband only deals and speeds

Sky Broadband Unlimited | Up to 17Mb
Sky Broadband Unlimited is one of the most competitively priced broadband plans on the market. Unlike the other Sky broadband packages that tie you in to 18 month contracts, Sky Broadband Unlimited is 12 months only.

Sky Fibre | 38Mb-76Mb
Opting for Sky Fibre is the cheapest way to get superfast broadband at 38Mb. But beware – if you go for its cheapest deal, you'll be limited to using, downloading and streaming up to 25GB of data per month. Pay more for Sky Fibre Unlimited, or extra still for Sky Fibre Max giving you up to 76Mb speed (around 9.5MB per second) and a Sky Q Hub router.

View and compare Sky Broadband only deals

Virgin broadband only deals and speeds

Virgin VIVID fibre broadband | 50Mb-300Mb
Thanks to the new VIVID 50 package, you can now get Virgin Media's cheapest cable internet package for less than £30. But pay over £30 a month and you start to get some simply extraordinary speeds. Choose from 100Mb (12.5MB per second), 200Mb (25MB per second) or 300Mb (a jaw-dropping 37.5MB per second).

You can also choose VIVID 200 Gamer, which has better upload speeds and surpasses online traffic management to give you full speed even at peak times. Perfect for uninterrupted gaming.

View and compare Virgin broadband only deals

TalkTalk broadband only deals and speeds

TalkTalk Fast Broadband | Up to 17Mb
Don't let the name fool you, TalkTalk's fast broadband offers only standard ADSL 17Mb speed. You can choose between 12, 18 and 24 month contract terms, with a lower monthly premium if you choose a year-and-a-half.

TalkTalk Faster Fibre | Up to 38Mb-76Mb
TalkTalk's fibre optic broadband plans are some of the cheapest around. And with its maximum speed of around 9.5MB per second, you can pay extra for Speed Boost and a Super Router – the TalkTalk broadband plan to go for if you have a multitude of data-hungry folk in your home.

View and compare TalkTalk broadband deals

Plusnet broadband deals and speeds

Plusnet Unlimited | Up to 17Mb
Plusnet is owned by BT, but its prices are usually quite a lot cheaper than BT internet and Infinity. In fact, we often find that Plusnet has the cheapest broadband only prices in the UK.

Plusnet Unlimited Fibre | 38Mb-76Mb
You can choose between Unlimited Fibre and Unlimited Fibre Extra, where the latter gives you Plusnet's fastest speeds. Either way, you'll get unlimited usage, 365 days a year support and a Plusnet Hub One router delivered to your door for free.

View and compare Plusnet broadband deals

Vodafone broadband deals and speeds

Vodafone Standard Broadband 17 | Up to 17Mb
Better known for its mobile phone deals, Vodafone is an averagely priced broadband provider. Unless that is, you already have a phone contract through the network – in which case you'll get a reduction on your broadband.

Vodafone Unlimited Fibre | 38Mb-76Mb
Unlimited Fibre 38 or Unlimited Fibre 76 – there are no prizes for guessing what the numbers stand for in Vodafone's two fibre optic broadband plans.

View and compare Vodafone broadband deals

SSE broadband deals and speeds

SSE Everyday Broadband | Up to 17Mb
Already one of the 'Big Six' energy companies, SSE is offering cheap prices on broadband – which makes a change from its day job as one of the big six energy firms. There are special offers to be had if you use SSE as your energy supplier.

SSE Superfast Fibre Broadband | Up to 38Mb
You'll have to go elsewhere if you need the very fastest broadband speeds, as SSE doesn't have a 72Mb option. As with Everyday, SSE energy customers will see an automatic £25 credit on their next bill and there's a 25% saving to be made on an additional landline phone package.

View and compare SSE Broadband deals

John Lewis broadband deals and speeds

John Lewis Unlimited | Up to 17Mb
John Lewis is a tried and trusted retailer, and now it's dipping its toe into the already crowded broadband market. But it has a lot going for it – there's no activation fee at all, and even the cheapest ADSL package includes a phone line and evening and weekend calls.

John Lewis Fibre | 38Mb-76Mb
John Lewis has two superfast fibre plans to choose from, and both give you unlimited use and free set-up. Fibre is the retailer's 38Mb tariff and Fibre Extra accelerates things up to 76Mb.

View and compare John Lewis Broadband deals

Post Office broadband deals and speeds

Post Office Unlimited Broadband | Up to 17Mb
Yet another name that you'll be more used to seeing in other contexts, and another internet provider giving weekend and evening calls. The Post Office tends to offer some of the cheapest broadband deals around.

Post Office Fibre Unlimited Broadband | 38Mb-76Mb
Yep, you guessed it – 38Mb and 76Mb fibre optic broadband are the two options available from the post office, with the latter called Unlimited Fibre Broadband Plus. Unlike its ADSL prices though, superfast broadband from the Post Office is on the dear side.

View and compare Post Office Broadband deals

Read More…

BT is one of the first names you think of when choosing a broadband provider and its range of packages is varied. If you want BT internet, you can narrow down the best deals above – enter your postcode and we'll do the rest.

We've found all of the cheapest prices currently on offer for standard speed internet and BT Infinity fibre broadband – just pop in your postcode above and we'll do the rest. And if you want more than just broadband, we'll show you the best phone and television deals, too. Down the page, we'll answer some commonly asked questions about BT internet.

See also: Broadband deals | Sky broadband deals | Virgin broadband deals | Fibre broadband deals

BT broadband packages compared – which is the best for me?

All BT broadband deals now feature unlimited data allowances. So the main choice you'll face with BT is what speed to go for. Standard ADSL broadband gives speeds of up to 17Mb which will probably give you a max download speed of around 2MB per second. Upgrade to BT Infinity – the company's fibre optic offering – and you can choose between 52Mb and a super fast 76Mb.

After that, you can pay more to add home phone options and a TV subscription – although you may find some package bargains around Black Friday time. The latter includes a YouView box and access to the BT TV package of your choice – more on which below.

BT Unlimited Broadband
BT's most affordable broadband offer gives up to 17Mb speed – that's just over 2MB per second. That should still be plenty fast enough to let you browse the web, stream music and watch interruption-free catch-up TV. But it may struggle to cope with larger households all using the internet at once. BT Unlimited Broadband includes:

• Up to 17Mb speed
• BT Home Hub 4 router
• 100GB of BT cloud storage
• BT Virus Protect for two devices

BT Unlimited Infinity 1
If fibre broadband is available where you live and you have a few extra pounds to spare a month, we'd recommend cranking up the speed to BT's least expensive Infinity deal. At 52Mb (roughly 6.5MB/s), it's got the legs to seamlessly deliver HD video and fast downloads, even when there are a few of you using it. BT Unlimited Infinity 1 includes:

• Up to 52Mb speed
• BT Smart Hub
• 100GB of BT cloud storage
• BT Virus Protect for two devices

BT Unlimited Infinity 2
If you demand extremely fast downloads and stream 4K films and TV, then BT's fastest broadband (76Mb) is well worth considering – especially if you've got a bustling household all trying to log in at once. It's pricey, but BT sweetens the deal with some added extras. BT Unlimited Infinity 2 includes:

• Up to 76Mb speed
• BT Smart Hub
• 500GB of BT cloud storage
• BT Virus Protect for 15 devices

What BT router will I get?

BT throws in a router for free (although you'll have to pay for the delivery). The quality of router you receive will depend on the package you choose. 

BT Home Hub Go for standard BT Unlimited Broadband and you'll get the basic Home Hub 4. You've probably seen it sneakily peering at you from around corners in the homes of umpteen friends and families, although its dimensions are sleek enough that you should be able to stow it somewhere subtle without too much trouble. As well as wi-fi, you can also connect to it via an ethernet cable. It's perfectly functional, but doesn't have the same strength as the…

BT Smart Hub Pay £65 extra or upgrade to BT Infinity and you'll receive the more powerful Smart Hub. BT claims that it gives out the UK's most powerful wi-fi signal among the routers sent out by other major providers. Handy if you live in a big house or like to use your phone or laptop out in the garden.

Alternatively, you can stick with your existing router. But unless you've shelled out a lot for your current model, you're probably better off swallowing the delivery charge and using the BT Home Hub or Smart Hub. That way, if anything goes wrong, you'll be able to use their tech support.

How long will the contract be?

Take BT broadband, and you'll be tied into a 12 month contract. After that, your monthly cost will go up by around a tenner. To encourage you to hang around, you can't use your BT router with any other broadband provider so you'll need to pay for a new one when you move on.

Are there any BT broadband AND TV deals?

There are three TV packages that you can add to your BT internet package, but you'll need to sign up for 12 months:

Starter Until 31st July, BT is chucking in its Starter TV package – which includes 80 channels and BT Sport for free, together with BT's entry-level YouView box. But that's all set to change from 1st August when it'll go up to £3.50 per month.

Entertainment Plus You can splash out an extra £8 a month for BT's Entertainment Plus package. This includes 110 channels and a YouView+ box to record up to 300 hours.

Total Entertainment If you're totally addicted to films and box sets, then it may be worth spending £15 a month on Total Entertainment. This is a must if you have a 4K TV, as BT throws in its YouView+ Ultra HD box. It can record 600 hours of video to help you keep abreast of the 141 channels it gives you access to.

What about BT Sport?

It's good news for football fans – whatever broadband deal you choose, you'll get BT Sport absolutely free until 31st July. From August 1st, BT Sport is included with the Starter and Total Entertainment BT TV packages. If you want Entertainment Plus and BT Sport, then the price rises to £11.50 per month.

Can I make calls from a landline?

You can indeed. No matter which BT broadband package you opt for, you get a landline phone number with unlimited weekend calls to other UK landlines. If you prefer nattering in the evening, an extra £3.80 a month adds unlimited landline calls between 7pm and 7am. While £8.99 per month lets you make as many landline calls as you want at any time of the day. You'll be covered by free BT Call Protect as well, which will help to halt nuisance calls.

Can I add BT Mobile?

To goad you into bringing all your devices over to BT, it's offering £5 a month off your monthly mobile phone tariff. BT Mobile has deals on all the biggest and newest handsets, including iPhones and Samsung Galaxys. In particular, that makes BT pretty competitive when it comes to SIM only deals.

What is BT cloud storage?

If you find yourself running out of storage space on your phone, tablet or laptop or want to back up your files, BT has its own cloud storage solution. With BT Unlimited Broadband and Infinity 1, you'll get 100GB – that's enough room for around 25,000 songs, 140 films or 100,000 photos. It's 500GB if you go for Infinity 2, which should be sufficient to store the music and photo collections of you and your family.

What is BT Virus Protect?

All BT broadband packages include BT's internet security tool, BT Virus Protect. As well as promising to vanquish viruses, it features BT Web Protect to flag phishing scams, BT Parental Controls to help you limit the websites your children can see and True Key for easy management of your passwords. As well as your main computer, you can apply BT Virus Protect to one other laptop, phone or tablet if you go for Broadband Unlimited or Infinity 1. While Infinity 2 lets you protect up to 15 devices. We still think you should get dedicated internet security however – check out our pick of the best antivirus software.

What's a BT wi-fi hotspot?

BT has dotted five million wi-fi hotspots around the UK and 18 million around the globe. As a BT Broadband customer, you'll have access to every one of them. So if you're on your laptop in a cafe or checking maps on your phone and see that BT Wi-fi is available, you can jump on for free.

Are there any other perks to getting BT broadband?

As well as the discounted mobile tariffs and cut price BT Sport, BT is luring in new customers with a BT Reward Card. This online exclusive means you can claim a prepaid Mastercard cash card if you sign up to BT Broadband.

The sum on the Reward Card changes regularly, but is usually in excess of £50 –
and sometimes as much as £125. The amount on the card is always more with one of the BT Infinity packages.

Is BT broadband any good?

BT relies a lot on its enduring reputation as the most recognisable name in telecommunications, and it remains the most widely used broadband provider in the UK. But that doesn't necessarily equate to quality. Although it can offer competitive prices and bespoke internet, phone and TV packages, it often sits at the bottom of the list when it comes to customer satisfaction surveys.

How to use the BT broadband checker?

Much like our postcode checker above, BT has its own broadband checker. Pop in your address and phone number and it will let you know what speeds you can expect with BT internet and whether its Infinity broadband is available in your area. If fibre isn't yet available, you can sign up to BT's mailing list so that they'll give you a shout when the cables have been installed.

How do I contact the BT broadband helpline?

If you need help with your broadband or set-up, BT doesn't exactly make it easy for you to speak to them on the phone. It seems to prefer for you to go through its online support. But if you're determined to speak to a human, there is a 24/7 number available. Dial 0800-111-4567 if you're using a landline in the UK, 0330-123-4567 from your mobile or +44179-359-6931 if you're out of the country.

Read More…

The Samsung Galaxy Note 8 may be just over a month away with a new rumor suggesting the company is ready to launch the phone on August 23.

A new report from Korean site The Bell cites unnamed industry sources who claim that Samsung is set to organize a Galaxy Unpacked event in New York towards the end of the month.

That said, there are various reports at the moment claiming different announcement dates for the Note 8. 

When will it launch?

Twitter leaker @evleaks claims to have heard the phone will be announced at the end of September. Another report from The Bell earlier this week suggested the Note 8 may come out in mid-September, which comes from a part supplier for Samsung.

Right now it's currently unclear when the Galaxy Note 8 will exactly launch, but most sources agree that Samsung will be pushing ahead with the phone sooner rather than later so August or September both look likely.

No matter what, it looks like Samsung will be launching its new phablet quite near to the iPhone 8 so it may be tough to make the decision between Samsung  and Apple's new phones.

• Everything we know so far about the Samsung Galaxy Note 8

Read More…

Update: Legendary Pokemon haven't appeared in Pokemon Go just yet but a recent sighting in the Indian iTunes store for the iOS version of the game suggests that a sighting is imminent. 

Posted on Reddit, the ad for the game that appeared in iTunes mentions not only the one year anniversary Pikachu that's still available to catch, but also the very first legendary Pokemon. 

It would make sense to introduce legendary Pokemon to the game now as it's celebrating its first anniversary. To celebrate there's already a special edition Pikachu that's wearing Ash's iconic hat from the anime series for players to catch until July 24. 

In addition to this a new item is being added to the in-game store for a discounted price. Called the Anniversary Box it contains Incubators, Max Revives, Ultra Balls and a Raid Pass.

Read on to find out more about the big new feature update that came to the game earlier this month. 

Original article continues below…

Pokémon Go has been out for a long time now, and while the app has progressed a lot in this time – just remember how unstable the servers when it launched – there's still lots more work to be done.

Some of these features are ones that developer Niantic spoke about prior to the release of the game, while others have been promised since the game's release.

Without further ado, here's our guide to every new update rumors as well as the tweaks promised by Niantic so far. 

• Pokémon Go tips and tricks: how to get better at the game
• How to fix the biggest problems with Pokémon Go
• Pokémon Gone: how Pokémon Go can bring back lapsed trainers

Latest Pokemon Go update

Just as we approach one year since the launch of Pokémon Go, Niantic has announced a huge new update to the game that will start rolling out from June 19. 

These changes are undoubtedly the biggest the game has had in a long time and they should have a positive impact by adding variety to the gameplay and more of a reason to compete in Gyms.

Gym changes

Gyms are being overhauled, new items are being added and a brand new cooperative group gameplay feature called Raid Battles is being introduced in the coming weeks.

Gyms have been changed up to encourage players to engage with them more often, adding a spinnable Photo Discs like the ones currently at Pokéstops which will distribute unique items and Gym Badges.

Gym Badges will serve as mementos but you’ll also be able to level them up through further interactions with Gyms which will earn you unique opportunities to receive bonus items.

Gyms will also now have six permanent slots that can be filled by the controlling team’s Pokémon and teams looking to take over the Gym for themselves will battle these six Pokémon in the order they’ve been assigned to the Gym. Each slot must now be filled by a different Pokémon (no double Digletts, please). 

A big problem with Gyms in Pokémon Go is that players would often dump powerful Pokémon there and never return to check on them. A new motivation system is changing that. Now, when a Pokémon is defending a Gym they’ll lose motivation over time and their Combat Power will temporarily decrease, making them even more easy to defeat. Trainers from the Gym’s ruling team will need to take time feed the Pokémon defending their Gym berries in order to maintain their motivation. 

Raid Battles

The biggest new feature is Raid Battles which aims to bring a more cooperative and social dynamic to gameplay. When it’s introduced in a few weeks, players will be able to team up with others near them and work together to defeat powerful Pokémon known as Raid Bosses. 

Raid Battles are timed in-game events that’ll be located at Gyms. When they’re happening, the Gym will be unavailable and a large egg will appear on top of it with a timer. When the timer reaches zero, the Raid Boss will be revealed. Players from all teams will be able to join together to defeat the Raid Boss, earn new items or even catch the Raid Boss.

To get involved, you’ll need a Raid Pass and you can get one of these for free each day by visiting a Gym, though they can also be purchased.

Players will also be able to form private raid groups with their friends using a customized code system. 

After defeating a Raid Boss you’ll get rewards, some of which are exclusive, including Rare Candies, Golden Razz Berries and two Technical Machines (Fast and Charged).

The changes to Gyms will start being rolled out worldwide today (with Gyms being temporarily disabled to do so) and players will see Raid Battles introduced to the game in the coming weeks. 

Pokémon Go update rumors: what we may see next

The expansion into generation 2 Johto region Pokémon was the first of three major updates planned for this year according to Niantic CEO John Hanke. 

During a keynote at Mobile World Congress in Barcelona, Hanke said there would be three "major" updates to the game later in 2017, though he didn't reveal exactly what they'll be.

Here's what we've previously heard about updates to Pokémon Go that Hanke may be referring to.

Trading

Trading was a key component in the original games, but it's remained absent from Pokémon Go despite repeated assurances that the feature is on its way.

In the beta, trading was a local-only affair, meaning that you couldn't trade with players over the internet, and Niantic has now confirmed that will be the case for when it starts in the core game.

Tatsuo Nomura, senior product manager at Niantic told Polygon trading "won't be "through the internet" when it launches.

We can't wait for trading to make its way into the game. It always feels like a bit of a waste transferring rare Pokémon just because they're a duplicate, and it'll be great being able to put them to use.

Player-vs-player battling

Another feature that's been rumored for some time is battling between players.

As it currently stands the only battling functionality in the game is between players and opposing gyms, but since before the game's release Niantic has been promising that PvP battling is coming and CEO John Hanke has confirmed it's in the works.

Legendary monsters

It was confirmed by the Niantic CEO John Hanke that the company plans to bring the legendary Pokémon to the game by the end of 2017.

A more exact date than that wasn't given, but recent datamining through the game's latest update has led fans to believe we could see them Pokemon like Moltres, Articuno, Zapados, Mew and MewTwo appear very soon. 

The Silph Road group on Reddit has trawled through the game's latest update code and found references to legendary Pokemon. What they've found suggests that the Pokemon will be able to be encountered during the new Raid Battles and players will need a Legendary-class Raid Battle ticket to take part in the battle. 

Of course, this is all conjecture and we can't be sure if this is how Legendary Pokemon will be involved with the game when they do appear. However, at the very least we know they're on the horizon. 

• Pokémon Go: Legendary monsters are coming by the end of the year

Commercial partnerships

When Pokémon Go was at the height of its popularity, commercial locations which happened to also be  PokéStops or gyms sometimes found an increase in the number of customers they were attracting. At the very least they had something that would draw them in. 

It was no surprise, then, when rumors emerged that Niantic was considering teaming up with McDonalds that would see the fast food companies many chains become PokeLocations in which customers would be able to access exclusive in-app content. 

This rumor hasn't actually come to anything, but recently leaked internal memos are pointing to another partnership, this time between Niantic and Starbucks. 

The memos, which were intended for Starbucks employees only, suggest that the partnership will see the majority of US Starbucks branches become either  PokéStops  or Gyms and that when players are in a Starbucks location they'll have the chance to unlock a limited edition  Pokémon Go-themed Frappucino. Though even customers who haven't unlocked the beverage in the game will still be able to buy it.

The leaked memo states that the promotion is due to begin on December 8 and Starbucks' expectation is that it'll encourage more customers to visit and "increase number of transactions."

The most interesting part of the memo, though, is that it states this partnership will see the introduction of a brand new  Pokémon into the game. There's no information on what this  Pokémon will be or whether it will only spawn in Starbucks locations so speculation is rife. 

It does feel slightly off that a game that claimed its intention was to encourage people to explore cultural locations where they live is now trying to draw them into corporate locations instead. However, it's early to judge and only time will tell how these commercial partnerships will play out and whether or not they'll be good for the player. 

• Want more Pokémon Go? Check out our Pokémon Go tips and tricks guide.

Want to buy yourself a Pokémon Go Plus wearable? Check some of today's best deals down below.

Read More…

It may not be Amazon Prime Day 2017 anymore, but deals are still available in the US from the online, even well after the stroke of midnight.

You can still find Amazon discounts on 4KTVs from big-name manufacturers like TCL, Sony, Samsung and LG. Here, we've given you seven deals we recommend.

So if you missed the 30-hour Amazon Prime Day 2017 marathon and want to save money on the list price of top gadgets, check below for an updated list.

TV deals for Wednesday, July 12

1. TCL 55-inch 4KTV at $449

The 55-inch TCL 55S405 4K Roku TV at $449 was the cheapest and most popular 4K TV during Amazon Prime Day 2017, and there's good reason: it's a very likeable set thanks to its cheap price and clean Roku software interface. it's one of our favorites.

• See this Sony 4KTV deal on Amazon

2. Sony 43-inch at $743

The 43-inch Sony 4KTV HDR XBR-43X800E is $743 gives you a Ultra HD picture that's now well below the usual $1,000 mark. It's now one of the cheapest Sony 4K televisions we can find with specs like HDR and Smart TV features.

• See the TCL 55-inch 4K TV deal on Amazon

3. LG OLED 4K TV at $700 off

If you're looking for the best of the best in terms of 4K TV deals, then you should look into this 65-inch LG OLED65C7P 4K OLED TV at that's $700 off in the post-Amazon Prime Day era we live in. It's still expensive, but 16% cheaper than when it first launched.

• See this LG 4K OLED deal on Amazon

4. 65-inch Sony 4K TV at 25% off

You can still save 25% on a 65-inch Sony XBR65X850E 4K LED TV and get an instant $500 off of this very big and very HDR-capable television set. The original launch price was $1,999.99, so it's a nice discount while it lasts.

• See the 65-inch Sony 4K LED TV deal

5. 55-inch Sony 4K LED at $200 off

Take off even more money with the "smaller" 55-inch Sony XBR55X900E 4K LED TV at $200 off the original list price. Amazon is giving you a nice 13% price drop to join the 4K revolution. 

• See the 55-inch Sony 4K LED TV

6. 65-inch Samsung Curved 4K TV

You can save big money if you skip the OLED revolution and stick with the tried-and-true LED set. The 65-inch Samsung UN65MU6500 Curved 4K LED TV is $1,231.92 today and currently in stock.

• See this Samsung 4K Curved TV deal on Amazon

7. 55-inch Samsung 4K TV

Even cheaper is the 55-inch Samsung UN55MU7000 4K TV that's now $202 off. No it's not a curved TV and it currently ships in a week or so, but it's way better than paying the original price of $1,099.99.

• See the Samsung 55-inch LEDTV deal on Amazon

Read More…

Dell has unleashed a pair of new hybrid laptops in the Latitude range, with a thin-and-light notebook that boasts wireless charging, alongside a fresh 13-inch spin on its 360-degree convertible which Dell has previously claimed to have the best battery life ever seen in a 2-in-1.

So let’s start with the Latitude 7285 12-inch convertible notebook, initially revealed at CES back at the start of the year. Dell notes that this is a premium tablet with a detachable keyboard, and claims it’s the thinnest and lightest commercial 2-in-1 running Windows.

Furthermore, it’s the first hybrid to use wireless charging courtesy of WiTricity’s magnetic resonance technology. Cable-free juicing up the laptop is accomplished via a charging mat and there’s also a WiGig wireless dock (accessories which are sold separately).

Dell’s Latitude 7285 is available now, with the base model starting at $1,200 (£925) and boasting an Intel Core i5-7Y54 processor, along with 8GB of RAM and a 128GB SSD. The charging mat will set you back $200 (£155), and you can also get a companion wireless charging keyboard for $380 (£295).

Greater Latitude

The other addition to the range is the Dell Latitude 7389 convertible, which is a new take on the Latitude 5289, delivering all the same goodies as the latter, but with a 13-inch display (as opposed to a 12-inch).

So just like its sibling, the 7389 has a 360-degree hinge that allows for it to be used in tent, stand or tablet modes (or as a normal notebook, of course), and a rather storming claimed battery life of up to 17 hours. The 2-in-1 also has a Full HD touch-capable Gorilla Glass display which is non-reflective and smudge resistant, plus it supports Dell’s stylus (the active pen).

The Latitude 7389 will be launched in August, with the exact price still to be confirmed. For reference, the current Latitude 5289 starts at $900 (£695).

All of these Latitude laptops boast security features that will make business users very happy, including TPM 2.0, ControlVault (isolated credential authentication) with FIPS 140-2 Level 3 certification, not to mention Dell’s Client Command Suite for easier device management.

• We’ve picked out the best business Ultrabooks and 2-in-1s

Read More…

As Reliance Jio’s Dhan Dhana Dhan offer comes to an end, the company now with more than 112 million Indian subscribers is looking for ways to retain its customer base. In doing so, the newest entrant in the telecom industry of the country has revamped its earlier offers and launched some new ones. Reliance Jio has unveiled a new Rs 399 plan along with revamping it's older Rs 309 plan. Along with this, the company has also released a new Every Day More Value (EDMV) plans which will give users 20 percent more value than competitors.

A Reliance Jio user on recharging with Rs 399 will get 84GB of data for 84 days at 1GB per day data cap. Along with this, as the company had promised earlier, all calls and SMSs on Jio network will be free of cost.

The Rs 309 plan which users had subscribed to back in April has now been modified a little bit. The plan now comes with a lesser validity and data limit. If a user opts for the Rs 309 plan, they will get 56GB of data for two months at 1GB data cap per day.

Along with this, Reliance Jio has also changed the validity and data limit on its Rs 509 plan which came with a 3-month validity earlier. Now, users recharging with Rs 509 will get 2GB of data per day until 56 days.

Reliance Jio has also introduced a plan of Rs 349 which gives 20 GB of data to users for 56 days without any daily limit. A Rs 999 plan will also provide 90GB of data to users for 90 days.

These plans will be applicable to new as well as old Reliance Jio subscribers.

• Amazon Prime Day 2017: 10 best smartphone deals on Amazon Prime Day

Read More…

Moto has freshly unveiled the Moto E4 and the E4 Plus in India touting budget hardware. The Moto E4 Plus is the elder sibling, which comes with a bigger display and a massive 5,000mAh battery under the hood. 

Just like it's predecessors the Moto E4 and E4 Plus are company's entry level smartphones. Both the devices ship with Android Nougat 7.1.1 out-of-the-box and the E4 Plus also has support for Google Assistant. For the first time, Moto has gone all metal with the E series of smartphones. 

One of the exciting features of the two devices is that they feature a front facing LED flash, thus ensuring that you never have to take a dimly lit selfie again. Both phones have an oleophobic coating on the display along with Corning’s Gorilla Glass 3 for added durability. The two smartphones come with fingerprint scanners as well. 

The omission of the USB Type-C port is a bit surprising though. On the plus side, this means that customers with older micro USB cables won’t face compatibility issues with the device.

The company is yet to offer information on the Indian launch, but we expect the phone to reach retailer shelves fairly soon. Pricing details haven’t been shared either.

The Moto E4 comes with a 5-inch HD (1280×720) display panel. Runs on quad-core 1.3 GHz MediaTek MT6737M processor with 2GB of RAM and 16GB of internal storage expandable up to 16GB via microSD card. 

On the rear it has an 8MP sensor with f/2.2 aperture and a 5MP front facing camera. It runs on Android 7.1.1 Nougat and has a 2800 mAh battery to juice it up. The dual SIM 4G smartphone measures 144.7 x 72.3 x 9.3mm and weighs 151 grams. 

On the other hand, the Moto E4 Plus has a bigger 5.5-inch HD (1280×720) display. Under the hood, it runs Quad-core 1.3 GHz Mediatek MT6737M chipset coupled with 3GB of RAM and 16GB of expandable storage via microSD card. 

On the camera front it has a 13MP sensor with f/2.0 rear aperture and a 5MP front camera. Like its sibling, it also runs on Android 7.1.1 Nougat and has a huge 5000mAh battery to keep it alive the whole day. It supports dual SIM, measures 155 x 77.5 x 9.6mm and weighs 198 grams.

Price and availability

The Moto E4 is priced at Rs 8,999 and the E4 Plus will be selling for Rs 9,999. While the E4 is be offline exclusive from today onwards, the E4 Plus will go on sale exclusively on Flipkart starting tonight at 11:59PM. 

• Moto E4 and Moto E4 Plus announced with metal bodies and low prices

Read More…