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Can I get a cheaper phone and broadband package?

Our expert says...

Dear Valerie, it certainly sounds like you’re paying too much for your calls and broadband, especially considering your very low usage. Switching to another provider, for your phone or your broadband, or both, would definitely help reduce your bills.

Here are some suggestions to help you save money on your services:

Cheapest home phone deals

At present, the cheapest line rental and calls package is with Primus. This is the Primus Home Phone Saver deal, which costs £7.99 a month and is available exclusively via Homephonechoices.co.uk. It gives you unlimited evening and weekend calls as well as line rental, all for one low monthly cost.

You will have to pay by monthly direct debit and agree to paperless billing, but as you already do this with BT, it shouldn’t be a problem. Take a look at the table below for more information about Primus:

Video: Get the cheapest UK landline deal

Cheapest broadband deals

By signing up to the UK’s cheapest line rental deal, you will be able to reduce some of your costs. But you should also look at switching your broadband to a cheaper deal too, if you want to make real savings.

Plusnet has the cheapest broadband-only package. This costs £6.49 a month and gives you speeds of up to 20Mb, as well as a 10GB download limit - which is perfect for casual surfing, emailing and doing online research. For more information, read our Plusnet provider guide on Broadbandchoices.co.uk.

Before switching however, check with BT and your broadband provider that you are not locked into any contracts - switching providers before the contract is up could result in you being hit with a hefty cancellation charge.

Virgin Media home phone packages

You mentioned that Virgin Media (www.virginmedia.com) is available in your area. It may be worth switching to Virgin Media’s cable landline service, but you should be aware that you may have to pay a charge to have its services installed - or you may be able to take advantage of a free connection offer.

The cheapest package from Virgin Media costs £19.25 a month, plus £13.90 monthly line rental. This includes free weekend calls, 10Mb broadband and 65 cable TV channels. Have a look at the table below to see if a cable phone line is the right option for you:

I hope this helps Valerie - compare package prices before switching, and look at installation costs too. Entering your postcode in the comparison tool on Homephonechoices.co.uk will help you find the best deal for your home.

Ask us a question

If you have a general switching or provider query please email us at ourexpert@homephonechoices.co.uk