O2 Broadband

The basics

Not everybody wants to spend all day downloading movies or music, and if you're just looking for a simple and effective broadband package for web browsing, O2 is well worth a look. You will have to be an O2 mobile customer to benefit from the cheapest deal, but it could save you lots of money in the long run.

The good

If you're an O2 mobile customer, you'll be eligible for O2's The Basics broadband package. It comes with a contract of 12 months, so you won't be able to opt out in the short term, but it comes with a price tag of just £8.50.

Your £8.50 won't get you an unlimited connection – as with more expensive rivals – but you will get a generous 20GB per month allowance. This is more than enough for checking Facebook or the Gadget Show each day, and even downloading the odd movie.

The bad

Unfortunately, although 20GB is fine for everyday use, if you enjoy streaming media content you'd be better suited to an unlimited contract. With TV programmes, films and YouTube clips all adding up, it's all too easy to shoot over the 20GB quota.

The bottom line

There's nothing special about the O2 Basics broadband package, but it is affordable. If you're already an O2 customer, and feel value for money is more important than ultimate download quotas, it could be the package for you.