Recent announcements from Plusnet, Zen Internet and Orange have upped the broadband ante when it comes to line speeds, indicating that the benchmark is now a 20Mb internet connection.

The smaller broadband providers are racing to keep up with the likes of Orange broadband in a bid to win customers, offering speeds of up to 20Mb.

Michael Phillips, product director, Broadbandchoices.co.uk, believes this is “a clear indication that smaller broadband providers are not going to be muscled out by the big players when it comes to speed.”

But while this is a positive step for the broadband industry, ISPs (Internet Service Providers) should not forget the other aspects that constitute a good value broadband package. After all, a recent survey by Broadbandchoices found that 4,000 broadband users put connection reliability first, followed by speed and value for money.

“Customers are desperate for services that deliver across all areas – reliability; speed; price and customer service are all really important,” Mr Phillips said.

It is the smaller broadband providers such as Plusnet and Zen that regularly top the tables for customer satisfaction, while Orange languishes at the bottom, but the launch this week of Orange’s 20Mb service and a change of its pricing structure could turn the tables, he added.

While several ISPs have been offering 20Mb for some time, the influx of new providers bringing competitive deals to the market means there has never been a better time to compare broadband packages, Mr Phillips urged.

© Fair Investment Company Ltd