If you have been with your Internet provider for a long time, you can usually save by switching. But which technologies and tariffs are suitable and how fast should the broadband connection be?
The long-standing customer is rewarded for his loyalty. Anyone who believes in it will also be disappointed with the Internet contract. Because the conditions for new customers are usually simply better. The only way to do that is to change providers. But what is important when it comes to a broadband Internet connection at home?
Check availability first
If you are looking for a new Internet provider for your home, you must first check availability. Consumers can do this on the websites of the respective providers. Urs Mansmann from the trade magazine “c’t” recommends checking the availability of the providers with the largest networks, ie Telekom and Vodafone, to get an initial overview.
What types of Internet connection are there?
In Germany, DSL is most widespread, using the copper cables of the old telephone networks. The bandwidth depends, among other things, on the DSL standard: With ADSL2+ it is 16 megabits per second (Mbit/s) and can reach up to 250 Mbit/s with VDSL with super vectoring technology, says Mansmann. One Map Telekom shows the DSL expansion.
Internet via TV cable is also widespread. Depending on the tariff, data rates of up to 1000 Mbit/s (1 gigabit) are possible. However, cable is a shared medium, which means that several households have to share the bandwidth. The full 1000 Mbit/s are therefore usually not achievable. Fiber optic connections are also often an option: “25 percent of households are now connected to the fiber optic network, and the number is expected to increase rapidly over the next few years,” says Mansmann. Fiber optics are also available in Germany with data rates of up to 1 Gbit/s.
Those who live in the city almost always have at least one of the four options DSL, cable, fiber optics or mobile Internet available for their home. That’s not always the case in the country.
In such cases, you can assert your right to fast Internet access at the Federal Network Agency. In case of doubt, the authority then obliges a provider to provide a connection at the relevant location at least 10 Mbit/s in the download. The upload must be at least 1.7 Mbit/s and the response time (latency) must not exceed 150 milliseconds. There is no claim to a specific technique. And it can last more than a year.
If you don’t want to wait, you still have satellite Internet as an option. Mansmann advises that it is best to choose a provider with near-earth satellites in low earth orbit (LEO). Because the much higher flying geostationary satellites only offer comparatively sluggish internet connections.
How fast should the internet connection be?
And how fast should the internet be at home? It depends on. “For single people, a connection with 50 Mbit/s is sufficient, a family of four gets by with 100 Mbit/s,” says Mansmann. However, more bandwidth means more convenience.
It is important to compare different tariffs carefully. Because the costs of the tariffs can be opaque at first glance. For example, when providers advertise a reduced price that only applies to the first few months.
As a rule, the price for a DSL, cable or fiber optic connection with 100 Mbit/s is around 40 euros per month. If you want a meaningful comparison, you should add up the monthly costs and possible payments for the change or for devices and deduct possible discounts.
Read Next: How Much Internet Speed Do I Really Need?
This must be taken into account when changing providers
The Bremen consumer advice center recommends concluding the new contract several weeks before the end of the notice period for the old contract. The new provider should be commissioned to terminate the old contract. In this way, the old and the new provider can take care of a seamless transition of the connection, including porting the number or numbers.
The new telecommunications law, which has been in force since December 2021, makes the change of provider easier and safer for consumers. If there are problems during or after the change, for example if the Internet is not working or is slower than agreed, customers can request price reductions or submit a special notice.
In addition, the effects of a missed termination date for a contract are no longer so dramatic: consumers can terminate a contract that has been tacitly renewed after the minimum term has expired at any time with one month’s notice.