Price-comparison service uSwitch.com has found that many Brits are overpaying for their broadband despite prices being at their lowest-ever level.

The average price of a broadband connection is 36 per cent lower than it was in 2004, at £17 per month for an up-to 8Mbps package. Four years ago the average price for a 512Kbps connection was £27 per month.

However, nearly 5 million UK households are paying more than £20 per month, collectively wasting £162m a year, according to uSwitch.

Some ISPs have dropped their prices more than others - PlusNet, now owned by BT, was found to offer the cheapest 8Mbps deal at £10 per month, with Orange the most expensive at £20 per month.

Virgin Media's 2Mbps service costs £18 per month, a decrease of 64 per cent on the 2Mbps connection offered by Telewest back in 2003 at £50.

Steve Weller of uSwitch.com said: "With broadband both the cheapest and the fastest it's ever been, our love affair with the internet is set to reach great heights this year. We predict that prices will stabilise, but customers will be offered more for their money, with companies continuing to increase speeds."

Weller also praised ISPs offering 'unbundled' services for keeping the price of up-to-24Mbps offers low.

"Broadband providers such as Be, O2 and Sky already offer speeds above the 8Mb standard. Be offers broadband packages with speeds up to 24Mb for a monthly cost of £18, only 81p more expensive than the average price of 8Mb broadband," he said.

www.uswitch.com
www.plus.net
www.orange.co.uk
www.virginmedia.com
www.o2.co.uk
www.bethere.co.uk
www.sky.com

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