What to consider before U sign up for home fibre

FireIce SG

5 things to consider before you sign up for a home fibre broadband plan

There are so many home fibre broadband bundle packages in the market that it can be confusing for homeowners to pick the plan that best suits them. That’s in addition to the many technical terms being used, like ‘Gbps’ and ‘Wireless-AC,’ which add further to the confusion.

If you’re on the lookout for a new broadband plan, here are five things we’d recommend you think about to streamline your options before you sign up for a preferred plan.

We suggest you consider the services you actually use and identify the ones you don’t. For example, if you always use your mobile phone these days to make calls, you might not need the home line that comes with a broadband bundle.

If you watch movies online most of the time, then you probably won’t miss the cable TV bundle. If you already have an advanced high-speed router, you might not need the one that comes free with the bundle either.

By considering what you need and don’t need, you can get the broadband plan that’s just right for you, and as a result, pay only for what you need and not more. Of course, if you do need some of those services, it makes sense to see which bundle can give you the most mileage.

But which broadband connection speed should you sign up for? We suggest a 1Gbps plan, which is usually more than enough for most households today.

But why? If you’re on a slower plan, it might not be enough to handle the increased demand for data and speeds today. Also, don't forget that you may not be the only person in the house who needs to use the internet to fulfill all their work/play needs.

For example, video streaming resolution is steadily increasing from Full HD (1080p) to 4K to embrace high-res screens being sold today. Website images/videos are being served at bigger sizes as phones, laptops, monitors and TV screens increase in resolution. Gamers need to reduce lag as they compete online, and you’ll need fast internet connections to avoid lag and dropped calls when voice or video calling using mobile/desktop apps.

Almost everyone now has a smartphone connected to the internet in the home, and more houses are installing IoT (Internet of Things) devices like IP cameras, wireless speakers, smart electric plugs and other connected devices, all of which need an internet connection.

But why not go for faster broadband plans? There are plans that offer speeds higher than 1Gbps, but why pay more for a connection that you may not fully utilize? Besides higher monthly costs, most regular users will hardly require those kinds of speeds, even for uses like 4K video streaming. That’s why a 1Gbps plan is the most value for money connection speed on the market today that caters to a typical modern family's needs.

A 24-month contract is pretty much a norm in the industry these days and that's fine for some users. But if you’re renting, or you might need to move in the near future, you’ll really appreciate a shorter 12-month contract that selected ISPs offer to give you maximum flexibility.

Bundled home broadband plans come with standard routers, but these routers may not be able to meet your needs completely.

A router can mean the difference between getting dead zones in the house and having laggy connections, even with the fastest broadband plan, or having complete coverage with fast and consistent speeds. That’s because the router is the device that’s serving the internet connection to the various devices in your house, and not all routers are built with the same technologies or capabilities.

Older Wireless 802.11b/g/n routers typically max out at 450Mbps throughput and can’t maximize the higher speeds that a 1Gbps connection provides. With a 1Gbps plan, you’ll want to get an Wireless 802.11ac router, also known as a "Wireless-AC" router, with concurrent dual bands broadcasting at 2.4GHz and 5GHz.

The 2.4GHz band ensures you get wider coverage through the house, while the 5GHz band ensures you get the fastest Wi-Fi speeds. 802.11ac routers support total speeds of up to 1,200Mbps, which match 1Gbps plans perfectly.

Before you commit to a broadband plan with a free router, be sure to check the router’s specs to make sure it suits your plan and usage needs. You can read more about this topic in our Networking Basics.

The biggest headache for home broadband users is for the internet to slow down and have no idea what’s going on. Troubleshooting the internet connection can be a real hassle, even for the tech savvy.

We’d suggest you look for a broadband provider that offers free set-up services, so you don’t have to worry about installation when you sign up. You should also ask about the after-sales service options should you encounter technical issues later.

Considering the above pointers mentioned, most home fibre broadband plans in Singapore come bundled with other services, and sometimes a free router, which homeowners may or may not use. They also usually require customers to sign up for a long two-year contract as well.

But a 'broadband-only' plan lets users sign up for just that - a fast internet connection. As a result, broadband-only plans cost less. They could also have shorter contracts for 12-month periods, which don’t tie users down for too long.

WhizComms currently offers the most affordable 1Gbps home fibre broadband-only plan in Singapore, it costs only S$32 per month for a 24-month plan or S$36 per month for a 12-month plan. The plans they offer are bundle-free, where you can easily customize your own routers and accessories to fit your needs at home.

Go to WhizComms.com.sg to find out more. WhizComms will also be running special promotions during the upcoming IT Show from 16th to 19th March, so stay tuned for more updates!