Aside from beers, books and plenty of baked beans, broadband is one of the most important things in student life. Whilst all students will need a broadband connection, the type of connection that you choose to take, will depend on a number of factors.
When you compare broadband providers you'll need to consider several factors:
The number of users is the first thing to consider. Simply, how many people will be using the connection?
If it's just one or two, then you won't need to worry about the quality of the connection too much (depending on what you'll be using it for! - see below). If however there will be more people using the connection at one time (three or more), then you will need to bear in mind the quality of the connection - to ensure that you'll be able to use it for what you need without any problems.
What will your connection be used for? This is another important question that you'll need to ask yourself before choosing a broadband connection.
Architecture and graphic design students - for example - will surely need to upload large files, whereas sorts students may just needs access to webpages and email, which won't require a large download allowance. Either way, you'll need to decide firstly, how <em>much</em> bandwitch you'll need, and secondly, how fast a connection you will need.
Finally, and possibly most importantly, you'll need to work out - how long will you need the connection for? Answering this question will enable you to decide what length of contract you will need. If you already know that there will be nobody using your connection during the summer holidays (July - October), then a shorter contract will save you money. If you're going to be there all year round, then you may find a better broadband deal by taking a contract for an entire year.
