Lucy Brown

London

Deputy Production Editor at Inside Housing

Deputy Production Editor at Social Housing Magazine

Articles

Which broadband providers have UK based customer support?

1 month ago | choose.co.uk | Lucy Brown

Thanks to many service roles being bought back to the UK, most broadband providers now deliver their customer service from UK locations. This currently includes providers like BT, Plusnet, Community Fibre, Direct Save Telecom, Rebel Internet and Zen Internet. However, there are notable exceptions including Sky, TalkTalk, Vodafone, and Virgin Media who run at least some of their customer service centres offshore.
Sky Glass gen 2 TV Review 2025

1 month ago | choose.co.uk | Lucy Brown

Sky Glass bundles a Sky box, soundbar and QLED TV in one, and allows customers to stream live Sky TV and Freeview without the need for a satellite dish or TV aerial. Using the same platform as Sky Stream, customers can view over 140 live TV channels, including premium content from Sky Originals, Netflix and Discovery. Sky Glass is available in three sizes, across three colourways, and can be purchased outright or spread across a 24- or 48-month contract.
NOW Superfast Broadband Review 2025

2 months ago | choose.co.uk | Lucy Brown

NOW Broadband Superfast offers average download speeds of 61Mbps at peak times and provides a connection using part fibre technology. The biggest benefits of the plan lie in its value for money, coming in as one of the UK's cheapest broadband deals. Customers also get a Sky router and Sky's customer service. Availability for the plan is now declining however, as full fibre enabled areas are ceasing the sale of part fibre plans, so some customers will want to look at NOW Full Fibre 75 instead.
Netgem TV review: Is it worth it?

2 months ago | choose.co.uk | Lucy Brown

Netgem TV offers 235 live TV channels, including 120 in addition to Freeview, it also acts a smart TV box with support for a range of on-demand apps. Customers can add extra premium content from NOW, Netflix, Prime Video, Discovery+, and subscriptions via Amazon including Paramount+ and MGM. Netgem TV is now available exclusively in broadband and TV bundles from ISPs including Community Fibre, Brsk, and Connect Fibre. In this guide At a glance What does Netgem TV offer?
BT Parental Controls guide

2 months ago | choose.co.uk | Lucy Brown

BT broadband customers can use BT Parental Controls to activate one of three pre-set filter options, light, moderate, or strict, or customise content categories to suit their family. BT Parental Controls offer router-level protection from harmful content, so all devices connecting to the Internet via the wireless network will be protected. However, while it's possible to filter specific websites, there is no way to target specific apps on mobile devices.
BT Halo 3

2 months ago | choose.co.uk | Lucy Brown

BT Halo 3 and BT Halo 3+ offer BT broadband customers a range of extra features for an additional monthly fee. Customers can access home technical support, double mobile data, a price promise, and a mobile broadband backup service, as well as bundling Complete WiFi and Hybrid Connect in the plus version. BT Halo can be a valuable service for customers dependent on their home internet connection, but it's worth ensuring the services are really needed.
BT TV Box Pro

2 months ago | choose.co.uk | Lucy Brown

The BT TV Box Pro is provided for free with all BT TV packages and allows customers the unique ability to pause, rewind and record live content through NOW. Its best-selling feature is undoubtedly it's wireless connectivity, so customers no longer need to mess around with a wired setup for the first time. However, there are some drawbacks, with some on-demand apps missing and a recent withdrawal of recordable TV when used in Internet Mode.
BT Full Works TV Package

2 months ago | choose.co.uk | Lucy Brown

BT Full Works is the biggest TV package available with BT broadband and includes a large array of premium TV content along with the BT TV Box Pro. The plan includes Sky Sports HD, Sky Cinema HD, Sky Entertainment HD, TNT Sports HD & 4K, Eurosport 1 & 2, Netflix Standard, and Discovery+ Premium. Full Works can be bundled with any BT broadband package, although customers will need a minimum download speed of 44Mbps for 4K content. In this guide At a glance Best suited for What's on offer?
BT Home Essentials

2 months ago | choose.co.uk | Lucy Brown

The BT Home Essentials packages offer customers on low incomes an affordable broadband and/or home phone plan. Those in receipt of certain means-tested benefits can choose from two broadband speeds, and a home phone plan. While those with no income at all can access further support. The major benefits of social tariffs like Home Essentials, include a lower monthly cost as well as exclusion from annual price rises and out of contract price rises, so prices stay the same.
EE vs Virgin Media for broadband

Jan 24, 2025 | choose.co.uk | Lucy Brown

Virgin Media offer competitive pricing on ultrafast and gigabit broadband speeds, while customers can also save money by bundling TV and mobile. EE also offers fast broadband speeds, but pricing is higher and the EE TV service is arguably not as comprehensive as Virgin's. Overall, Virgin Media is cheaper than EE with equally fast speeds and so far, at least, greater availability for gigabit broadband.