Direct Save Telecom: broadband and landline deals

Direct Save Telecom Broadband Only Packages and Deals

Direct Save Telecom offers a range of high-speed broadband deals for homes and businesses. This includes superfast and ultrafast broadband speeds using fibre-optic technology, as well as no-contract deals to offer more flexibility.

What broadband packages does Direct Save Telecom offer?

Direct Save Telecom provides a variety of broadband packages. Among these are standard and fibre broadband solutions for both residential and business customers. It aims to attract customers with a promise of a reliable Internet connection at a range of price points.

The provider’s residential broadband contracts last for a 12-month period, while its business broadband deals come with 24-month agreements.

Direct Save Telecom’s home broadband-only packages 

Direct Save Telecom offers a selection of five home broadband deals, ranging from under £ 20 per month to more than £50 per month:

Business broadband deals

The company provides a range of business broadband contracts that apply asymmetric digital subscriber line (ADSL) 2+ technology to deliver high Internet speeds to any organisation’s premises. ASDL 2+ is an upgrade to the standard ASDL broadband, and due to its wider bandwidth, it delivers a better Internet connection – especially when ASDL 2+ routers are a short distance from a BT exchange.

In addition, the provider offers dedicated fibre broadband packages for businesses. This includes both fibre to the cabinet (FTTC) and fibre to the premises (FTTP) deals, enabling organisations to benefit from a high-speed Internet connection without limits.

Are there no-contract deals offers?

In addition to its 12- and 24-month contract options, the company offers no-contract home broadband deals for residential customers.

There is no line rental fee for the provider’s no-contract fibre broadband packages.

Does Direct Save Telecom offer OFNL deals?

It offers broadband deals which use the network from Open Fibre Networks Limited (OFNL), a company working to deliver high-speed fibre broadband across the UK. OFNL deals include fibre-to-the-home technology, offering faster speeds and more reliability than customers can access through copper cables.

Fast fibre packages

Three fast fibre packages are available through Direct Save Telecom’s OFNL deals:

These packages come with unlimited data, allowing home broadband customers to enjoy high-speed Internet with no restrictions on downloads. They can add a call plan to these deals, as well as voice service for an extra £ 4 each month.

Voice-only packages

The provider also offers voice-only packages which use the OFNL network. Its two deals allow customers to choose when they like free calls.

Which package should I choose?

With so many different options available, it’s important that customers know which broadband deal is best for them. There are many points to consider when finding out which package is best for a household or business:

The price of broadband and phone deals

A major factor that affects how suitable a deal may be is the price. The provider offers a variety of price points, but customers should research competitor offers when choosing the best tariff.

The Internet speed of Direct Save Telecom routers

Another crucial aspect of any broadband deal is speed, including upload and download speed. What’s required depends on Internet usage.

For example, if broadband is needed for simple tasks such as sending emails or browsing the web, a simpler (and cheaper) package may be best. However, customers who are regularly attending video conferences or streaming films in HD will need a high-speed connection, such as Ultrafast Fibre.

Whether you need a Direct Save Telecom landline package

It’s important to consider the need for phone services as well as broadband. Direct Save Telecom offers broadband-only and voice-only contracts, as well as packages which provide both an Internet and landline phone connection.

What equipment do I get when I sign up?

The company provides all of the equipment required after signing up to its contracts, but the kit supplied varies by deal.

After signing up to any of its broadband contract, the company provides a free wireless router. These come pre-configured, so all customers need to do is plug them in to get online.

If customers sign up for a deal including a phone line, Direct Save Telecom will provide the necessary connection for their home or business. It also takes care of installing new phone equipment. This includes setting up any new phone lines that may be needed.

Is a router from Direct Save Telecom free?

Direct Save Telecom provides free wireless routers for its broadband customers. Customers won’t have to pay for the router itself or any insurance for it but for some deals, they may need to pay a delivery fee.

Direct Save Telecom Broadband Phone Packages and Deals

To enjoy the best savings and receive broadband and phone services from one provider, customers can sign up to a Direct Save Telecom broadband and phone deal.

What are Direct Save Telecom’s broadband and phone deals?

The provider offers a range broadband and phone deals for homes.

What call packages does Direct Save Telecom offer?

In addition to combined broadband and phone packages, Direct Save Telecom provides dedicated line rental packages.

It offers a selection of call plans to suit customers budgets and calling habits.

What are Direct Save Telecom’s call prices?

Direct Save Telecom offers three options for calling plans:

1. pay-per-use for no fixed charge; 13p per minute for landline calls, 16p per minute for calls to mobiles.
2. free UK calls during evenings and weekends for £ 3 per month
3. free UK calls anytime for £ 5 per month.

What are Direct Save Telecom international call prices?

Its international call prices vary depending on the country of the call recipient, and whether the call comes from a landline or mobile phone. The company also offers an international call plan for £ 1.50 per month, which significantly reduces the cost of each international call.

Customers can see Direct Save Telecom’s complete list of international call prices on its price guide. 

Does Direct Save Telecom broadband offer Broadband and TV packages?

Direct Save Telecom does not offer any broadband and TV deals. However, it claims that its high-speed home broadband solutions enable customers to watch streaming or IPTV content without latency or buffering.

Can I get Direct Save Telecom in my area and how fast is it?

The availability of its services depends on location, which may also affect the quality of the broadband and phone line connection customers receive.

Where is Direct Save Telecom broadband available?

The availability of Direct Save Telecom’s deals depend on the technology available at customers local BT Exchanges and cabinets.

Its fibre broadband packages are especially dependent on the telecoms infrastructure in customers’ areas. The UK’s fibre rollout is ongoing, with BT Openreach regularly upgrading their exchanges to support fibre to the cabinet (FTTC) Internet connections. However, fibre broadband is not yet universally available across the UK.

Can I get Direct Save Telecom broadband deals in my area?

Direct Save Telecom’s broadband deals are available across the UK, but availability may vary depending on the infrastructure nearby. Customers can check which broadband deals are available in their area using Direct Save Telecom’s online tool. 

Can I get broadband without a Direct Save Telecom landline package?

Yes. In addition to its broadband and landline bundles, Direct Save Telecom also offers dedicated broadband-only contracts for both home and business customers. This includes fibre broadband and no-contract deals.

How fast is Direct Save Telecom vs competitors?

It offers fibre broadband deals, which provide Internet speeds on par with its competitors, including the UK’s biggest telecoms providers.

Average Direct Save Telecom broadband speeds

Direct Save Telecom provides a range of broadband deals of various speeds depending on the contract.

Does Direct Save Telecom offer a minimum speed guarantee?

Its broadband deals do not come with a minimum speed guarantee. However, it does provide average upload and download speeds to give an idea of the sort of Internet speeds customers will experience. Direct Save Telecom also details the maximum broadband speeds of its packages.

Is Direct Save Telecom broadband (FTTP) fibre to the premises?

Direct Save Telecom offers various fibre broadband packages, including FTTP deals. These deals provide a direct fibre broadband connection to customers homes, which means it may have to install new infrastructure. Currently, its fibre to the premises packages are available to new-builds on the BT Openreach Network.

Customer feedback: Is Direct Save Telecom any good?

The company is rated four stars on TrustPilot, with over 1,500 customer reviews. 59% of customers rate it as “Excellent”, whereas 23% rate it as “Bad”. For both regular and fibre broadband, its upload and download speeds are on par with competitors such as BT, Sky, and Virgin. However, some competitors offer better bonuses and more powerful routers than Direct Save Telecom.

Direct Save Telecom broadband customer service

The company won a Broadband Genie Award in the Customer Care category (2020). In 2020, 90% of their customers reported a positive experience with the provider’s customer service and technical support provision.

Direct Save Telecom contact numbers

The company publishes two contact numbers for its departments:

1. Technical Support and Customer Services – 01923 709709
2. Sales – 01923 605199

Can I leave my contract early? Are there any Direct Save Telecom cancellation fees?

Many contracts have a set length, such as 12 or 24 months. If customers choose to cancel Direct Save Telecom early and are on a contract package, the company will charge an early broadband cancellation fee. The details about these fees are included in the terms and conditions, which must be accepted upon sign-up.

To let Direct Save Telecom know about plans to cancel, customers need to notify them in writing. They can send their letters of cancellation to the following address:

Direct Save Telecom
Direct Save House,
Unit 2 Century Court,
Tolpits Ln,
WD18 9RS

Direct Save Telecom router and installation

It is simple and usually free to install a router from Direct Save Telecom.

Direct Save Telecom router

After signing up, customers will receive a free wireless router. The type of router they receive depends on their contract, with there being separate routers for fibre to the home connections.

The company also offers an upgraded superfast dual-band router, which emits two frequencies. This allows customers to access a faster Internet connection with a wider reach. This upgraded router costs £ 24.95.

Direct Save Telecom broadband setup

Its broadband routers come pre-configured for customers to install themselves using the company’’s broadband setup guide. 

Is there a Direct Save Telecom broadband installation fee?

The company does not charge a broadband installation/setup fee for its contract deals. However, there is a £ 24.95 setup fee attached to its no-contract Internet deals.

Our verdict: Should customers choose Direct Save Telecom broadband?

Overall, the provider allows customers to be flexible, and its combined broadband and landline packages can offer better value than its competitors. However, it cannot meet the needs of customers looking for TV services included in broadband and landline deals.

What are the benefits of Direct Save Telecom?

• The provider gives customers plenty of options to choose from, allowing them to select a broadband deal that meets their needs.
• It can bundle broadband with a Direct Save Telecom landline package, simplifying customers’ bills each month and possibly working out cheaper than getting them separately.
• Unlike many of its competitors, it offers no-contract deals, allowing customers to access the Internet when they need it without an ongoing commitment.

What are the drawbacks of Direct Save Telecom?

• The provider specialises in broadband and landline services, but not TV, meaning that it cannot match its competitors’ broadband, landline and TV bundles.

How do Direct Save Telecom prices compare to other broadband providers?

Direct Save Telecom’s prices are competitive when compared to other “value” providers. The company claims that by only working with Tier 1 carriers, it can offer low prices without compromising on the quality of service.

What other services are Direct Save Telecom broadband offering?

In addition to its broadband and phone services, the company provides business mobiles and phones for companies. It offers a wide range of features for business customers, including:

• Analogue and digital phone lines
• Mobile call plans
• Mobile handsets
• Business broadband
• Voiceover Internet Protocol (VoIP)
• Call conferencing services
• Call recording
• Free call plans

Full details of all services are available on Direct Save Telecom’s website.

Want to discover other broadband providers, discover our selection of best broadband providers:

• BT
• ZEN Internet
• SSE Broadband
• Gigaclear

FAQ

Does Direct Save Telecom offer broadband, TV and landline packages?

Although it offers combined broadband and phone line services, Direct Save Telecom is unable to provide TV or streaming services in its bundles.

Who owns Direct Save Telecom?

Direct Save Telecom was founded in 1999 and is owned by Utilities UK Ltd., an independent British telecoms provider.

Can you keep your old phone number when switching to Direct Save Telecom?

Yes. When customers leave their landline provider for Direct Save Telecom, their existing line gets transferred over. This means that changing to Direct Save Telecom won’t affect customers’ existing lines.

How long does it take to get connected?

Although the signup process is brief and takes just a few minutes, it can take between 14 and 18 days to activate new customers’ accounts. If they have purchased a broadband package, it is usually activated on the same day as their account – but this could take 5-10 days depending on the telecoms exchanges nearby