Direct Save Telecom Broadband

About Direct Save

Direct Save Telecom is an independent broadband provider based in Watford, which focuses on offering cheap, no-frills internet connections to customers across the country.

The ISP has been providing internet solutions since 1999, so it has a lot of experience in the market despite its relatively low number of customers. In line with its brand as a budget provider, Direct Save is one of the few broadband providers in the country that doesn’t require any sort of credit check.

But is Direct Save Telecom any good? Let’s have a look at what they offer to find out.

What does Direct Save offer?

Direct Save Telecom offers just three tiers of broadband, Fast Broadband, Superfast Fibre, and Superfast Fibre Plus. All of their packages are available on either 12-month or rolling monthly contracts.

Of course, going for a rolling monthly contract will give you greater flexibility as you’ll be free to switch providers whenever you wish should you not be satisfied with the service. However, these flexible deals come with significantly higher monthly costs, while they also command a £24.95 installation fee, which is free on 12-month plans.

Fast Broadband

This is Direct Save’s entry-level broadband package, using basic ADSL technology to provide average download speeds of 11Mbps, and upload speeds of just 1Mbps.

Costing just £18.95 a month on a 12-month contract, it certainly is on the cheaper side of the scale when it comes to broadband plans. But it loses much of its value for money if you opt for a rolling monthly contract, with the price rising to £27.95.

In all honesty, we wouldn’t recommend this deal unless you absolutely can’t access fibre where you live. Even small households are likely to be frustrated by these speeds, especially at peak times.

Superfast Fibre

Direct Save’s mid-level broadband package is a fibre connection offering average download speeds of 35Mbps and much improved upload speeds of 9Mbps. While these speeds aren’t lightning quick, they’re a lot more reliable than what you’ll get on the Fast Broadband package, and you’ll almost definitely notice the difference.

On a 12-month contract it costs £24.95 a month, which is fairly standard for this type of broadband connection. If you want more flexibility with a rolling monthly contract, it will cost you £34.95 per month.

Superfast Fibre Plus

This is Direct Save’s fastest broadband package, but don’t expect blistering speeds. That being said, it’s still a fairly solid fibre connection, offering average download speeds of 63Mbps and upload speeds of 17Mbps. This should suit most medium-sized households, but large families and serious gamers should consider a different provider offering even higher speeds.

It currently costs £27.95 on a 12-month contract, which is a very reasonable price for these speeds. If you want it on a rolling monthly contract, however, it costs quite a bit more at £39.95 per month.

Direct Save coverage

Direct Save Telecom uses the Openreach network to deliver internet to homes across the UK. Therefore, it has widespread coverage across the country, with up to 99% of households able to access it.

To see if you can get Direct Save Telecom where you live, simply pop in your postcode to our broadband comparison bar.

Equipment: What sort of router does Direct Save provide?

Not surprisingly for a budget, no-frills ISP, Direct Save’s router is extremely basic, especially in comparison to the routers provided by the likes of Sky and Virgin Media.

With Direct Save’s standard ADSL and FTTC fibre packages, you’ll receive either the N300 2.4GHz or UK11 GHz routers, which should be fine for small households but will struggle in larger homes.

With Direct Save’s full fibre package, however, you’ll get a slightly updated machine - a UK33 2.4GHz-5GHz router, with an improved range to match. However, in reality you’ll be paying significantly more for this package, while the router still pales in comparison to some rival routers.

Customer service: How is Direct Save rated?

Information about Direct Save’s customer satisfaction rates is quite difficult to come by, mainly because it doesn’t yet have enough customers to be included in Ofcom’s annual report.

That being said, it does have its own UK-based customer service team that is available Monday-Friday between 8am and 8pm, and 9am to 5pm on weekends. You can call their customer service line on 01923 709709, or alternatively you can request a call back via their website.