Origin Broadband Review

Origin Review

Origin is a small but affordable broadband provider with a focus on customer service and value for money. Do they live up to their promises? And is it the right choice for you?

Read on to learn about their no frills broadband service.

Speed: how fast is Origin Broadband?

As an Openreach provider, Origin’s speeds are very similar to most other providers. Their upload speeds are comparably lower than some others so they may not be your first choice if you regularly upload large files to the internet.

Price: how much does Origin Broadband cost?

Value for money is one of Origin's key selling points, and their tariffs tend to skew cheaper that much of the competition.

Origin also offer Supersaver, where you pay for your entire broadband and calls package upfront. Your savings are fairly minimal, but if you have the money upfront it may be worth considering Origin’s Supersaver deals.

What makes Origin stand out?

Origin is a budget broadband provider focused on keeping its costs low for customers. This means you won’t find the extras and freebies that you get with more expensive providers.

Line rental is included in all Origin packages and you can choose to add home phone packages:

• Evening and weekend calls £3.49 per month.
• Anytime calls £5.99 per month.
• Anytime with international calls £7.49 per month.

Origin also offer additional bonuses such as:

• Anonymous call reject for £5.79 a month.
• Call diversion for £2.50 a month.

Other bonuses include:

• Truly unlimited downloads.
• Refer a friend for £25 bill credit.

Tech: Installation and Equipment

Your Origin broadband package will come with a free basic router. The Asus N14 for Origin Broadband, or the Asus N16 with their Superfast and Max Fibre packages. Both models are basic and only support 802.11n Wi-Fi. You won’t be able to make the most of your 802.11ac supporting devices.

You might want to consider an upgrade if you work from home or your household has multiple internet connected devices. Origin offer:

• Asus Premium AC56 Hub for £89.99.
• Asus Premium AC68U Hub for £129.99.

It is easy to set up your router at home and you won’t usually need an engineer to visit.

If you do not have an active phone line then an engineer will need to visit and you may be charged an installation fee. Origin charges £48 for phone line installation which is less than most other providers.

Customer Experience: how is Origin rated by customers?

Origin is rated highly by its customers.

As of June 2020 its Trustpilot scored recorded 51% “Excellent” and only 25% “Bad”, very impressive for a broadband provider.

Most customers comment on the quality of Origin’s customer service and its value for money. However, if you do want faster speeds and the best tech, Origin probably isn’t the best choice for you.