The key costs of a broadband connection are

• The package - i.e. the regular payment you make to the provider to stay connected.
• The setup - there may be a one-off payment to offset the costs of setup.
• The equipment - often it's supplied for free, sometimes it's not.

Let's take a closer at each of these costs in the boxes below...

A few suppliers offer a rolling 1 month contract, but most of these will also charge an initial setup and/or equipment fee. Most broadband providers require you to sign-up for at least 12 months.

Now, deals are usually payable monthly, so don't forget to consult your 12 times table to get a true feel for the financial commitment you're about to make. (Or at least use a calculator!)

Most broadband providers offer a range of contracts priced according to features such as connection speed and download limit. Some entry level packages cost as little as £5 per month, wheras fully featured broadband contracts often cost £30 per month or more.

Contracts for budget bundles, where broadband is provided alongside other services like phone and pay-tv, typically cost upwards of £25. Usually the broadband component of these contracts is equivalent to a low or mid-range standalone package.

Providers' pricing structures vary considerably, as does the quality of their service and support. So, finding the provider with the best deal for you inevitably means shopping around.

A one off set-up free may be payable when you join up with your broadband provider. These charges offset the cost of the work required to link your connection to the provider's broadband service.

For new cable customers this will involve an engineer visit to install the cable connection to your home. For ADSL customers work still needs to be performed at the local exchange to enable broadband on your line and/or route your broadband signal to the new provider.

Although these setup fees aren't usually massive (often under £60), if your budget is tight they can be quite unappealing.

Keep in mind that broadband is a long term investment, so try not to compromise your choice of a quality, value for money package by focussing too much on a one-off payment. Having said this, the broadband market is very competitive, so if you think you've found the right package but don't want to pay the setup fee you can always make this known to the potential provider. They might agree to waive or reduce the fee, especially if it's for a 12 month sign-up.

If you're signing up for a year or more then most Broadband suppliers will provide you with necessary connection equipment free of charge.  Some providers will only provide support if you connect using equipment they supply.

For cable installations an engineer will usually visit and fit the equipment.  ADSL  equipment is usually mailed to your home. This comprises a modem/router for your PC, a microfilter and connecting cables.  The microfilter plugs into a standard phone socket to provide separate voice line and ADSL broadband sockets.

If you want your family members to connect to the web from PCs located anywhere in your home, you will require a wireless router.  Check if this is suppled as part of your chosen package, if not you will need to purchase one.  Many models are available from web shops at prices in the region of £50. Make sure that you purchase a router that supports your broadband connection type (i.e. Cable or ADSL).