TalkTalk started a mini-revolution in the broadband market earlier this year when it launched its TalkTalk 3 and TalkTalk 3 International packages, with the unique marketing slogan of 'free broadband'. Unsurprisingly, consumers reacted in their thousands despite warnings from industry experts that the take-up could be more than TalkTalk could handle.

Still, all good things come to those who wait… and wait… and wait.

According to the moneysupermarket.com forums, TalkTalk 'talk rubbish'. Consumer frustration at the company's ever-expanding waiting list and the lack of quality in its service has even led one user to brand the company as 'an unprofessional bunch of amateurs'.

TalkTalk aren't alone though. To the company's credit it predicted that the response to its offer could be overwhelming, and it sparked a price war within the industry. Orange, BT, Sky, Pipex, AOL and Tiscali are just a handful of the names who have since improved their deals or entered the market with completely new offers such as BT's Total Broadband package that could potentially combine broadband, home phone and television services.

Both BT and Sky have also met with consumer criticism. BT was branded as having 'the worst consumer service ever' while a thread offering views on the Sky broadband service, and generally criticising the product, has received more than 21,000 views.

It would appear that the providers are sacrificing quality for quantity. In their desperate attempt to capitalise on the market while it's hot (and before another company beats them to it) they are throwing out hot offers before they have the services in place to deal with the uptake.

So what is the solution? Online aggregators such as the broadband comparison tool at moneysupermarket.com are giving companies the push they need to drop prices as they compete to appear at the top of best buy tables. These comparators can also introduce the consumer to a number of lesser-known names who can offer quality service due to fewer pressures than their rivals.

With the majority of companies using BT phone lines the quality of the connection is likely to be just as high, the prices competitive but with shorter waiting times and a higher staff-consumer ratio. Names like Be, Biscit and EHF have competitive packages that are well worth considering on their growing networks.

The key with any broadband product is to look beyond the price. Consider the download speeds and capacity, the set-up fee and the quality of the consumer service. Take a full search of the market and make sure you're not sucked in by advertising slogans.

Broadband providers should start as they mean to go on, unlimited downloads and fast speeds are useless without broadband providers servicing the needs of their customers adequately.

Visit moneysupermarket.com to compare cheap broadband deals, read guides to the latest products and find out more information about broadband providers.

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