Several ISPs offering cheap rates per MB

A range of major internet service providers (ISPs) are offering customers low-cost rates for each megabit (MB) of data downloaded, according to a new study.

Research from Simplifydigital shows that in terms of the consumer cost of the service and the actual connection speeds on offer, ISPs such as Sky, Virgin Media and Tiscali Broadband were found to cost less than £1.50 for each MB downloaded, while BT was found to be more expensive, at £2.93 per MB.

Faster services allow users to download web media and content more quickly and often allow VoIP solutions to run more efficiently.

Michael Phillips, BroadbandChoices.co.uk product director, said: "A fast, reliable connection is essential for applications like online television, music and movie downloads and online gaming, while even everyday activities like attaching files to emails or running a small business from home will be helped by a faster connection."

He added that customers considering buying a new service can check with the ISP exactly what actual connection speed they are likely to receive.

Every UK home should have at least two megabits per second by 2012.