The four-point checklist to help you get the best broadband deal

How long does it take you to reach boiling point when your PC fails to load? If you’re like a quarter of all Aussies, the rage is pretty much instant.

That’s according to a survey by comparison site finder.com.au, which found that a further quarter of us take a good 30 minutes of being offline before we get annoyed, while a relatively mellow 12 percent take a whole hour to get frustrated. And a very relaxed 27 per cent of people aren’t bothered at all when their connection drops out.

Perhaps unsurprisingly, Baby Boomers are by far the coolest when it comes to internet outages, with 36 percent not bugged by being disconnected,

Alex Kidman, a tech expert at Finder said, though, that occasional buffering rate was understandable given that the average home broadband plan cost $80 a month.

“When you’re paying that much for internet, you’d hope it’d be reliable,” he said.

Poor internet service may be less infuriating if we paid less for it, but 24 per cent of people never review their plan to see if they’re getting the best deal.

“It’s quite astonishing to see so many Aussies falling victim to the lazy tax,” Kidman says. “Not only are they potentially missing out on better deals, but they could also be overlooking better connections and speeds.”

He offers these tips for making sure you’re getting the best value from your broadband.

Consider your plan length

A 24-month plan may be cheaper, but it’ll restrict your flexibility if you decide you’re not satisfied or you need to relocate. It may be better to pay a bit for a shorter-trm contract that allows you to shop around for the best connection. This way you can bounce between different internet service providers (ISP) before finally settling with one you’re happy with.

Keep a record of issues

According to Australian Consumer Law, you can claim compensation from your ISP if you have an outage, but you need to keep note of the days that your internet is down, then request that your bills be reduced accordingly.

Compare your options regularly

With new ISPs popping up all the time, prices and plans are getting more competitive, so shop around and compare plans frequently.

Don’t be afraid to complain

The Telecommunications Industry Ombudsman (TIO) is there as a safety net, so if you have any issues negotiating with your ISP, you can contact the ombudsman for help.

Do you suffer from internet outages on your current plan? How long does it take you to get annoyed?