1. RAC offers a brand new way for you to pay for breakdown cover
   Breakdown costs are one the largest single payments that car owners make

Whether you drive a large transit van, an electric smart car or even a motorbike, at some point in your vehicle’s life it will break down, and you can pretty much bet on it breaking down when you least expect it or when you happen to be on your way to somewhere very important.

Nothing can stop a vehicle from breaking down, but you can stop the incident taking a significant chunk out of your personal finances by protecting yourself beforehand and singing up to a breakdown insurance provider.
These providers can offer you the peace of mind that, in a breakdown situation, you will be a priority case. They can offer you roadside assistance and if your car can’t be repaired right there, they can take get it taken to a garage while paying for your onward journey, making sure one single breakdown doesn’t ruin your entire plans.

Even if you don’t own a car, you can cover four other vehicles and a number of companies deal specifically with motorcycle breakdown cover.
There are a number of different options available for motorists who want to get breakdown cover. Firstly, you can get the cover through either your existing car insurance company or through a premium bank account, but in most cases these aren’t the cheapest options. The market is pretty fierce and is very consumer friendly, so when you compare breakdown coveronline you’re more likely to save money than if you just choose to go through your insurance company.

There’s always new deals cropping up which you might miss if you don’t look out online, and finding the best breakdown cover can often involve checking online and waiting for such a deal. For example, the RAC are currently offering a ‘gift card’ for breakdown cover which you can buy for a friend which will cover the cost of a single breakdown incident. It might not be the deal for everyone, but if your friend is driving a particularly unreliable vehicle, it could be the perfect Christmas gift.

About BreakdownChoices.co.uk:

Launched in 2005 the BreakdownChoices.co.uk website has provided a wide range of features for people who wish to either find new providers or to switch from their existing provider, including motorcycle breakdown and European breakdown cover comparison.

While the main function of the site is to compare different breakdown providers the features of the site extend well beyond that, giving deal hunters unparalleled access to community features, guides and FAQs, as well as providing regular new updates about the industry and one time deals.

1. BT Prices are set to raise to £13.60 a month in the new year

Just as our energy, broadband and insurance prices seem to continue to rise, or home phone lines are also seeing a sharp increase in prices. The latest company to push their prices up is BT, the largest home phone and broadband supplier in the country. Line rental for all BT customers will increase by 31p from January 4th 2011.

This will put the cost of the average BT line rental to £13.60 a month for those paying for their line rental by direct debit. Those choosing to pay by any other method such as cheque, debit card or cash will be paying £15.09 a month.

BT may have been the latest people to raise their prices, but they certainly aren’t alone. Most of the big name landline providers have also raised their prices due to the increase in VAT to 20% at the start of the new year.

Virgin Media have raised prices from £11.99 to £12.24, Sky have raised prices from £11.00 to £11.25 and Plusnet have raised prices from £11.25 to £11.99, the single biggest rise. These companies, together with BT, cover a huge amount of the UK population, but they are not the only phone line rental companies available.

As the big providers continue to raise prices, many consumers are switching to cheap line rental offers from small companies. Companies like Primus, Auracall and Yourcalls.net are charging much less money than the big companies while offering a similar level of service.

You can check out how much you can save yourself by visiting a comparison website and having a look at the various deals and packages available. Remember that while smaller companies may offer cheaper deals, you could still save more money overall by getting a TV, phone and broadband bundle from a larger supplier.

About Homephonechoices.co.uk:

Launched in 2005 the Homephonechoices.co.uk website has provided a wide range of features for people who wish to learn more about the busy world of phone line rental, once ruled by BT and now offering a much wider array of providers.
While the main function of the site is to compare different service providers the features of the site extend well beyond that, giving deal hunters unparalleled access to community features, guides and FAQs, as well as providing regular new updates about the industry and one time deals including exclusive offers.

As we look into the remarkable decision made by GM Motors to develop cars which are almost entirely recyclable, we speak to a British company to understand their take on this firm stance towards helping the environment.

Last month on the eve of GM’s return to the Stock Market, it was made clear that they say the way forward for their entire company was to follow a significantly greener path. With exciting prototypes on view which think of the environment first, and some exciting announcements regarding their plans to provide cars which are less harmful to our environment, they made a statement which surely many other large car companies will also make soon.

The big story was that GM is promising to build cars that are made from renewable resources wherever possible, and they hope to make almost all of the materials from the cars recyclable, with 85 percent currently recyclable from most of their range.

This is obviously a massive step forward in that finally a car manufacturer is taking stock of the situation and admitting that they can do more to help. We thought that this was a great stand point, but wondered whether any breakers in our country were already seeing this sort of benefit from any British manufacturers. We spoke to the Managing director of a British van breakers who had some interesting thoughts. “To be honest we haven’t found that there are car companies banging down our doors to create alliances with us, but we have done some great work with local companies who are looking to be more responsible with their vehicles. It is sometimes a matter of education, and obviously when you mention to people that they can get good money for scrap metal, this normally encourages a greener attitude!”

We were amazed to hear that breakers all around the country would accept any van for scrap metal, and would pay money for this. Speaking to United Vans of Bristol, it was clear that modern vehicles being built in England are not up to the recyclable standard of the new GM Motors vehicles, but there is a healthy attitude towards recycling vehicles from some large corporation who run fleets of vans, which is of course encouraging for the future.

Whether or not any British car manufacturers take on the gauntlet of GM Motors remains to be seen, but at least we are safe in the knowledge that there are great companies out there like UnitedVans.com who are willing to do all they can to recycle as many parts as they can salvage from old vehicles.

About United vans:

United Vans of Bristol is a licensed vehicle dismantling operation that recycles where possible and breaks old and unwanted vans for parts. The facility is one that promotes a more modern approach to vehicle recycling and disposal. They can be contacted through their website www.unitedvans.com.

-For Immediate Release-

1. Sky pushing for Christmas dominance with brand new movie premiers
2. Movies include big titles such as Avatar and Alice in Wonderland

Watching family movies together at Christmas is a ritual for many households, but in the last five years most people have moved away from watching movies on television to watching them through other means like DVDs, Bluray, the internet and content on demand services. Sky are trying to win people back to the of TV movies this Christmas though, with the announcement of a deal that will see the service showing some big name films as exclusive premiers over the Christmas period that won’t be viewable on any other service.

The films to be shown include Blockbuster action titles such as Avatar and family films such as Alice in Wonderland and Fantastic Mr Fox which will be airing on British television for the first time across December.

The deal also comes with a discounted rate for the Sky Movies package. This package is added as an extra to the basic package and while not as cheap as other digital offerings it’s range of choice in terms of channels, movies and times is unparalleled by any other service and a must for anyone who loves films.

A spokesperson from Sky said:

“There’s nothing quite like settling down to watch a movie with the family this Christmas, especially after the chaos of shopping and entertaining. With Sky you can enjoy the latest movies – all in sparkling high definition. It’s the perfect movie experience.”

Although the service is available for customers who only wont a Sky plus box, those who also opt to take their broadband through Sky will receive free installation and a free Sky HD box, which allows users to record films and watch them later, all in full HD quality. This is by far the best option if you already own a HD ready television set.

About DigitalChoices.co.uk:

Launched in 2005 the DigitalChoices.co.uk website has provided a wide range of features for people who wish to learn more about the often complicated world of digital television; everything from where to find the best cable experience to how to compare tv packages online.
While the main function of the site is to compare different technology and service providers the features of the site extend well beyond that, giving deal hunters unparalleled access to community features, guides and FAQs, as well as providing regular new updates about the industry and one time deals.

-For Immediate Release-

• VOIP services are rapidly becoming more popular amongst younger generation

While landline
dominance remains prevalent due to being a requirement for ADSL broadband, the most popular form of internet in the UK, recent studies suggest that less and less people are using landlines for calls and are instead opting to get the most basic landline package and only take incoming calls or ring out using the phone line as a last resort. Instead, people are moving to VOIP services that offer much better value for money.

VOIP stands for Voice Over Internet Protocol, which basically means using the internet to make phone calls. There are a number of different ways you can do this, although by far the most popular is using the Skype application, which allows you to make completely free calls over the internet to over Skype users. The program is available for all major operating systems and most mobile phones also have a version of Skype you can download.

The disadvantage of such a service is that you need to be at your PC to receive the call, or know in advance if someone is going to call you on Skype, which for many will defeat the object. However, Skype can also make calls directly to a landline as well! This way you can use your computer to connect to a standard phone and have an otherwise normal conversation, all the while saving money. The average cost of a Skype call is less than half what BT charge during peak times, and because it’s an internet service there are no peak times for calling!

Obviously such a service is only really useful if you already have a broadband connection set up, and unless you use cable internet you will need to continue to keep your old landline, so it’s may be a long time before we see line rental as a relic of the past, but for those people willing to give Skype and other VOIP services a try, you could find yourself saving plenty of cash.

About Homephonechoices.co.uk:

Launched in 2005 the Homephonechoices.co.uk website has provided a wide range of features for people who wish to learn more about the busy world of phone cheap line rental, once ruled by BT and now offering a much wider array of providers.

While the main function of the site is to compare different service providers the features of the site extend well beyond that, giving deal hunters unparalleled access to community features, guides and FAQs, as well as providing regular new updates about the industry and one time deals including exclusive offers.

Motorcycle breakdown cover can provide more than just peace of mind on the roads

No matter what model or make of your motorbike, no matter how much you’ve paid or how reliable it’s been, there’s a always a chance it will break down. Often these breakdowns will happen at home and won’t cause any major problems, but what happens if you breakdown on the way to an important event or work meeting? What do you do if you breakdown in a remote location or in hazardous weather conditions? Motorcycle breakdown cover can give you peace of mind and can save you money in the event of a breakdown. It can also cut down the times you have to spend waiting in the cold and the rain to be seen, and choosing the right company could mean a roadside repair is more likely.

What the best breakdown cover can offer you is mostly determined by how much you want to spend. Most insurers will offer three packages, from a basic simply roadside assistance package at the cheapest end of the spectrum, to an overall assistance package and the premium end, which often includes extras like full European cover. Obviously, not every feature of a policy will be required to every motorcyclist, so make sure you know exactly what you are and are not covered for before you make a decision.

This is especially crucial if you want to Compare Breakdown Cover online. While it’s good to be able to see a list of prices further research is always needed. While most companies offer the same features, different companies offer different things at premium and basic levels, so while a company might appear cheaper than another at first glance, you could find that it’s because their basic package offers much less cover than another more expensive company.

As well as finding out what’s covered, you should also remember to look at whether you want personal or vehicle cover depending on what other vehicles you use, and you might also want to choose a company based on their quick call out time, but remember – an average call out time and a guaranteed call out time are not the same thing and a strict set of terms and conditions normally apply to these numbers!

About BreakdownChoices.co.uk:

Launched in 2005 the BreakdownChoices.co.uk website has provided a wide range of features for people who wish to either find new providers or to switch from their existing provider, including motorcycle breakdown and European breakdown cover comparison.

While the main function of the site is t compare different breakdown providers the features of the site extend well beyond that, giving deal hunters unparalleled access to community features, guides and FAQs, as well as providing regular new updates about the industry and one time deals.

How moving away from mainstream telecoms providers can save you money

If someone asked you to name as many home phone providers as you could, how many could you come up with? We all know BT from their days of having a monopoly over our household phone lines, and most people have heard of the big name brands like Virgin Media and TalkTalk, but you might be surprised to learn just how many different options you have when it comes to choosing a landline, and that some of these alternatives can actually offer you a much better price than the bigger brands.

Companies like Primus and the Post Office can also offer you deals on your home phone line services, and because they have to try harder to get customers, they keep their prices much more competitive and often offer more value for money money. For example, comparing the standard packages of both Primus and BT, Primus gives you two extra hours of ‘off peak’ call time every day, charges less every month and have an increased free call deadline of about thirty minutes.
No one cheap phone line provider can be said to be completely superior to another, as it’s usually a matter of personal choice to decide which features you need and the price you are willing to pay for them, but it’s worth moving off the beaten track at least to compare the differences between these providers. You can save even more money by paying up front for your line rental rather than relying on a direct debit payment. Overall, moving away from BT, TalkTalk and Virgin could save you around £60 a year.

If you’re not quite ready to switch line rental providers yet, don’t forget there are other ways to save a bit of money. Switching to paperless billing is easy and can save you up to £15 if you are with BT, and opting to pay via direct debit can save another £15 if you aren’t already using the service. Also make sure you know exactly when peak periods start and finish. Many people waste a lot of money by making calls just an hour earlier than when their free time begins simply because they aren’t aware of the peak time period, which is longer than it used to be on most major phone providers.

About Homephonechoices.co.uk:

Launched in 2005 the Homephonechoices.co.uk website has provided a wide range of features for people who wish to learn more about the busy world of phone line rental, once ruled by BT and now offering a much wider array of providers.
While the main function of the site is to compare different service providers the features of the site extend well beyond that, giving deal hunters unparalleled access to community features, guides and FAQs, as well as providing regular new updates about the industry and one time deals including exclusive offers.

• SD YouView service to be released as early as next year
• Future plans could include new HD on demand content to rival Virgin and Sky services

For many casual TV watchers, Freeview has been an easy, cheap no frills way of watching television, and it’s hard to remember the days when most households only had access to five channels. Nearly every television made now comes with a freeview box built in, and we’re not too far away from the digital switchover when analogue television will become a distant memory.

But freeview has it disadvantages, as well. There’s nowhere near as much content on freeview as you can find on a subscription package, on demand content can be difficult to access without extra hardware or simply viewing on a computer, and plans to introduce over-the-air HD to service are still very much in their infancy with only a few channels signed up to the idea. That’s despite the large number of HDTV’s being purchased in the UK right now.

Enter Project Canvas and YouView, a new service that could be released early as next year that hopes to solve some of those problems. YouView is the culmination of work between over 100 members including the BBC, ITV, Channel 4, Freeview, Freesat, Channel 5 and Arqiva. The service aims to become a brand new way for people who don’t want to pay a subscription to watch on demand content from a wide variety of different companies.

Previously, watching on demand content from different producers and third parties was only really possible by visiting different website or through using a subscription such like a Sky Plus box or a Virgin HD box. With the release of YouView next year, customers will be able access a huge wealth of on demand content in one place. The only drawback to the service is that you do need to buy a new set-top box in order to use it, and you will of course need a broadband connection in order to stream the television.

There’s no word on pricing yet, but YouView plans to make the service available free of any contract and there have been suggestions that it may come included in some broadband packages from the companies involved in the service, such as TalkTalk.

While most content available through the box will be in standard definition (SD), future content will also be available in HD rivalling Virgin and Sky HD box services, although a very fast broadband connection will be needed to stream in HD.

About DigitalChoices.co.uk:

Launched in 2005 the DigitalChoices.co.uk website has provided a wide range of features for people who wish to learn more about the often complicated world of digital television; everything from where to find the best cable experience to the latest Virgin HD Box deals.

While the main function of the site is to compare different technology and service providers the features of the site extend well beyond that, giving deal hunters unparalleled access to community features, guides and FAQs, as well as providing regular new updates about the industry and one time deals.

= For Immediate Release =

Comparing different euro cover policies can mean a big difference in the price you end up paying
Consider single trip policies if you’re not travelling more than once a year

October 22, 2009

Breaking down in the UK can be annoying, frustrating and expensive if you don’t already have a car or motorcycle breakdown cover policy, but as cold and wet as it can get during the English winter, at least you’re guaranteed to be able to speak to someone English to explain the problem and get it sorted out on the roadside ASAP. If you frequently travel in Europe, that isn’t always possible – you could be stuck trying to get past the communication barrier in a frustrating or even unsafe situation and you will almost certainly be paying above the odds for the privilege.

If you travel in Europe regularly, either for business or pleasure, taking out breakdown cover for your trips can give you that little bit of extra security in case something goes wrong, and save you from the worst parts of breaking down in a foreign country. If you’ve already got cover for the UK you can usually find your breakdown company can insure you in Europe for a limited period of time; usually up to 90 days.

If you don’t have car or motorcycle breakdown cover here in the UK, then you can either buy a single trip policy or look into actually getting yourself covered in the UK and adding European cover to your package. Adding full time European cover if you intend to travel to Europe less than twice a year will likely not be worth the extra money spent however, so look around and check out European breakdown cover comparison sites for different deals online before jumping in.

European breakdown cover will include 24/7 access to an English speaking call centre, usually situated in the UK itself, which will then organise local garages and mechanics for you. Depending on your policy you may also get anything from onward travel expenses paid to emergency accommodation, but these features are usually considered extras and you’ll be paying a lot more for them.

Above all though, comparing the prices is key. Prices fluctuate on European breakdown policies far more than they do on ones in the UK, so it’s easier to spot out a great deal, but also easier to end up paying more than you should. Always keep an eye out for limited time special offers and make sure you know exactly what you’re paying for.

About BreakdownChoices.co.uk:

Launched in 2005 the BreakdownChoices.co.uk website has provided a wide range of features for people who wish to either find new providers or to switch from their existing provider, including motorcycle breakdown and breakdown cover comparison.

While the main function of the site is to compare different breakdown providers the features of the site extend well beyond that, giving deal hunters unparalleled access to community features, guides and FAQs, as well as providing regular new updates about the industry and one time deals.

For over ten years Cheap Office Furniture has supplied customers throughout the United Kingdom quality office furniture at wonderful low prices. Indeed COF was one of the first online retailers of office desks, office chairs and modular office components. The site which had remained in the same format for almost ten years was designed at a time when computer screen resolutions were low and servers could not quickly process complicated graphics and images. Times changed and items such as higher definition photographs and 3D graphics have become the expected norm. Still customers of Cheap Office Furniture were accustomed to the original navigation.

Cheap Office furniture has launched a revised design that is far better suited to today’s wide screen higher resolution formats. The new look allows visitors to the site to choose from an expanded product line without having to scroll down the pages. Plus the high tech sculptured graphics are simply more pleasant to view.

The world of online retail shoppes has changed dramatically in the last ten years. People rightfully expect that places they shop online offer a look and feel to their websites equal to the graphics presented on television. Cheap Office Furniture intends to keep pace with all of these new visual trends and requirements.

As complicated as finding the best local breakdown cover may be, it seems that choosing from the providers of European breakdown cover is even more so. After completing a European Breakdown cover comparison we are of the opinion that the key lies in paying but once a year for the most all inclusive cover policy one can lay their hands on. Begin by recognising that very often European breakdown cover for single trip protection can oft times cost nearly as much as year round cover. Next, factor in the proportionate cost of that cover as if it were simply part of a larger protection plan. Very often the cost of a single trip cover plan is the same as a yearly addendum. Now consider that if your vehicle is more than 15 years old the only practical way to get breakdown cover is if that cover is based on your person and good for any vehicle. Here is where the savings truly begin.

A point to remember is that a European breakdown cover single trip protection can easily cost 60 pounds for 90 days. Yet the AA charges an additional 90 pound for a year’s euro cover when included in a full service cover plan. And this option is available for plans based on the driver and any vehicle they may own. In this way one may even find themselves inexpensively protected with motorcycle breakdown cover as well.

The assortment of Sky TV packages has now been added to so as to include a package which includes 3D TV. For those unawares popular movies such as Shrek and Alice in Wonderland can now be viewed in 3D at home provided one has a pair of 3rd dimension viewing glasses and a matching TV. I understand the basic principle behind 3D viewing. That is that if the same object is photographed from two different angles and if those two angles are superimposed, a realistic depth can be viewed.

What I don’t understand is why existing digital films cannot be adjusted so as to achieve this effect on a non-digital television? The 3D glasses combine the two images into one. Why can we not place these two separately blurry images onto any telly and put on our special glasses? Apparently not, we will need a 3D TV and prices start at around 1200 pounds for these. Also needed is a Sky HD box, but that is furnished gratis from Sky TV. Sky has dedicated an entire channel to 3D broadcasts. Virgin Media has a 3D channel very close to launch and no doubt the success of the Sky endeavor will determine how quickly we see 3D as standard in the Virgin HD box. Consider that the time span for HDTV to become commonplace after its introduction was a full ten years before it became a popular norm. Also consider that in the 1950s 3D movies came and went as consumers eventually rebelled against the eyewear involved.

When you consider that in the last year almost 3 million United Kingdom consumers were unable to resolve problems with their home phone or broadband provider in less than 12 weeks you can easily see why new regulation was needed. New regs will give Ofcom the power to enforce their decisions in the way of fines and deadlines given to any UK provider falling under their jurisdiction. Very few UK home phone landline users are aware that there are currently two very efficient free agencies available to assist them with telecoms problems. These are, CISAS and Otelo. Both of these offices serve the public by acting as intermediaries in disputes. Until recently these agencies were hampered in that they might suggest actions to the telecommunications companies but those suggestions lacked force. Still over half of the disputes taken to these agencies were resolved to the consumer’s satisfaction as opposed to a mere 9% of those disputes in which a compromise was attempted directly by the consumer to the provider.

Take for example a simple problem with a landline connection. The customer asks for a callout because the line has severe static noise. The provider informs them that the noise is from their internal lines and thus they are not at fault. If the consumer does not have the means to verify this how can they clear the noise from the phone line? Invariably they must pay a callout charge to a third party repairman, who informs them that the source of the static is at the street cabinet. How do they possibly get refunded for the error in diagnosis? They can’t, however the liaison agency could have forced the provider to first physically check their system.

Recently a pair of motorists who had suffered a flat tyre on the M5 thought that perhaps the best place to change said tyre was directly in the fast lane. As motorists drove by trying to avoid them the pair kept right on attempting to loosen the wheel. Yes, most people would be bright enough to move their vehicle over to the safety lane but these two were not.

No one wants to have to deal with a breakdown on the M5 but over the course of a driving lifetime these sort of mishaps will occur. When they do the best way to deal with them is to have in place breakdown cover for roadside assistance. Very often the lug nuts fastening a wheel are frozen due to rust or over tightening. The tools included with the spare tyre are seldom powerful enough to loosen frozen bolts.

Plus many people are simply not physically able to change a tyre on their own. A basic breakdown cover comparison reveals that the average cost for a year’s cover is approximately 100 pounds, this is for a package including home start, tow home from a distant city and even European breakdown cover single trip protection. For those who travel abroad more frequently a European breakdown cover comparison will be necessary so as to insure finding the best value. Don’t wait until you are stranded on a major cross country highway before purchasing a comprehensive breakdown cover policy.

A recent press release from The Post Office stating that children in the United Kingdom are racking up big time on the telephone really should not come as a surprise to anyone. I mean honestly, teenagers spending time on the telephone, no one should be shocked by this. No doubt when the first telephone was invented the second user after Alexander Graham Bell, was a teenage girl calling her friends.

What is newsworthy about this is that landline usage by children in households exceeds one hour per week. If one does not have an unlimited calling plan or if these calls are going out to mobiles, the price per week for one child’s home phone line use can be up to 10 pounds per week! If that household has three children of social ages, the amount can be horrendous. The easiest way to limit these fiscal damages is to sign up for an unlimited talk plan from Virgin Media or any other major UK landline connection provider.

Virgin Media is currently offering free calls from landlines to mobiles within their network. At the very least one should make sure their home phone provider offers a plan for free evening and weekend calling. Needless costs for phone calls between friends and family members can easily top 1000 pounds a year if unwatched. One simply must make an online home phone pricing and service comparison before signing any long term phone line commitment.

With the World Cup finally underway most UK TV viewers are well ensconced into whichever method of watching affords them the best value and more importantly the best picture. For many this will be Freeview with an HD set top box. Until you watch World Cup Football in high definition you have never seen a match. The clarity is astounding. To that end, all Sky TV packages include a great deal for High Def TV.

Over 2.5 million customers in the United Kingdom are enjoying World Cup Matches in HD on Sky TV. All that this requires is a low cost Sky subscription and a Sky HD box. Unlike Freeview where you must purchase the HD set top box yourself for around 200 pounds, Sky TV packages include free set up and equipment. Sky seems to always have one type of incentive plan or another underway. Right now they are offering a free 50 pound Marks and Spence gift card for new sign ups.

After the World Cup is over and as we all hope England is the ultimate victor you will be able to use your Sky or Virgin HD box to enjoy thousands of hours of other fine programming. In fact Virgin Media is preparing to join Sky in offering true 3D television. Part of the fun of today’s digitally created movies is being able to rewatch them in the original theatre style 3D. Sky TV and Virgin Media allow you to do just that.