We're pretty spoiled for choice in the UK when it comes to broadband ISPs, because the market is literally overflowing with providers, from the biggest telecommunications companies right down to the small fish offering specialist services, broadband is a buyers market and as the customers you're always going to get a good deal provided you shop around and perform the right checks. The easiest way to test the performance of your current broadband connection is to use a Broadband Speed Test, available from many different websites and free to use. Most broadband services in the UK offer `up to 8 meg` download speeds, but the truth is that this maximum is rarely achieved and is dependant on a few key factors. The first is the distance that your house is from your local telephone exchange. The further away you are, the longer the line over which your broadband signal has to travel and the weaker the signal is, so the slower the speed of your connection. It is also dependant on the number of people sharing the same line as you, which is usually expressed by a connection ratio on an ISPs website. The more expensive packages may offer better connection ratios and therefore higher speed, more consistent connections. A Broadband Speed Test can help you asses where you are in terms of download speed, and may help you to determine whether switching broadband providers is necessary. A speed test works by testing the up and down stream speeds on your connection by downloading and uploading files to and from an external server and then displaying the results clearly on screen. Some even show details of where the servers are and give the option for you to test the latency between your computer and servers located abroad. Here's a list of the top 5 broadband ISPs in the UK with the best speeds and coverage, and why you might consider them.

1. Plusnet - Winner of nine out of eleven categories at the uSwitch broadband awards 2008, Plusnet is honest about its speeds, which conform with the `up to 8 meg` offered by most other large providers, but offers great customer support and very reasonably priced deals, and is available across the UK in most areas with a BT land line.

2. BE Broadband - Offering up to 24 meg download speeds on a standard BT line, the only restriction being that you must live close to your local telephone exchange. Some exchanges may also be overcrowded for BE customers

3. Virgin Media - Leading the way in the next step of broadband technology: Fibre Optics. There is no loss of signal so you're pretty much guaranteed the max download speeds, provided you live in an area that has been fitted with fibre optic cabling.

4. Tiscali - Unlimited usage on most packages and very wide coverage area and customer base make Tiscali a fairly safe bet, although speed may be compromised for maximum coverage.

5. BT - If you want an all in one phone, TV and internet service BT offers some of the most comprehensive packages, and nation wide coverage is pretty much guaranteed. Be aware of download limits however.

Changing broadband ISP is a relatively straightforward task provided that you are nearing the end of your existing broadband contract and have used a Broadband Speed Checker to establish whether or not a change would benefit you, but the best advice is to shop around and get started early so that you're not snarled up in some contractual wrangling.