Who needs Superfast Broadband Connectivity ?
Broadband has become increasingly more important to our everyday lives and the amount of devices that we use each day that utilise broadband connectivity seems to increase. The quantity of tablets, smartphones, laptops, desktops, games consoles and TV’s that everyone has in their homes, seems to increase every day.
Annan Broadband Deals For November 2023
[elementor-template id=”137965″]| Connection Type | Availablity |
|---|---|
| FTTC / Fibre / Superfast Broadband | Yes |
| Cable / Virgin Media | Some Areas |
| ADSL / Broadband | Yes |
| 4G | Yes |
Working from home is commonplace as it saves people being stuck in commuter traffic, something that all of us wish to avoid.
Quite simply, traditional broadband connections often struggle to deal with the simultaneous demands of downloading large files, streaming videos or music, with multiple devices and appliances logged on all at once. With Superfast fibre broadband though, everyone within a home or small business is able to do what they want online– all simultaneously– with no annoying delays.
What is super-fast broadband?
Super-fast broadband describes broadband connections of up to 300Mbps in the UK.
Super-fast broadband connections enable users to connect to the internet , download music & video and stream television at speeds that are massively above most internet users.
While the current average UK internet connection is around 12Mbps (2014), superfast broadband products deliver speeds of approximately 300Mbps, through sophisticated fibre-optic cabled networks which include Virgin Media and BT’s Infinity fibre optic cables.
How does fibre connectivity operate?
Unlike most UK broadband connections, which use telephony lines, the UK’s fastest internet product – the 100Mbps service from Virgin Media (it’s 200Mbps in some areas) – is delivered by a cable, or fibre-optic, broadband network. These cables are made of glass and plastic, which allows data to move much faster than along the copper cables used by traditional xDSL broadband .
BT also offers a right up to 76Mb fibre service called BT Infinity (you can get 300Mbps in some areas), and plans to make this available to millions more UK residence in in the not too distant future.
The likes of TalkTalk, Sky and EE have piggybacked on BT’s Infinity service to launch rebranded super-fast cable broadband services of their own.
However, fast internet is not exclusively on offer to people in a fibre broadband locations. Fast broadband is not exclusively on offer to people in a fibre-optic broadband area. If you live within a certain distant of your broadband provider’s exchange you can still get fast broadband by enrolling in selected ADSL2+ broadband packages from the providers like O2, Sky, Orange and TalkTalk.
ADSL2+
This form of connectivity uses the same wiring and telephone exchanges as regular ADSL broadband connections, but as a result of the software and technology used it can deliver speeds of up to 24Mbps, however most advertised speeds are around “around 16Mb”.
Your speed depends, as always, on the quality of the wiring and the distance you are from the exchange, but if you inhabit a city or built up area you can realistically expect speeds of approximately 16Mb or more. This still provides plenty of bandwidth for heavy internet users, and at a smaller cost than cable.
Which superfast connectivity product is the best?
Among the UK’s fastest broadband products is Virgin Media’s 152Mbps service. Virgin Media, which also offers 50Mbps broadband products as a bare minimum, is able to deliver such fast connections thanks to its superfast fibre connectivity network.
BT’s Infinity package offers a maximum speed of 76Mbps and the previously mentioned services from Sky, EE and TalkTalk, which use BT’s fibre network and feature headline speeds according to BT.
Alternatively, broadband products offering an up to 16Mbps (or thereabouts) connection are available from most providers. The arrival of these speeds has been facilitated by an upgrade of BT’s network with ADSL2+ technology, enabling the existing cabling to carry more data.
How do I get super-fast broadband ?
Your initial step is to decide which superfast internet services are available at your exhaage. Check which types of connectivity are available.
Benefits of super fast internet
Super fast internet empowers you to enjoy all the services available on the web. You’ll have the capacity to download movies in a in a few minutes – allowing you view what you like, when you demand it , and banishing the days of long waiting times for very large downloads.
Fans of on-demand programmes can enjoy their favourite shows on the Sky Now TV, together with rival services from ITV and Channel 4, smoothly and without buffering.
Reduced latency means better response times delivered by fibre connectivity means that when playing game online you a competitive advantage over the opponents and can enjoy a better more enjoyable experience.
Disadvantages of super-fast internet connectivity
Speeds are never guaranteed as advertised (although are often very near) and rely on things that are out of your control , like the quality of copper connectivity and the distance you live from the BT exchange . Regardless of whether high speed internet is on offer in your location, these limiting factors may not bring many benefits in performance for a much higher monthly price .
Who is FTTC internet connectivity for?
The massive growth in the number of people streaming music , video and watching on demand TV online means that there is no longer a typical user of high speed broadband .
If you are a heavy downloader or are one of the increasing number of consumers who prefer to catch up with TV programmes online, it makes sense to sign up for a high speed connectivity product – preferably fibre optic for the best service .
Super fast internet is also ideal for fans of online gaming . This is because a faster connection eliminates the delays to in-game responsiveness. This is referred to as ping, which is commonly triggered by slower ADSL connectivity services . This can seriously ruin your gaming experience .
If you only use the internet for checking your e-mail and for the occasional search, it’s more prudent to go with a traditional ADSL connection.
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