Who needs High Speed FTTC ?

Broadband has become increasingly more vital to our everyday lives and the amount of devices that we use on a daily basis that bank on broadband connectivity seems to increase. The number of tablets, smartphones, laptops, desktops, games consoles and TV’s that everyone has in their homes, seems to increase everyday.

Arivegaig Broadband Deals For September 2024

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 would love to avoid.

 

 

Quite simply, traditional broadband connections often struggle to cope with the simultaneous demands of downloading large files, streaming videos or music, with multiple devices and appliances signed on at the same time. With Superfast fibre broadband though, everyone within a home or business has the chance to do what they want online– all at the same time– with no annoying delays.

What is high speed broadband?

Super-fast broadband describes broadband connections of as high as 300Mbps in the UK.

Super-fast broadband connections enable users to surf the internet, stream music & video and stream television at speeds that are massively higher than most broadband users.

While the current average UK internet connection is around 12Mbps (2014), super-fast internet products deliver speeds of more than 300Mbps, through sophisticated fibre-optic cabled networks which includes Virgin Media and BT’s Infinity fibre optic cables.

How does fibre broadband operate?

Unlike many of UK broadband connections, which use telephone lines, the UK’s quickest internet product – the 100Mbps service from Virgin (it’s 200Mbps in some areas) – is delivered by a cable, or fibre-optic, broadband network. These cables are composed of glass and plastic, which allows data to move much quicker than along the copper cables used by standard ADSL internet connectivity.

BT also offers an up to 76Mb fibre-optic service called Infinity (you can get 300Mbps in some areas), and plans to make this available to millions more UK homes in in the future .

 

 

The likes of TalkTalk, Sky and EE have resold BT’s Infinity service to launch rebranded super fast cable broadband services of their own.

However, fast broadband is not only on offer to people in a fibre-optic 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 internet by enrolling in selected ADSL2+ internet packages from the likes of O2, Sky, Orange and TalkTalk.

ADSL2+

This kind of connection uses the same cabling and telephone exchanges as regular ADSL internet connections, but thanks to the software and technology being used it can deliver speeds of as high as 24Mbps, however most advertised speeds are around “approximately 16Mb”.

Your speed depends, as always, on the quality of the wiring and the distance you are from the exchange, but if you reside in a town or built up area you can realistically expect speeds of as much as 16Mb or more. This still provides plenty of bandwidth for heavy internet users, and at a smaller cost than cable.

Which super-fast internet product is the best?

Among the UK’s quickest connectivity 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 as a result of its super-fast fibre-optic connectivity network.

BT’s Infinity package delivers 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 copper to carry more data.

How do I get fast connectivity?

Your initial step is to see which high speed broadband services are available at your exhaage. Check which service are available.

 

Advantages of super-fast internet

Super-fast internet connectivity empowers you to utilise all the entertainment services available on the world wide web. You’ll manage to watch movies in a matter of minutes – allowing you consume what you want , when you like it, and banishing the days of long waiting times for huge downloads.

Fans of on-demand show will love their best shows on the Sky Now TV, together with rival services from ITV and Channel 4, smoothly and without interruption .

Reduced ‘ping’ means better response times delivered by fibre connectivity means that online gamers gain an one-upmanship over the opposition and can enjoy a better gaming experience.

Disadvantages of fibre internet connectivity

Speeds are never guaranteed as advertised (although are often very near) and dependent on things that are not within your control, like the quality of copper connectivity and the distance you live from the exchange . Although super-fast broadband is on offer in your area , these limiting factors may not bring many benefits in performance for a much higher price .

Who is super-fast connectivity  for?

The massive growth in the range of people streaming music , downloading video and watching on demand TV online means that there is no longer a typical user of super-fast internet connectivity.

However, 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 register for a fibre broadband deal – preferably fibre for the best service.

High speed broadband is also ideal for fans of online console usage. This is because faster connectivity gets rid of the delays to in-game responsiveness. This is called ping,  which is often  triggered by slower traditional connectivity products. This can seriously ruin your online gaming experience .

If you only use the internet for checking your e-mail and for the occasional search, it’s more prudent to favour a traditional ADSL service .

Arivegaig – Other Areas

Blackdown

Hawthorn Hill

Maunby

Betteshanger

Upper Tankersley

Armadale

Crimond

Culmhead

Palmer Moor

Jacksdale