Who needs Super-fast Broadband Internet ?
Broadband has become much more necessary to our everyday lives and the amount of devices that we use on a daily basis that rely on broadband connectivity seems to increase. The amount of tablets, smartphones, laptops, desktops, games consoles and TV’s that everyone has in their homes, seems to increase on a daily basis.
Forton Broadband Deals For March 2024
[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 sitting in commuter traffic, something that most of us would like to avoid.
Quite simply, traditional broadband connections often struggle to come to grips with the simultaneous demands of downloading large files, streaming videos or music, with multiple devices and appliances turned on concurrently. With Superfast fibre broadband though, everyone within a home or small business has the ability to do what they want online– all all at once– without any annoying delays.
What is high speed broadband?
Super-fast broadband refers to broadband connections of as high as 300Mbps in the UK.
Super-fast broadband connections enable users to go online , stream music & video and stream television at speeds that are massively higher than most internet users.
While the current average UK broadband connection is around 12Mbps (2014), super-fast internet products deliver speeds of up to 300Mbps, through sophisticated fibre-optic broadband networks such as Virgin Media and BT’s Infinity fibre optic cables.
How does high speed broadband operate?
Unlike most of UK internet connections, which use telephone lines, the UK’s fastest 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 faster than along the copper pipes used by traditional ADSL connectivity .
BT also offers a more than 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 not too distant future.
The likes of TalkTalk, Sky and EE have used BT’s Infinity service to launch rebranded super-fast cable broadband products of their own.
However, fast broadband is not exclusively on offer to people in a fibre broadband area . Fast broadband is not exclusively on offer to people in a fibre-optic broadband area. If you live within a certain range of your internet provider’s exchange you can still get fast broadband by subscribing to selected ADSL2+ internet packages from the likes of O2, Sky, Orange and TalkTalk.
ADSL2+
This type of connection uses the same cabling and telephone exchanges as regular ADSL internet connections, but due to the software and technology used it can deliver speeds of about 24Mbps, however most advertised speeds are around “up to 16Mb”.
Your speed depends, as always, on the quality of the wiring and the distance you are from the exchange, but if you live a town or built up area you can realistically expect speeds of to 16Mb or more. This still provides ample bandwidth for heavy internet users, and at a smaller cost than cable.
Which superfast internet product is the quickest ?
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 optic network and feature headline speeds in line with 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 superfast connectivity?
Your 1st step is to see which high speed internet services are available to you . Check which types of connectivity are available.
Advantages of super fast broadband connectivity
Super fast broadband lets you make the most of all the entertainment services on offer on the net. You’ll be able to download movies in a matter of minutes – allowing you consume what you want , when you demand it , and banishing the hanging around for astronomical downloads.
Fans of on-demand programmes will love their favourite shows on the Sky Now TV, along with rival services from ITV and Channel 4, smoothly and without interruption .
Reduced latency means better response times delivered by fibre internet means that when online gaming you gain a competitive advantage over the opponents and can enjoy a better more enjoyable experience.
Disadvantages of FTTC connectivity
Speeds are never 100% as advertised (although are often very near) and rely on things that are not within your control, like the quality of copper connectivity and the distance you live from the BT exchange . Despite the fact that fibre internet connectivity is on offer in your area , these limiting factors may not bring many improvements in speed for a much higher cost .
Who is FTTC connectivity for?
The massive growth in the number of people streaming music , streaming video and watching on demand TV online means that there is no longer a typical user of super-fast broadband .
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 good sense to sign up for a fibre internet deal – preferably fibre for the best service.
Fibre internet connectivity is also ideal for fans of online gaming . This is because a faster connection gets rid of the delays to in-game responsiveness. This is referred to as ping, which is commonly as a resulted of slower DSL internet products. 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 for a standard ADSL service .
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