Who needs Superfast Connections ?

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

Gernick Broadband Deals For March 2024

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Connection TypeAvailablity
FTTC / Fibre / Superfast BroadbandYes
Cable / Virgin MediaSome Areas
ADSL / BroadbandYes
4GYes

Working from home is commonplace as it saves people sitting in commuter traffic, something that most of us would love 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 signed on simultaneously. With Superfast fibre broadband though, everyone within a home or small company has the opportunity to do what they want online– all all at once– without any annoying delays.

What is fast broadband?

Super-fast broadband relates to broadband connections of as much as 300Mbps in the UK.

Super-fast broadband connections enable users to go online , download music & video and stream television at speeds that are massively more than most broadband users.

While the current average UK internet connection is around 12Mbps (2014), high speed internet products deliver speeds of to 300Mbps, through sophisticated fibre-optic cabled networks especially Virgin Media and BT’s Infinity fibre optic cables.

How does super-fast broadband operate?

Unlike many 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 comprised of glass and plastic, which allows data to move much quicker than along the copper pipes used by standard xDSL connectivity .

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

 

 

The likes of TalkTalk, Sky and EE have piggybacked on BT’s Infinity service to launch rebranded high speed cable broadband products of their own.

However, fast internet is not exclusively on offer to people in a fibre-optic broadband area . Fast broadband is not exclusively on offer to people in a fibre-optic broadband area. If you live within a certain distant of your internet provider’s exchange you can still get fast internet by signing up for selected ADSL2+ broadband packages from the likes of O2, Sky, Orange and TalkTalk.

ADSL2+

This type 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 “almost 16Mb”.

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

Which super-fast broadband product is the fastest?

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 because its super-fast fibre-optic broadband network.

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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 optic network and feature headline speeds in accordance with BT.

 

 

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 fibre optic broadband ?

Your first step is to see which superfast broadband services are available to you . Check which types of connectivity are available.

 

Advantages of fast broadband connectivity

Super-fast internet connectivity enables you to use all the entertainment on offer on the web. You will have the chance to watch movies in a in a few minutes – allowing you consume what you like, when you want it , and getting rid of the hanging around for very large downloads.

Fans of on-demand TV can enjoy their favourite shows on the BBC iPlayer , including rival services from ITV and Channel 4, smoothly and without buffering.

Reduced latency means improved response times delivered by super-fast broadband means that online gamers gain an one-upmanship over the opponents and can enjoy a better gaming experience.

Disadvantages of FTTC broadband

Speeds are never guaranteed as advertised (although are often very close ) and based upon things that are not within your control, like the age of wiring and the distance you live from the exchange . Though super-fast internet is available in your area , these limiting factors may not bring many benefits in performance for a much higher monthly cost .

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Who is  fibre broadband  for?

The massive growth in the number of people listening to music, downloading video and watching on demand TV online means that there is no more a typical user of super-fast 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 super-fast broadband deal – preferably fibre optic for the best service .

Super fast connectivity is also ideal for fans of online console usage. This is because a faster connection eliminates the delays to in-game responsiveness. This is called ping,  which is commonly brought on by slower traditional 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 take a traditional ADSL service .

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Gernick – Other Areas

  • Chidham
  • Hodthorpe
  • Boswyn
  • Strensall Camp
  • Belmont
  • Randlay
  • Pentire
  • Chapmans Well
  • Hollins Green
  • Culmers