Who needs Superfast FTTC Connectivity ?

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

Hangingshaw Broadband Deals For October 2025

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 all of us need 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 simultaneously. With Superfast fibre broadband though, everyone within a home or business has the capacity to do what they want online– all concurrently– without any annoying delays.

What is quick broadband?

Super-fast broadband relates to broadband connections of right up to 300Mbps in the UK.

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

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

How does superfast connectivity work ?

Unlike many of UK internet connections, which use telephone lines, the UK’s fastest broadband 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 made of glass and plastic, which allows data to move much faster than along the copper pipes used by traditional DSL connectivity .

BT also offers a 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 high speed cable broadband services of their own.

However, fast internet is not exclusively available 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 services from the likes of O2, Sky, Orange and TalkTalk.

ADSL2+

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

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

Which superfast broadband product is the best?

Among the UK’s quickest internet 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 due to its super-fast fibre broadband 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.

 

 

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 fibre broadband ?

Your 1st step is to decide which super-fast broadband services are available to you . Check which types of connectivity are available.

 

Benefits of high bandwidth internet

Super fast internet enables you to use all the video on demand available on the net. You will have the opportunity to watch movies in a within minutes – allowing you consume what you like, when you want it , and getting rid of the days of long waiting times for very large downloads.

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

Reduced ‘ping’ means improved response times delivered by super-fast internet means that when online gaming you gain a competitive advantage over the opposition and can enjoy a better gaming experience.

Disadvantages of super-fast connectivity

Speeds are never 100% as advertised (although are often very near) and based upon things that are not within your control, like the age of wiring and the distance you live from the BT exchange . Despite the fact that super fast broadband is on offer in your area , these limiting factors may not bring many improvements in performance for a much higher monthly price .

Who is super-fast internet connectivity for?

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

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 fibre internet product – preferably fibre optic for the best service .

High speed broadband is also ideal for fans of online console usage. This is because a faster connection eliminates the delays to in-game responsiveness. This is known as ping,  which is commonly triggered by slower traditional connectivity services . This can seriously ruin your online gaming pleasure.

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

Hangingshaw – Other Areas

South Kingennie

Tismans Common

Tintern

Whiteclosegate

Sgallairidh

Rede

Nether Handley

Lynmouth

Port Talbot

East Chiltington