Who needs Super-fast Broadband FTTC Internet?
Broadband has become increasingly more important to our everyday lives and the amount of devices that we use per day that utilise 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.
Little Shoddesden Broadband Deals For September 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 sitting in commuter traffic, something that most of us wish to avoid.
Quite simply, traditional broadband connections often struggle to handle 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 small business has the ability to do what they want online– all concurrently– with no annoying delays.
What is super-fast broadband?
Super-fast broadband concerns broadband connections of as much 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 above most internet users.
While the current average UK internet connection is around 12Mbps (2014), high speed internet products deliver speeds of more than 300Mbps, through sophisticated fibre-optic broadband networks including Virgin Media and BT’s Infinity fibre optic cables.
How does super-fast broadband work ?
Unlike many UK internet connections, which use telephony 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 DSL internet .
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 residence in in the near future .
The likes of TalkTalk, Sky and EE have used BT’s Infinity service to launch rebranded super fast cable broadband services of their own.
However, fast broadband is not exclusively available 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 distant of your internet provider’s exchange you can still get fast broadband by registering selected ADSL2+ broadband packages from the likes of O2, Sky, Orange and TalkTalk.
ADSL2+
This style of connection uses the same cables and telephone exchanges as regular ADSL broadband connections, but due to the software and technology being used it can deliver speeds of almost 24Mbps, however most advertised speeds are around “approximately 16Mb”.
Your speed depends, as always, on the quality of the copper and the distance you are from the exchange, but if you live a town or built up location you can realistically expect speeds of around 16Mb or more. This still provides sufficient bandwidth for heavy internet users, and at a smaller cost than cable.
Which superfast connectivity product is the best?
Among the UK’s fastest 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 because of its super-fast fibre-optic broadband 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 accordance 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 high speed broadband ?
Your initial step is to see which super-fast broadband services are available in your area . Check which products are available.
Benefits of fast broadband
High speed internet connectivity empowers you to utilise all the video on demand available on the net. You will have the ability to watch movies in a matter of minutes – allowing you view what you want , when you demand it , and getting rid of the hanging around for huge downloads.
Fans of on-demand programmes will love their best shows on the BBC iPlayer , and even rival services from ITV and Channel 4, smoothly and without interruption .
Reduced ‘ping’ means better response times delivered by high speed internet means that online gamers gain an one-upmanship over the competition and can enjoy a better gaming experience.
Disadvantages of FTTC internet connectivity
Speeds are never 100% as advertised (although are often very close ) and based upon things that are out of your control , like the age of wiring and the distance you live from the BT exchange . Despite the fact that super fast internet connectivity is available in your location, these limiting factors may not bring many benefits in speed for a much higher monthly price .
Who is high speed internet connectivity for?
The massive growth in the quantity of people listening to music, downloading video and watching TV online means that there is no longer a typical user of fibre 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 register for a high speed broadband product – preferably fibre for the best service.
Super fast connectivity is also ideal for fans of online games . This is because a faster connection eliminates the delays to in-game responsiveness. This is known as ping, which is commonly as a resulted of slower traditional connectivity services . This can seriously ruin your 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 standard ADSL service .
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