Who needs Super-fast FTTC ?
Broadband has become increasingly more essential to our everyday lives and the amount of devices that we use on a daily basis that rely upon broadband connectivity seems to increase. The quantity of tablets, smartphones, laptops, desktops, games consoles and TV’s that each person has in their homes, seems to increase daily.
Morton-on-Swale Broadband Deals For November 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 being stuck in commuter traffic, something that all of us would like 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 turned on simultaneously. With Superfast fibre broadband though, everyone within a home or small company manages to do what they want online– all simultaneously– without any annoying delays.
What is high speed broadband?
Super-fast broadband refers to broadband connections of more than 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 higher than most internet users.
While the current average UK internet connection is around 12Mbps (2014), super-fast broadband products deliver speeds of up to 300Mbps, through sophisticated fibre-optic cabled networks such as Virgin Media and BT’s Infinity fibre optic cables.
How does fibre internet operate?
Unlike many of UK broadband connections, which use telephony lines, the UK’s fastest internet product – the 100Mbps service from Virgin Media (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 quicker than along the copper cables used by standard DSL broadband .
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 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 range of your broadband provider’s exchange you can still get fast internet by subscribing to selected ADSL2+ broadband packages from the companies like O2, Sky, Orange and TalkTalk.
ADSL2+
This sort of connection uses the same cables and telephone exchanges as regular ADSL phone-line connections, but due to the software and technology used it can deliver speeds of approximately 24Mbps, however most advertised speeds are around “around 16Mb”.
Your speed depends, as always, on the quality of the wiring and the distance you are from the exchange, but if you dwell in a city or built up area you can realistically expect speeds of approximately 16Mb or more. This still provides ample bandwidth for heavy internet users, and at a smaller cost than cable.
Which high speed connectivity product is the quickest ?
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 as a result of 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 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 fibre connectivity?
Your initial step is to see which fast internet services are available at your exhaage. Check which products are available.
Advantages of fast broadband connectivity
Fast internet connectivity enables you to take advantage of all the video on demand available on-line. You will have the ability to download movies in a matter of minutes – allowing you watch what you like, when you like it, and banishing the hanging around for huge downloads.
Fans of on-demand programmes will love their best shows on the Sky Now TV, including rival services from ITV and Channel 4, smoothly and without interruption .
Reduced ‘ping’ means better response times delivered by super fast broadband means that when online gaming you gain an one-upmanship over the opposition and can enjoy a better more enjoyable experience.
Disadvantages of high speed internet
Speeds are never guaranteed as advertised (although are often very near) and rely on things that are out of your control , like the age of wiring and the distance you live from the cabinet . Even when fibre internet is on offer in your location, these limiting factors may not bring many improvements in performance for a much higher price .
Who is FTTC connectivity for?
The massive growth in the quantity of people streaming music , streaming video and watching on demand TV online means that there is no more a typical user of fibre internet .
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 high speed internet product – preferably fibre optic for the best experience.
High speed internet connectivity is also ideal for fans of online gaming . 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 ADSL internet 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 decide on a traditional ADSL connection.
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