Who needs Superfast Connectivity ?
Broadband has become more and more vital to our everyday lives and the amount of devices that we use per day that rely upon broadband connectivity seems to increase. The quantity of tablets, smartphones, laptops, desktops, games consoles and TV’s that everyone has in their homes, seems to increase every day.
Stone Business Park Broadband Deals For December 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 we all wish to avoid.
Quite simply, traditional broadband connections often struggle to manage 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 business manages to do what they want online– all at the same time– without any annoying delays.
What is super-fast broadband?
Super-fast broadband describes broadband connections of approximately 300Mbps in the UK.
Super-fast broadband connections enable users to go online , 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), super-fast broadband products deliver speeds of about 300Mbps, through sophisticated fibre-optic cabled networks which include Virgin Media and BT’s Infinity fibre optic cables.
How does fibre broadband work ?
Unlike most UK broadband 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 composed of glass and plastic, which allows data to move much quicker than along the copper cables used by traditional ADSL broadband .
BT also offers an as much as 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 future .
The likes of TalkTalk, Sky and EE have resold BT’s Infinity service to launch rebranded super fast cable broadband services of their own.
However, fast internet is not only 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 distant of your broadband provider’s exchange you can still get fast broadband by joining selected ADSL2+ broadband services from the providers like O2, Sky, Orange and TalkTalk.
ADSL2+
This sort 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 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 live in a city or built up location you can realistically expect speeds of as much as 16Mb or more. This still provides more than enough bandwidth for heavy internet users, and at a smaller cost than cable.
Which superfast internet product is the fastest?
Among the UK’s quickest 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 thanks to its super-fast fibre-optic 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 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 super-fast broadband ?
Your first step is to see which high speed broadband services are available in your area . Check which products are available.
Benefits of super fast internet
High speed internet can let you use all the services on offer on-line. You’ll have the capacity to download movies in a within minutes – allowing you view what you like, when you like it, and banishing the hanging around for enormous downloads.
Fans of on-demand show can enjoy their favourite shows on the BBC iPlayer , along with rival services from ITV and Channel 4, smoothly and without buffering.
Reduced latency means move favourable response times delivered by high speed internet means that online gamers gain an one-upmanship over the opponents and can enjoy a better playing experience.
Disadvantages of FTTC internet connectivity
Speeds are never 100% 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 . Despite the fact that high speed internet connectivity is available in your location, these limiting factors may yield little difference in performance for a much higher monthly price .
Who is high speed internet for?
The massive growth in the number of people downloading music , streaming video and watching TV online means that there is no longer a typical user of fibre 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 connectivity deal – preferably fibre optic for the best experience.
High speed internet 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 triggered by slower ADSL connectivity 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 opt for a traditional ADSL connection.
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