Who needs Super-fast FTTC Connectivity ?
Broadband has become more and more necessary to our everyday lives and the amount of devices that we use per day that bank on broadband connectivity seems to increase. The number of tablets, smartphones, laptops, desktops, games consoles and TV’s that each person has in their homes, seems to increase everyday.
Swordale 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 sitting in commuter traffic, something that most 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 logged on concurrently. With Superfast fibre broadband though, everyone within a home or small business has the chance to do what they want online– all concurrently– without any annoying delays.
What is quick broadband?
Super-fast broadband relates to broadband connections of up to 300Mbps in the UK.
Super-fast broadband connections enable users to go online , stream music & video and stream television at speeds that are massively greater than most internet users.
While the current average UK broadband connection is around 12Mbps (2014), superfast internet products deliver speeds of to 300Mbps, through sophisticated fibre-optic broadband networks such as Virgin Media and BT’s Infinity fibre optic cables.
How does fibre internet work ?
Unlike many UK broadband connections, which use telephony lines, the UK’s fastest 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 pipes used by standard ADSL connectivity .
BT also offers an as high 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 years to come.
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 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 internet provider’s exchange you can still get fast internet by subscribing to selected ADSL2+ internet packages from the providers like O2, Sky, Orange and TalkTalk.
ADSL2+
This type of connection uses the same wiring and telephone exchanges as regular ADSL broadband connections, but because of the software and technology being used it can deliver speeds of almost 24Mbps, however most advertised speeds are around “to 16Mb”.
Your speed depends, as always, on the quality of the copper and the distance you are from the exchange, but if you inhabit a city or built up area you can realistically expect speeds of to 16Mb or more. This still provides more than enough bandwidth for heavy internet users, and at a smaller cost than cable.
Which super-fast broadband 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 superfast fibre broadband network.
BT’s Infinity package delivers a maximum speed of 76Mbps and the aforementioned services from Sky, EE and TalkTalk, which use BT’s fibre optic 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 copper to carry more data.
How do I get super-fast connectivity?
Your start is to decide which fast broadband services are available in your area . Check which service are available.
Benefits of super fast broadband connections
Fast broadband empowers you to make the most of all the entertainment services on offer on the web. You’ll have the opportunity to download movies in a within minutes – allowing you consume what you want , when you want it , and getting rid of the hanging around for very large downloads.
Fans of on-demand show will love their favourite shows on the BBC iPlayer , and even rival services from ITV and Channel 4, smoothly and without interruption .
Reduced ‘ping’ means improved response times delivered by high speed internet means that online gamers gain a competitive advantage over the competition and can enjoy a better playing experience.
Disadvantages of fibre internet
Speeds are never guaranteed as advertised (although are often very close ) and based on things that are not within your control, like the age of copper connectivity and the distance you live from the cabinet . Despite the fact that fibre broadband is available in your location, these limiting factors may yield little difference in speed for a much higher monthly cost .
Who is fibre internet connectivity for?
The massive growth in the amount of people streaming music , downloading video and watching catchup TV online means that there is no longer a typical user of super fast internet connectivity.
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 join a high speed internet service – preferably fibre for the greatest service.
High speed internet connectivity is also ideal for fans of online gaming . Due to the fact a faster connection eliminates the delays to in-game responsiveness. This is referred to as ping, which is often triggered by slower DSL 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 go for a standard ADSL deal .
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