Who needs Superfast Broadband FTTC Connectivity ?

Broadband has become much more vital to our everyday lives and the amount of devices that we use on a daily basis that utilise 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 each day.

Waterdale Broadband Deals For April 2024

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 would like 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 chance to do what they want online– all at the same time– without any annoying delays.

What is high speed broadband?

Super-fast broadband describes broadband connections of around 300Mbps in the UK.

Super-fast broadband connections enable users to go online , 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), high speed broadband products deliver speeds of about 300Mbps, through sophisticated fibre-optic broadband networks which includes Virgin Media and BT’s Infinity fibre optic cables.

How does superfast connectivity operate?

Unlike the majority of UK broadband connections, which use telephone 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 comprised of glass and plastic, which allows data to move much quicker than along the copper cables used by traditional xDSL internet .

BT also offers an as high as 76Mb fibre service called 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 piggybacked on BT’s Infinity service to launch rebranded super fast cable broadband products of their own.

However, fast broadband is not only available to people in a fibre broadband locations. 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 internet by registering for selected ADSL2+ internet services from the companies like O2, Sky, Orange and TalkTalk.

ADSL2+

This form of connection uses the same cabling and telephone exchanges as regular ADSL broadband connections, but because of the software and technology used it can deliver speeds of up to 24Mbps, however most advertised speeds are around “as high as 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 town or built up area you can realistically expect speeds of as high as 16Mb or more. This still provides ample bandwidth for heavy internet users, and at a smaller cost than cable.

Which high speed broadband product is the quickest ?

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 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 optic network and feature headline speeds according to 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 superfast broadband ?

Your start is to decide which highspeed broadband services are available to you . Check which service are available.

 

Benefits of fast internet

Super-fast broadband empowers you to take advantage of all the entertainment services available on the internet. You will be able to watch movies in a matter of minutes – allowing you watch what you want , when you demand it , and getting rid of the days of long waiting times for enormous downloads.

Fans of on-demand programmes will love their favourite shows on the BBC iPlayer , including rival services from ITV and Channel 4, smoothly and without interruption .

Reduced latency means move favourable response times delivered by super fast broadband means that online gamers gain an one-upmanship over the opponents and can enjoy a better more enjoyable experience.

Disadvantages of fibre broadband

Speeds are never 100% as advertised (although are often very close ) and based on things that are out of your control , like the age of wiring and the distance you live from the exchange . Even if super-fast broadband is on offer in your area , these limiting factors may not bring many improvements in speed for a much higher cost .

Who is  FTTC internet  for?

The massive growth in the number of people listening to music, streaming video and watching TV online means that there is no more a typical user of super fast 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 connectivity service – preferably fibre optic for the very best service.

Fibre internet connectivity is also ideal for fans of online games . This is because faster connectivity gets rid of the delays to in-game responsiveness. This is called ping,  which is commonly triggered by slower ADSL internet connectivity services . 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 take a traditional ADSL connection.

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