Who needs High Speed Internet ?

Broadband has become increasingly more essential 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 everyone has in their homes, seems to increase on a daily basis.

Westmead 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 sitting in commuter traffic, something that we all wish to avoid.

 

 

Quite simply, traditional broadband connections often struggle to cope with the simultaneous demands of downloading large files, streaming videos or music, with multiple devices and appliances turned on all at once. With Superfast fibre broadband though, everyone within a home or business has the capacity to do what they want online– all at the same time– with no annoying delays.

What is fast broadband?

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

Super-fast broadband connections enable users to go online , download music & video and stream television at speeds that are massively above most broadband users.

While the current average UK broadband connection is around 12Mbps (2014), superfast broadband products deliver speeds of to 300Mbps, through sophisticated fibre-optic cabled networks which includes Virgin Media and BT’s Infinity fibre optic cables.

How does superfast broadband operate?

Unlike many of UK broadband connections, which use telephony lines, the UK’s fastest broadband 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 up of glass and plastic, which allows data to move much quicker than along the copper cables used by traditional xDSL connectivity .

BT also offers a to 76Mb fibre-optic service called 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 high speed 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 range of your internet 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 kind of connection uses the same cables and telephone exchanges as regular ADSL broadband connections, but due to the software and technology used it can deliver speeds of almost 24Mbps, however most advertised speeds are around “about 16Mb”.

Your speed depends, as always, on the quality of the cabling and the distance you are from the exchange, but if you reside in a town 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 internet product is the fastest?

Among the UK’s fastest 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 due to its superfast fibre-optic connectivity 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.

 

 

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 superfast connectivity?

Your initial step is to decide which super-fast broadband services are available at your exhaage. Check which service are available.

 

Advantages of fast broadband

Super-fast internet connectivity empowers you to enjoy all the entertainment on offer on-line. You will have the opportunity to watch movies in a within minutes – allowing you watch what you want , 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 , and even rival services from ITV and Channel 4, smoothly and without interruption .

Reduced latency means better response times delivered by super fast connectivity means that online gamers gain a competitive advantage over the competition and can enjoy a better playing experience.

Disadvantages of FTTC internet connectivity

Speeds are never 100% as advertised (although are often very close ) and rely on things that are out of your control , like the age of wiring and the distance you live from the cabinet . Whether or not fibre internet connectivity is available in your area , these limiting factors may not bring many benefits in performance for a much higher annual price.

Who is  fibre broadband  for?

The massive growth in the number of people streaming music , downloading video and watching TV online means that there is no more a typical user of fibre internet .

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 enrol for a super-fast internet connectivity service – preferably fibre optic for the very best service.

Super-fast connectivity is also ideal for fans of online games . Due to the fact a faster connection eliminates the delays to in-game responsiveness. This is known as ping,  which is commonly brought on by slower DSL internet connectivity products. 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 deal .

Westmead – Other Areas

Kirkleatham

Pantymwyn

Gossards Green

Hilcott

Cairncross

Handbridge

Sampford Arundel

Mose

Somerton

Hidcote Bartrim