Who needs Superfast Connectivity ?

Broadband has become much more necessary to our everyday lives and the amount of devices that we use per day that depend on broadband connectivity seems to increase. The number of tablets, smartphones, laptops, desktops, games consoles and TV’s that everyone has in their homes, seems to increase each day.

Wylam Broadband Deals For October 2025

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 all of us need to avoid.

 

 

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

What is super-fast broadband?

Super-fast broadband relates to 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 greater than most broadband users.

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

How does superfast broadband operate?

Unlike the majority of UK internet connections, which use telephony 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 pipes used by traditional DSL broadband .

BT also offers a 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 used BT’s Infinity service to launch rebranded super fast 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 broadband provider’s exchange you can still get fast internet by subscribing to selected ADSL2+ broadband services from the likes of O2, Sky, Orange and TalkTalk.

ADSL2+

This kind of connection uses the same wiring and telephone exchanges as regular ADSL phone-line connections, but thanks to the software and technology being used it can deliver speeds of about 24Mbps, however most advertised speeds are around “to 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 high as 16Mb or more. This still provides plenty of bandwidth for heavy internet users, and at a smaller cost than cable.

Which high speed internet product is the fastest?

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 because its super-fast 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 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 start is to see which fast broadband services are available at your exhaage. Check which types of connectivity are available.

 

Advantages of fast broadband connectivity

Super fast broadband enables you to use all the entertainment on offer online. You’ll manage to download movies in a within minutes – allowing you consume what you want , when you demand it , and banishing the hanging around for huge downloads.

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

Reduced latency means better response times delivered by fibre internet means that when online gaming you gain an one-upmanship over the opposition and can enjoy a better gaming experience.

Disadvantages of FTTC connectivity

Speeds are never guaranteed as advertised (although are often very near) and depend on things that are not within your control, like the age of copper connectivity and the distance you live from the BT exchange . Even if fibre internet is on offer in your location, these limiting factors may not bring many benefits in performance for a much higher monthly price .

Who is  fibre connectivity  for?

The massive growth in the range of people streaming music , streaming 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 sense to enrol in a high speed internet connectivity service – preferably fibre for the greatest service.

Fibre 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  brought on by slower traditional internet connectivity products . This can seriously ruin your gaming pleasure.

If you only use the internet for checking your e-mail and for the occasional search, it’s more prudent to go with a traditional ADSL connection.

Wylam – Other Areas

Costa

Tipton St John

Harray

West Appleton

Kilton

Norton Ash

Longford Turning

Fairfield

High Bradley

Chelsworth Common