Author: admin

  1. Homepage
  2. admin
3G 4G 5G Mobile Network Mobile Network Experience Report Mobile Phone Coverage Mobile Provider Mobile Signal Strength Ofcom
Speeds of UK 4G and 5G Mobile Networks Benchmarked by Ofcom Study

Ofcom, the UK telecoms regulator, has recently published their latest Mobile Matters report for 2024. The report, using crowdsourced data from Opensignal collected between October 2023 and March 2024, has been used to benchmark how UK mobile broadband networks are performing. It includes data for Three UK, O2, Vodafone and EE.  

You might be a bit surprised by some of the results – The study was full of interesting details and revelations. 

Prevalence of 4G Connections Over 5G

Interestingly, over this 6 month period, 78% of cellular network connections were to 4G networks. Just 19.6% of connections were on 5G. 

Where a 5G network was available from their mobile network operator, mobile users were able to access data services on that 5G network on 98.4% of occasions. This is compared to 97.2% on 4G and 85% on 3G. 

More 5G Mobile Connections in Urban Areas than Rural

Mobile Connections via 5G in urban areas were double that of rural areas (20.9% compared to 10.4% respectively). 

Generally, 4G was more prevalent in rural areas than urban. 

Rural – 4G (85.6%), 3G (3.8%)

Urban – 4G (76.9%), 3G (2.1%) 

You may also be interested to see how this differs across the nations. 

And by mobile network operator (MNO). 

As you would expect, 5G networks were found to offer faster downstream connectivity than 4G and 3G. 

The percentages of an average download speed of 100 Mbit/s (or higher) were

5G: 47% 

4G: 11%

3G: 3%

The percentages of an average download speed of under 2Mbit/s were

5G: 1%

4G: 5%

3G: 22%

Which mobile network had the best download speeds over 5G?

The highest share of those higher download speeds on 5G (100Mbit/s and above) went to Three UK with 60%. O2 had the least connections with that download speed over both 5G (32%) and 4G (3%). 

Which Mobile Network Has The Fastest Response Time? (Lowest Latency)

For 5G connections, Three UK had the fastest average response time (16.3 milliseconds). In comparison, the fastest average response time over 4G was EE (18.3ms). O2 again lagged behind, with customers revealing the slowest average response time on 5G (21.4ms) and over on 4G it was Vodafone with the slowest response time (23.7ms).

A Wealth of Mobile Data

This report is packed full of interesting data – Far too much for us to be able to share in one article unfortunately! We’d be here all day.  

We’d certainly recommend perusing the data tables and reading through the results of what Ofcom and Opensignal have to report from consumers over this latest study’s 6 month period. 

You can read the full report here. What stood out most to you?

by admin
11 Views0
Broadband Wi-Fi
UK Broadband Users Warned: Don’t Switch Routers Off at Night!

Last year, broadband service provider Virgin Media (O2) undertook a censuswide survey of over 2000 UK based customers. The survey revealed that 18% of those who responded switch their router off overnight. 

In the current climate, we wouldn’t blame you if you were scrutinising every appliance and electric unit in your home, sussing out what’s eating up electricity and identifying where savings can be made. 

Consumer electronics account for 6-7% of our energy bills. Think laptops, games consoles, televisions. These devices, when left on standby, can gobble up more electricity than you might think. Many people turn these things off when not in use – But what about things that stay on all the time, like your router? With the prevalence of smart homes comes the need for constant Wi-Fi connection – When is the internet never not in use in your home?

You might think that it’s not needed at night, but if you have smartphones, odds are that when they are connected to Wi-Fi and plugged in to charge overnight, said smartphones complete important updates. 

Switching off your router at night could actually have quite a number of unintended consequences, for both your router itself and other devices. 

Should I Turn My Router Off Overnight to Save Electricity? 

Forums dedicated to saving energy and money might have suggested turning your electricals off overnight to save electricity – Including your router. But Internet Service Providers are warning against this. 

For the small amount of money it could save, it may actually cause a lot of disruption. 

  • Many routers receive security updates overnight so as not to cause any issues during the day. If you switch your router off every single night, then you could miss one of these security updates which could cause issues later down the line with device vulnerability.
  • Desperate to stay up to date with the latest Sky series but can’t stay awake long enough to watch it in real time? Then you might be someone who ‘series links’ your shows so you never have to miss a moment. Except – In order for Sky (other providers are available) to be able to record said show, the TV needs to be connected to the internet. And oops – You switched the router off before you went to bed. No show for you.
  • Do you charge your smartphone overnight? Most use this opportunity to update to the latest software. If you’re not connected to the Wi-Fi then it likely won’t make any necessary updates. Likewise, if your phone stays on overnight, any notifications like WhatsApp or social media platforms will connect via your data rather than Wi-Fi which could result in your using up your data sooner than expected. 

Are these massive issues that you couldn’t possibly cope with? No, probably not. But if you’re used to things just quietly and consistently running in the background – Updates, show recordings, notifications – You might need to consider whether switching off your router overnight would work for you. 

Switching Off Router Overnight Could Disrupt Connectivity

It’s also important to remember that most homes use broadband connections that are based off older style copper broadband lines (for example ADSL2+) or a hybrid of fibre optic and copper (e.g. FTTC / VDSL). These often use DLM technology (Dynamic Line Management) and its associated services.

A potential issue with these services is its negative response to repeatedly getting disconnected and having to reboot the router. DLM services may detect this ‘turning off’ as connection problems, resulting in it making the connection slower. To avoid this kind of connectivity issue, it’s generally recommended to keep the router switched on. 

A typical home broadband router uses between 5 and 20 watts of power, which can cost between £0.03 and £0.14 per day. This adds up to roughly £10 to £50 per year on your energy bill. 

So turning off your router for an average of 9 hours per night isn’t going to save you much cash at all, at the expense of good connectivity, device security and efficiency of updates. 

Of course, it’s completely a personal preference but we’d agree with the ISP’s – Keep your router turned on. 

by admin
121 Views0
Broadband Fibre Broadband FTTP Full Fibre Ofcom
New Rules on Misleading Use of ‘Fibre’ Broadband 

Ofcom, the regulator for telecoms and media here in the UK, are beginning the enforcement of new rules regarding how Internet Service Providers use the words ‘Fibre’ and ‘Full Fibre.’ 

ISP websites and contracts listing terms like ‘Fibre’ and ‘Full Fibre’ will only be able to do so if their service network actually brings their fibre optic cables into your home, under the new rules. This means FTTP, FTTH and FTTB services. 

In the past, many ISP’s have misleadingly used terminology like ‘Fibre’ to describe a wide range of internet connection technologies. This has included hybrid or part-fibre solutions involving some copper wiring (like FTTC) or even services using wireless connectivity to cover the final part into homes. 

These technologies can actually be a lot slower as well as less reliable than the more modern full-fibre (FTTP) services. It’s these services that take an optical fibre cable all the way into the home. 

Network operators, ISP’s and consumers have argued about fibre descriptions for quite a while. And with the roll-out of FTTP (Fibre to the Premises) lines over the past few years, capable of multi-Gigabit speed, this has only increased. 

If a consumer believes that they already have fibre, even if it’s only via a FTTC (VDSL2) line that is a lot slower, that consumer is more unlikely to consider upgrading to FTTP. 

This isn’t the first time the distinction between ‘fibre’ services has tried to be corrected. The Advertising Standards Authority attempted a review, but it was ineffective. CityFibre also attempted a court challenge, but this also failed. 

Then in 2021, GigaTAG (the Gigabit Take-Up Advisory Group) made a proposal to change several things, one of which was the clearer labelling of broadband packages. This was so consumers could better understand the differences between technologies, and this was successfully adopted by Ofcom at the end of last year. 

As of today, 16th September 2024, the new guidelines for residential and small business services have been formally introduced and enforced by Ofcom. Better late than never!

It’s important to note that this doesn’t yet apply to advertising. Ofcom doesn’t cover advertising, as that is the remit of the Advertising Standards Authority. So let’s hope the ASA follows suit.  

Ofcom’s New Guidelines on Fibre Terminology

The below are a summary of points from Ofcom’s website. 

  • Providers should give a short description of the underlying network technology of each broadband product using one or two terms that are clear and unambiguous, such as ‘cable’, ‘copper’, ‘full-fibre’ or part-fibre’. These descriptions should be offered at point of sale on the website, and before the final purchase in contract information, and in the contract summary;
  • The term ‘fibre’ used in isolation is ambiguous, so it should not be used on its own to describe the underlying broadband technology. This would mean, for instance, that ‘full-fibre’ (or a similar term) is only used to describe networks which use fibre-optic cables all the way from the exchange to the home. Similarly, ‘part-fibre’ (or a similar term) would describe those services with a fibre-optic connection from the local exchange to the street cabinet and then usually a copper wire connecting the street cabinet to the customer’s home; and
  • Providers should give a more thorough explanation of the underlying broadband technology – for example through a link – so that consumers can understand in more detail what it means for them. This information must be provided in an accessible form that is easy to understand.

Underlying technology information should be given to consumers irrespective of how they sign up for a service. Under Ofcom’s new guidance, those signing up online will be given this information on the broadband provider’s website. Those purchasing a service over the phone or face-to-face will be provided with this information in the Contract Summary and in the contract itself. A Contract Summary with key information on the service must be provided before the customer confirms the purchase.

Ofcom have concluded that this is the most proportionate approach to ensure appropriate information is provided to consumers and reduce customer confusion, while limiting the costs of implementation.

9 Months to Welcome Change

Ofcom announced this change back in December of last year, giving ISP’s plenty of time to implement changes. 

Thankfully, a good chunk of the telecoms industry, noticeably the more alternative full fibre networks, have welcomed this change. 

But is it too late to make a difference? The terms ‘Fibre’ and ‘Full Fibre’ have long been dished out by ISP’s – Will the new change from Ofcom actually change the perspective of consumers? Years and years of misuse of these terms will mean that it’s entrenched in the subconscious mind of consumers – Can it be changed and will we see a positive impact? 

Some ISP’s have already adjusted their approach to communicating their broadband services with consumers. Let’s remember that many if not most consumers pay a lot of attention to service speed and price, and less to what is seen as industry jargon. 

One example of the changes being implemented is from Sky Broadband who have re-labelled their packages according to the new rules. Their broadband packages are now described as:

  • Copper (ADSL)
  • Part Fibre (FTTC/ G.fast)
  • Full Fibre (FTTP)

Who will be next? 

by admin
4 Views0
Wi-Fi Wi-Fi 6 Wi-Fi 6E Wi-Fi 7 Wireless Network Wireless Technology
Wi-Fi 7 Is The Future of Wireless Technology – Here’s Why

We see upgrades all the time in the tech world – They’re almost constant! As soon as one upgrade launches, the next is already on the horizon. But Wi-Fi 7 isn’t just going to be the latest in Wi-Fi standards while we wait for the next one – Wi-Fi 7 is a massive leap from Wi-Fi 6 and brings with it huge upgrades for our digital world.  

Wi-Fi 7 is a monumental evolution from Wi-Fi 6 and Wi-Fi 6E, giving us:

  • Faster speeds
  • Lower latency
  • Significant capacity increases 

What we need from wireless technology is ever increasing, and whilst Wi-Fi 7 is very similar to its Wi_Fi 6 and Wi-Fi 6E predecessors, it will be able to meet the growing data requirements of both home and business users through key significant improvements. 

Are you looking to upgrade your hardware to Wi-Fi 7? It’s a very real consideration now that Wi-Fi 7 routers are on the market. So what do you need to know about Wi-Fi 7 to help make up your mind?

What’s Different About The Wi-Fi 7 Standard?

Speed

Perhaps the overriding feature of the new Wi-Fi 7 standard is the speed – Wi-Fi 7 is considerably faster performance wise when compared to Wi-Fi 6. 

Faster internet connections are continually offered by ISP’s for both home use and businesses. How does your local network support the increased download speed? Wi-Fi 7, ensuring there is enough capacity. 

How are these speed improvements made possible? Wi-Fi 7 has 2 major upgrades that help with speed:

  • Doubling the channel width from 160Hz to 320Hz
  • More data density, which increases the amount of data that can be encoded onto a radio signal 

Bigger Channel Width

Within each Wi-Fi band are small bands in which they operate – 20/ 40/ 80/ 160MHz. These are used to connect to individual devices. 

With Wi-Fi 7, the bandwidth is doubled to 320MHz. This means that the Wi-Fi speeds to individual devices are doubled, whilst also adding more bandwidth so more devices can be supported.  

Increased Data Density

So far we’ve seen how Wi-Fi 7 increases both speed and bandwidth. In addition to this, Wi-Fi 7 can also increase the amount of data that can be encoded onto a radio signal. 

This is where a standard called QAM (Quadrature Amplitude Modulation) comes in. The amount of data that can be encoded onto a radio signal is measured by QAM. The QAM limit for Wi-Fi 6 was 1024, whereas Wi-Fi 7 offers 4096 (also known as 4K or 4K QAM). 

Throughput is increased by boosting its peak rates. For each symbol transmitted, 12 bits can now be carried instead of 10 bits – a 20% higher theoretical transmission rate. 

The 2.4x improvement in Wi-Fi speeds between Wi-Fi 6 and Wi-Fi 7 comes from the greater channel bandwidth (320MHz) and increased data density (4K QAM). 

Multi-Link Operation (MLO)

The 2.4GHz and 5GHz Wi-Fi bands are supported by the Wi-Fi 6 standard and previous generations. Wi-Fi 6E then brought a major additional feature by supporting the 6GHz band which offered a new way to connect that avoided the congestion of 2.4GHz and 5GHz. This provided a real boost for urban areas where there can be many Wi-Fi networks in range. 

Up until now, a client could only connect using one of these bands on Wi-Fi technology. Wi-Fi changes this – Wi-Fi 7 routers can connect to a client device across 2 different bands. 

In simple terms, it’s like having two routes on a map to get you to your destination, and the traffic flow can be moved between the two. This flexibility means that traffic can either be split across both routes, or moved from one route to the other if there is congestion. 

Mesh systems take this a step further and benefit even more from MLO. It gets the best performance by allowing a router and a satellite the capability to transmit simultaneously across two different bands. 

This particular feature will allow a mobile device to not drop a connection by switching from one band to another. For example, imagine you are working from home and hop on a Zoom call. This feature will allow your device to move from 6GHz to 5GHz to 2.4GHz whilst you walk from the middle of your house out to the garden without the call buffering or dropping out. Sounds good, right?

Flexible Channel Utilisation

Let’s talk about interference. One of the main limitations when it comes to i-Fi is how big an impact interference can have on a whole channel. This is where ‘puncturing’ comes in. Puncturing is when an affected portion of the channel can be blocked whilst the rest of the channel can still be used for data transfer. In this way, Wi-Fi can be made more resistant to interference, ensuring critical flow and lower latency. 

If we go back to our map analogy – Imagine one of the routes has a pothole making it unusable. Puncturing with Wi-Fi 7 would mean that the pothole could be blocked and the traffic could go round it, keeping use of the route. 

What Elements of Wi-Fi 7 Have Stayed The Same As Previous Wi-Fi Standards?

As we’ve just covered, there are some brilliant new specifications with Wi-Fi 7 that make this Wi-Fi standard pretty special. 

However, we shouldn’t overlook the features and infrastructure that the previous Wi-Fi standard already offers and how Wi-Fi 7 builds on these. 

We mentioned above how Wi-Fi 6E and Wi-Fi 7 both offer the same 3 bands, including the super fast 6GHz band. They both also feature huge bandwidth. 

Let’s also remember that these new and enhanced features are only as good as the device we’re accessing them on. Tech providers are still currently catching up with Wi-Fi 6E and Wi-Fi 7 – We need these new devices to fully be able to unlock the full potential of both of these standards.  

Many mobile devices are still using Wi-Fi 6 or earlier standards. The most up to date devices from Apple now support Wi-Fi 6E, as well as many of the latest Windows laptops and Android phones. 

The future of the digital world is Wi-Fi 7, so we would expect a swift adoption of this new standard across wireless devices, especially laptops and phones with announcements of new devices supporting Wi-Fi 7 already appearing.  

Wi-Fi 7 for Business Use

Now might be the time to consider making an investment in a new mesh system or Wi-Fi 7 supported router to help future-proof your wireless network and ensure you’ll have the most robust wireless performance for your business. 

Whether you’re a small or large business, these environments can massively benefit from the new features that Wi-Fi 7 has to offer. Future proofing the connectivity of your business is critical. 

As we’ve laid out above, you can improve performance and productivity through added capacity and bandwidth from Wi-Fi 7, supporting a greater number of wireless devices across your business. 

If you’re responsible for the network of your business, then you’ll already know that there are many considerations to make:

  • Reliability
  • Security 
  • Ease of deployment 

It’s only natural as an IT manager, to be cautious of introducing any type of risk to a working environment. Therefore, the final certification of the Wi-Fi 7 standard earlier this year is important to guarantee a consistent feature set in all devices.

There are many areas of a business that will likely benefit from the enhanced performance that Wi-Fi 7 has to offer, like:

  • IP cameras
  • Access points
  • IoT devices
  • Business routers 
  • Workers devices 

Could Wi-Fi 7 improve efficiency across your entire business? Will you be investing in new Wi-Fi 7 supported devices for your business? Let us know what you think. 

by admin
4 Views0
4G Mobile Broadband Broadband Broadband Speed Digital Infrastructure Rural Broadband Satellite Broadband Starlink Wi-Fi
Broadband Boost for 300K+ Rural Homes with £800m Government Pledge 

If you live or work in a remote area in England, Scotland or Wales then you may unfortunately know all to well that many remote areas across the UK are left with slow internet speeds, causing a digital divide between rural and urban areas. 

The UK Government aims to tackle this problem that 312,000 rural homes face, by investing £800 million in upgrading broadband infrastructure for those affected. 

The Government’s digital strategy is to achieve full gigabit broadband coverage across the UK by 2030, of which this investment will be a part. 

Rural Regions Struggle to Connect

The CEO of the Digital Poverty Alliance, Elizabeth Anderson, has spoken about how millions across England, Scotland and Wales are still struggling to access even some of the basic online services due to poor connectivity. This is especially prevalent in rural areas. Anderson is pleased to see ‘the government’s renewed push to roll out improved broadband.”

Strong, reliable internet isn’t a luxury or a ‘nice to have’ commodity. In today’s digital world, broadband internet is a necessity and should and is considered to be an important utility, just like electricity and heating. 

Anderson says, “Connectivity must be viewed as a core part of modern life in the digital age…, and continued investment such as this project is needed to ensure millions aren’t left digitally excluded.”

Gaps in coverage must be addressed so that rural communities have the same access to online services as those in urban areas. Nowadays, many essential services such as healthcare and education are moving online so having the necessary connectivity to reach these services is vital. 

High-Speed Connections Must Be Affordable

Making sure rural properties have accessible high-speed internet connections isn’t the only hurdle that digital poverty work needs to tackle – It’s the cost too. 

Once these connections to high speed broadband are made available to those in more remote areas of England, Scotland and Wales, the Government must also ensure that the monthly costs of having these connections are affordable. 

We continue to be in a cost-of-living crisis, and it’s important that costs of high-speed internet doesn’t inhibit connecting people in rural areas. 

Rural Areas Left Behind in Digital Revolution

It’s clear that harder to reach areas in rural are remote locations across England, Scotland and Wales have been somewhat left behind when it comes to digital revolution and the Government is aiming to rectify this. 

The digital inequality between rural and urban areas is set to be reduced, ensuring that all parts of the country have access to and can benefit from high-speed internet access. 

In some of these more remote regions, online access has been hindered by outdated infrastructure. In real terms, this means that residents in rural areas face difficulties when trying to perform the simplest of online tasks, for example, streaming video, taking video calls and downloading large files. Things many people in urban areas very much take for granted. 

The Government’s initiative and investment will look at targeting these affected regions to bring them faster internet access. 

We’ve already said how essential it is for communities to have access to fast broadband in today’s digital world, and these new upgrades will make sure that rural communities will gain access to faster, more reliable broadband. 

Wales Set for Large-Scale Broadband Upgrade

This project has highlighted that Wales, for the first time, has the lowest percentage of gigabit coverage in the UK. Rural regions like the South Wales Valleys, Exmoor National Park and the Forest of Bowland are set to benefit from a large-scale broadband upgrade, with significant improvements reducing the digital poverty gap with more urbanised areas.  

This will mean that millions more people will have access to affordable, fast broadband. Rural communities shouldn’t have to struggle with second-rate broadband infrastructure just because they don’t live in an urban area. They still need to access vital online services and require the digital infrastructure to do so. The good news is, the technology required to power fibre broadband, intelligent software and adapting demands by both residents and businesses is more affordable and accessible than before. 

The Government has taken a good step forward with their digital strategy and £800m pledge, but we also need the telecoms industry to take some responsibility to help reduce the digital divide. 

Thankfully, there is good motivation industry-wide for committing to the efficient deployment of networks in rural areas. 

The crux of the matter is, as a nation we need higher bandwidth to keep up with what work and education expects of us from home and in the office. This needs to be widely available across both rural and urban areas, as well as being affordable for all. 

We have high hopes that combining industry collaboration with government funding and digital strategy will provide great outcomes for rural connectivity across England, Scotland and Wales. 

Geekabit Can Help with Rural Connectivity

It’s fantastic that better, faster broadband connectivity is on the way for rural residents and businesses. But what about those of you who need a strong, reliable, fast internet connection now? 

There’s nothing more frustrating than trying to get online and constantly find that you’re dropping out or buffering. 

Our team of Wi-Fi engineers here at Geekabit have various options when it comes to rural connectivity. We’ve helped countless clients connect their remote, rural business premises to more reliable internet via Starlink satellite broadband and mobile broadband options. 

If you are interested in how our Starlink and 4G installation services could help your business, please do get in touch with our friendly team today. We cover Wales out of our Cardiff base, the South Coast of England from our Winchester base and of course London. 

4G mobile broadband or Starlink satellite internet could be just the alternative to fibre that your business needs. 

by admin
4 Views0
Uncategorised
How Do I Choose a 4G/ 5G External Broadband Antenna?

Wi-Fi has quickly become something we expect to have available (basically at all times). We rely on Wi-Fi for so many things, both at work and in our homes. From Smart Home devices, to connecting via our phones, tablets, laptops and gaming systems – We need our Wi-Fi to be fast, dependable and strong. And boy do we notice when it’s not. Signal dropping out, buffering, dead spots – It all gets very frustrating when Wi-Fi isn’t working. 

The vast majority of UK premises are lucky enough to connect to superfast broadband through a wired connection, but there are also many rural homes that cannot access and connect to broadband or internet in this same straightforward way. 

Here at Geekabit, our team of Wi-Fi engineers work with lots of businesses who struggle with the more traditional ways of connecting to the internet. And what do they do? They turn to mobile broadband through 4G and 5G. 

And thankfully, there are many rural business premises within range of a strong enough UK mobile broadband network.

Can’t connect to superfast broadband? An external antenna could be the solution

Unfortunately, despite access to mobile broadband being available to many rural businesses, a stable connection to it isn’t always a given. If you are one of the more remote rural businesses that find themselves struggling to connect to mobile broadband and are:

– Unable to connect to a decent fixed line ISP 

– Within range of a mobile broadband alternative but find it unstable on various operators

Then you might find it beneficial to get an external antenna installed. But which one do you need? 

Can I install an External Mobile Broadband Antenna myself? 

In terms of actually installing an external antenna, it’s actually pretty straightforward. All you need to do is choose a high, stable location on the outside wall of your house near the roof, and screw the antenna on. Remember to make sure it’s pointing in the right direction (ie. towards the nearest mast). 

You might also choose to mount your antenna on a pole to raise it higher than your house. If you’re going for this option, always make sure that it is stable and won’t cause any damage to the building you are mounting it to. It’s also worth liaising with your local authority before installing a large pole as in some areas, a tall pole could be in breach of planning rules. 

You will also need to drill the cable into the house – It’s very important to avoid any other electrical cables and water pipes whilst you are doing this as well as sealing up the holes afterwards. 

It’s also pretty important to keep the position of your router in mind. Will it be placed near the where the cable feeds into the building? Ideally, the cable between your antenna and router needs to be 5 metres or less otherwise you could find yourself struggling with interference and/ or signal loss. 

If that all feels a little daunting then you can hire a professional installer to do the job for you – Our expert Wi-Fi engineers here at Geekabit can do just this! We operate out of Hampshire, London and Cardiff.  

Whilst the physical aspects of installing an external antenna are quite straightforward, it’s not always easy to choose the right kit. The radio spectrum is variable by nature, which makes it very dependent on your environment. You might manage to install the antenna but not get the outcome you were expecting. 

What antenna you need depends on your specific location and needs. This blog will outline some of the options that could be right for you. Sometimes it’s a case of trial and error to find the right antenna for you – But that’s where it might be best to leave it in expert hands. 

Do I need an Omni-directional or Directional antenna?

When it comes to installing an external antenna, the first thing you need to decide is whether you need an Omni-directional antenna or a Directional antenna. 

Choosing a Directional antenna

If you know where your nearest mast is and have a clear line of sight, then the Directional antenna might be the one for you. Whilst it’s weaker in other directions, the Directional antenna will have higher reception in one direction, hence why it works well for a clear line of sight with the mast or base station. This is often the better choice if you live or work in a rural area. 

What problems can you have with a Directional antenna? 

Using a Directional antenna can run into issues if the station is congested or goes out of service. E.g. during upgrades. 

Choosing an Omni-directional antenna

If you live or work in a more urban, built up area and aren’t sure where the nearest mast is then an Omni-directional antenna could be the better option for you. Whilst they have a lower overall gain, they are able to attract similar reception from all directions. Because the Omni is looking at a wider area, you may find that it provides better reliability. 

Generally, if you are finding and installing an external antenna yourself, then the Omni-directional antenna is probably the one to try first. 

What problems can you have with an Omni-directional antenna? 

It’s possible that because it’s looking at a wider area, the Omni could attract more interference. If you are able to utilise a well positional Directional antenna then you could get better performance that way. 

How much power does my external antenna need?

So you’ve decided whether you need an Omni-directional or Directional antenna. What do you need to consider next? 

You’ll notice that antennas have gain figures in dB / dBi – This is how the power of the antenna is measured. 

In simple terms, the gain of an antenna is the relative measure of its ability to direct radio frequency energy in a certain direction or pattern. What do the gain (dB / dBi) figures on an antenna mean?

We could go into a lot of complicated detail here, but seeing as we’re writing this blog for someone looking to buy and install their own external antenna, we’ll keep it super simple. 

Basically, the higher the gain (dB / dBi) the better the antenna’s performance and range. Obviously, the higher the gain, the more expensive the antenna will cost. 

When you are at this stage of choosing your antenna, it is worth knowing what bands your mobile operator uses so that you can ensure how the different gain values given for an antenna correspond to the spectrum band you will be using. 

Choosing an external antenna – What are the challenges?

As we said above, when you are installing a new external antenna, it’s really important to know:

  • Where and which direction the signal is coming from 
  • How strong the signal is
  • Which bands are being used in your local area by local operators

These are some of the biggest challenges you’ll face when installing your antenna. 

How can I find out the spectrum information I need to choose an antenna?

If you go online to mobile operator’s websites you can find coverage checkers (Vodafone, Three UK, O2 and EE (BT)), but these can be rather vague and not always accurate. It’s worth comparing to what Ofcoms Mobile Coverage Checker says too.

Perhaps the best way to identify which bands are being used by your local operator is to download a relevant app or look up the mobile network details on your Smartphone or router. 

These apps will often just tell you the band number for your own operator rather than tell you the spectrum frequency. You’ll find that operators tend to own several bands, but usually use one band for national connectivity. 

What are the most common 4G Mobile Bands in the UK?

800MHz (Band 20)

900MHz (Band 8)

1800MHz (Band 3)

2100MHz (Band 1)

2300MHz (Band 40)

2600MHz (Band 7)

Remember that 5G uses a different band model and is currently only deployed on the 3.4GHz band. 

How do I know where my nearest mast is for installing my new antenna?

So you’ve made sense of the bands on offer in your area from local operators. Next you need to work out where your nearest mast is and whether it’s the most appropriate for your location. Unfortunately it’s not always the option that looks most logical! 

When you’re choosing the most appropriate mast for your use, you need to consider the following:

  • Forms and features of local land surfaces (artificial and natural)
  • Local surroundings
  • Operator choice

There are apps and websites that can help with this such as Mastdata.com and Cellmapper.net. The Opensignal app could also be of use.

Did you know that operators also have sharing agreements with each other? Just to make things a little more complicated. For example, there is a sharing agreement between Vodafone and O2 as well as between EE and Three. What does this mean? Well it means that a mast could be serving more than one operator. 

How do I use signal strength information to position my external antenna?’ 

If you are able to gain an understanding of signal strength in a few different measurements, then you are more likely to position your antenna correctly. 

Signal strength is measured in quite a few different ways, so we’re going to just focus on a few that you are most likely to encounter. These are:

  • Received Signal Strength Indicator (RSSI)
  • Reference Signals Received Power (RSRP)
  • Reference Signal Received Quality (RSRQ)

These measurements are given by a negative dBm (decibel milliWatts) value. In this situation, negative values are actually good (most of the time). They are negative because they represent tiny yet positive numbers on a logarithmic scale, making them easier to consume. For example, -100dBm would be 0.0000000001 mW.

What is a good RSSI signal? Essentially, the closer to 0 dBm, the better the RSSI signal (although it does get more complicated past a certain point with diminishing returns of data speed). An example of excellent 4G RSSI signal would be -65 dBm. A poor RSSI signal would be -85 dBm. 

RSRP works on a similar scale to RSSI, where an excellent 4G RSRP signal would be -80 dBm.  

RSRQ operates on a very different scale, which means that an excellent signal is anything from around -10 dB (not dBm) and a poor signal would be -20 db.

Interestingly, most mobile modems are able to maintain a pretty fast data connection using a poor signal. Problems may arise however in more rural areas where speeds are slower and stability poorer due to the distance from a mast. 

What factors are most likely to affect signal strength? 

  • Distance to mast
  • Interference from competing signals
  • Router band switching
  • Physical obstacles in the environment like buildings, tall trees etc
  • The weather

Of course, these factors are not in your control, but you need to bear them in mind when positioning your antenna in order to get the best signal possible. 

Feeling confident about choosing and installing your external antenna?

If you are about to choose and install an external antenna to improve your 4G or 5G mobile broadband signal, then hopefully this blog has given you some of the basic information you need to make your decisions. 

If you’re still feeling a bit daunted, then why not get in touch with one of our Wi-Fi experts? We install mobile broadband for clients in and around Hampshire, Cardiff and London and can help identify which antenna solution would best suit your needs. Get in touch today! 

by admin
4 Views0
Uncategorised
What is a Campus Area Network and Does Your Site Need One?

A Campus Area Network, or CAN, is a specifically designed network meant to meet the connectivity needs of a large area, for example a college or university, a hospital complex or a corporate campus. The CAN provides seamless internet and intranet access by connecting multiple buildings across an extensive area. A CAN covers a much larger area than a standard LAN (Local Area NEtwork). 

Why a CAN? This type of network provides a strong, reliable solution for all sorts of organisations that are spread across multiple buildings and/or campuses, providing consistent connectivity for users throughout.  

What is the range and scope of a Campus Network? 

In most circumstances, a CAN will cover a limited geographical area without exceeding the boundary of the campus it is serving. 

They are ideal for meeting diverse needs across an organisation and can enable the integration of various technologies, e.g.

  • Wi-Fi
  • Fibre optics
  • Ethernet

Internet opens up a wide scope of services across a campus, linking departments, and users via

  • VoIP
  • Video conferencing
  • Secure data transfer

Do I need a LAN, WAN or CAN? 

LAN – A Local Area Network is confined to a smaller area, for example, one singular building. An office building might use a LAN to connect its users. 

CAN – As above, a Campus Area Network covers a larger area than a LAN, encompassing multiple buildings across a campus type site. 

WAN – A Wide Area Network covers much more extensive areas; Think entire cities or even countries. 

A CAN is the happy medium for a campus type site; Larger coverage than a LAN but less extensive than a WAN. 

What are the main parts of a Campus Network? 

The infrastructure of a CAN is what is at the heart of the network. The infrastructure of a Campus Network needs:

  • Networking hardware e.g. routers, switches, firewalls
  • Connectivity means ie. Fibre optic cables, ethernet cables, wireless connections
  • Strategically placed Access Points to provide wide coverage 
  • Network services e.g. DHCP servers for dynamic IP address allocation and DNS servers for resolving network names 

How do I choose the right cable and router configurations for Campus Network Connectivity?

If you want a high-performing Campus Network then selecting the appropriate cables and routers is crucial. So what factors will you need to consider?

  • Cable Type: Assess the merits of fibre optic vs. Ethernet cables based on the bandwidth needs of the network and campus layout.
  • Router Capabilities: Male sure that routers can handle the expected network load and offer advanced features like Quality of Service (QoS) management.

Campus Network: Do I need Fibre Optic Cables or Ethernet cabling? 

When choosing between Fibre Optic cables and Ethernet cables, there are several factors to consider. 

  • Bandwidth Requirements: Optical fibre typically offers higher bandwidth than Ethernet.
  • Distance Considerations: Fibre optic cables are better suited for longer distances without signal degradation.
  • Cost Implications: Ethernet might be more cost-effective for smaller networks or shorter distances.

A Campus Area Network Needs a Backbone Network 

Think of the backbone of a Campus Network as the primary pathway for data traffic. This is the main component of the whole network, connecting various subnetworks across the campus. 

The CAN backbone is designed to handle high volumes of data traffic with fast and reliable data transfer across the whole Campus Network. It holds up all the daily digital interactions, connecting all users across various buildings to each other as well as vital resources. 

What are the key network design strategies for optimal Campus Network performance?

There are several key strategies that can be used when designing a successful Campus Network, whether it’s a university, hospital or corporate campus. 

Scalability

In order to be and stay successful, the network needs to be scalable. This means the CAN must be able to accommodate growing numbers of users and evolving technological needs. Technology and needs change all the time, and the CAN needs to be able to keep up. 

Reliability

It goes without saying that a Campus Network needs to be reliable. Any downtime needs to be minimal, and any outages need to be rectified and recovered from swiftly. 

Security

If users across a Campus Network are sharing data then it needs to be secure. Think sensitive academic or patient data. This data needs to be protected whilst still allowing necessary access. 

Management of Bandwidth

The network load needs to be balanced and congestion minimised, particularly during peak times of usage. 

CAN Infrastructure Design

The key to designing the optimal Campus Area Network infrastructure is to balance current needs with future growth. You’ll need to know:

  • Campus layout
  • User demands
  • Technological advancements 

You want a CAN that is not only strong and reliable, but able to adapt and evolve to future trends and needs. 

Key Considerations: 

There are several key factors to consider when planning a Campus Area Network

  • User Density and Distribution: Assess and identify the number of users and their distribution across the campus to ensure network capacity meets demand.
  • Application Requirements: What types of applications will the network need to support? Will they be data-intensive research applications or general administrative tasks?
  • Future-Proofing: Plan for future expansions and technological upgrades.
  • Budget Constraints: Balance the best possible network design with available financial resources.

Campus Networks and High-Speed Networking

Regardless of where users are located, the expectation of high-speed networking is not a luxury but an expectation. The modern academic, medical and corporate environment requires high-speed networking with an increased need for digital tools, remote working and online resources. 

We live in a fast-paced, technology driven world and academic, medical and corporate spaces reflect that. 

Provide a Flexible Campus Network with Wireless Solutions 

Corporate, medical and academic environments increasingly require an agile campus space where the network can adapt to evolving connectivity needs. 

Whether it’s students and lecturers, doctors and patients, or varying levels of corporate employees – Users need to be able to access the network from anywhere on the campus, indoors or outdoors.  

Provide Consistent Coverage Across Campus With Strategic Wi-Fi AP Deployment  

If you want your Campus to have comprehensive coverage, then you need to be deploying your wireless Access Points strategically. 

Things to consider:

  • Placing APs in high-traffic areas
  • Ensuring no dead zones where connectivity drops out 
  • Distribution of APs to balance the network load and cater to varying user densities
  • Using MU-MIMO so that several devices can connect without waiting 

Should a Campus Network be Wireless or Wired? 

There are of course pros and cons to both and it’s about getting the balance right between flexibility and ease of access (wireless) without compromising reliability and speed (wired). 

Wireless:

  • Flexible and easy to access
  • Can be more susceptible to security challenges and interference

Wired:

  • Reliable and fast 
  • Require physical infrastructure which can limit adaptability and mobility 

The best Campus Network will have a good blend of both Wireless and Wired elements, using the strengths of both to provide users with a strong, flexible and reliable network. 

Mobile Access on Campus Networks with Wireless Solutions

Having a Campus Network with mobile access is very much a necessity rather than a convenience. With the prevalence of smartphones, tablets and laptops among users, a CAN will require Wireless network solutions to cater for these needs with a mobile-first approach. 

This doesn’t just mean that users can easily connect via these devices anywhere on campus, but that various portals and platforms are accessible and user-friendly on all types of mobile devices. 

Ensuring a Campus Network is Secure

As with all networks, security is a top concern for Campus Networks too. Whether it’s sensitive academic data, patient data or employee data, all types of personal information require robust security protocols. 

This includes:

  • Authentication methods
  • Encryption
  • Regular network monitoring
  • Proactive threat detection measure

The aim of a secure Campus Network is to protect against cyber threats and build trust among the users.

Campus Networks in Action: Practical Use Case in Education 

The use of Campus Area Networks (CANs) enables modern education and research. We can see the practical use cases of CANs in educational settings through:

  • Streamlined Administrative Operations: Automating processes like enrollment, scheduling, and student record management.
  • Enhanced E-Learning: Supporting online courses, digital libraries, and virtual classrooms.
  • Campus Safety: Integrating surveillance systems and emergency communication networks.

In a University setting, CANs facilitate interdisciplinary collaboration by connecting different faculties and research centres.

CANs empower and enhance collaboration between organisations and institutions via educational and corporate campuses by facilitating the engagement of innovative collaborations. Campus Networks enable video conferencing and remote collaboration tools, which in turn allows for joint ventures between institutions located in different parts of the world. The scope of this global connectivity broadens academic and professional partnerships.

In corporate campuses, Campus Networks streamline communication and data sharing by linking various departments and data centres. A Campus Network setup enhances efficiency and fosters innovation on any and all types of campus.

Transform Campus Environments with Campus Area Networks

CANs can be pivotal in transforming educational, medical and corporate campus environments into dynamic, interactive, and interconnected spaces. 

In this fast-paced, technological driven world, a Campus Network facilitates more collaborative and tech-driven approaches. 

Research and Development: How can a Campus Network Help?

Whether it’s in an academic environment, on a medical site or a corporate campus, all types of research and development across institutions require high-speed data transfer for inter-faculty/ department collaboration. 

In this way, CANs support advanced research activities requiring large bandwidth and specialised network capabilities. 

A Robust Campus Network and Resource Sharing

We live in a very data-driven world, which is why a Campus Network provides a key advantage – The ability to share large files and resources quickly and reliably. 

This is essential when a campus needs to share a high-definition video, large research datasets or extensive digital libraries. 

Providing a strong, reliable Campus Network means that these large files can be shared and transferred without causing problems to network performance. 

The Monitoring and Maintenance of CAN Infrastructure

If you want longevity and efficiency for your Campus Network, then ongoing monitoring and maintenance is critical. 

Ensure consistent connectivity and prevent network failures with:

  • Regular performance checks
  • Timely updates
  • Proactive troubleshooting 
  • Training staff to manage and maintain the network effectively

Careful consideration is needed when designing an optimal Campus Area Network infrastructure. You need to think about various factors including:

  • User needs
  • Technological advancements
  • Scalability
  • Security
  • Budget

Academic, medical and corporate campuses can establish strong, efficient network infrastructure tailored to their unique needs by making informed choices about cable and router configurations, and prioritising regular monitoring and maintenance.  

by admin
5 Views0
Broadband Rural Broadband Satellite Broadband Satellite Internet SpaceX Starlink Starlink Mini Uncategorised
Launch of Starlink Mini Dish and Mini Roam Service is a Go for the UK

Launch of Starlink Mini Dish and Mini Roam Service is a Go for the UK

We recently wrote about the launch of Starlink’s new Mini Dish and Mini Roam service – You can read all about it here. At time of publishing it wasn’t yet available in the UK and we were eagerly awaiting an email to say the service was ready for the UK to test. 

And that time has arrived! If you were an early adopter of the ultrafast, low-latency Starlink broadband service from SpaceX then you may have already received an email inviting you to be part of the testing phase of Starlink’s new Mini Dish hardware terminal as well as their Mini Roaming service add-on. 

The ultrafast and low-latency Starlink broadband service from Space X have now launched their new Wi-Fi (only 802.11ac / Wi-Fi 5) integrated Mini Dish (terminal) hardware and Mini Roaming service add-on here in the UK. The downside is that it’s a little more expensive than its USA counterpart.

Just in case you’ve been living under a rock, here is a quick recap on Starlink’s satellite broadband offering. 

What is Starlink Satellite Broadband and how does it work?

SpaceX Starlink currently has 6,171 LEO satellites in orbit around the Earth at an altitude of circa 550km. By the end of 2027 they will have added thousands more. 

Prices for UK residential customers generally start at £75 per month, plus Standard Plan hardware at a cost of £299. For these prices, the operator promises the following speeds:

  • Download – 25-100Mbps
  • Uploads – 5-10Mbps
  • Latency – 25-60ms 

By the end of last year, there were 42,000 Starlink customers in the UK (out of 2.3 million worldwide). This UK figure had almost quadrupled from the 13,000 UK customers in the previous year. 

Most UK Starlink customers can be found in more rural, remote areas. Those in the most remote areas (think oceans, small islands and places like Antarctica) will have the highest latency. 

New Mini Dish Launched in the USA

Back in June across the pond in the US, Starlink invited some of their early adopters to purchase their new Mini Kit (Dish) for $599, which could also come bundled with a new Mini Roam service – for an additional cost of $30 per month. 

In the interest of clarity, these prices are in additional to the existing subscription for residential Starlink broadband. 

The add on of the Mini Roam service gave customers the option of having 50 GB of ‘mobile data’ that they are able to use anywhere in the country. After that 50 GB, they are charged $1 per GB (approximately 81 pence). 

Starlink Launch Mini Dish and Mini Roam Service in UK 

The 1st of August saw the first emails landing in UK Starlink customer’s inboxes, offering this same above service for those in the UK. 

The emails laid out the cost of the new kit (£399) as well as the roaming service which comes in at an extra £50 per month – Rather more expensive than in the US. 

For those of you that are not Starlink customer’s but are desperate to see what’s on offer, here’s a copy of the email:

Starlink Mini Now Available

Starlink Mini is a compact, portable kit that can easily fit in a backpack, designed to provide high-speed, low-latency internet on the go.

Starlink Mini includes a built-in WiFi router, lower power consumption, DC power input, and max download speeds over 100 Mbps*. See Starlink Mini specifications here.

The Starlink Mini Kit can be purchased for £399 with either the Mini Roam 50GB service plan for £50/mo or the unlimited Mobile Regional plan for £85/mo. Learn more on starlink.com/roam.

Available Service Plans

Mini Roam 50GB | £50/mo
Best for weekend travelers, backup internet, and in-motion use

Includes 50GB of Mobile data (£1/GB for additional data), coverage throughout Europe, and in-motion use on land. See our Terms of Service regarding in-motion use.

Mobile Regional | £85/mo
Best for caravans, motorhomes, campers, and travelers throughout a continent

Includes unlimited Mobile data on land and coverage throughout Europe. Ocean and global travel available for an additional £1.98/GB.

Just to recap. The new dish – sized 298.5mm x 259mm x 38.5mm – is 63% lighter than the standard Starlink dish, has an operating temperature range of -30°C to 50°C (-22°F to 122°F), draws around 25-40 Watts on average and can run directly off 12-48V DC (it comes with a small 110V power supply with 15 metres of cable).

The kit is also IP67 Type 4 rated with their DC Power Cable and Starlink Plug/Cable installed (using the Ethernet port drops this rating). The dish has a Field of View (FoV) of 110 degrees (slightly better than ‘Standard’) and a single Ethernet (LAN) port.

What do you think of Starlink’s latest offering? 

The possibility of using Starlink satellite broadband to roam here in the UK is undoubtedly an exciting development in the world of tech. 

We’re hoping to see a reduction in price as the service evolves, but we’ll have to wait and see on that one. 

Could Starlink Satellite Broadband Help You or Your Business? 

If you’re interested in whether Starlink satellite broadband could provide your rural business or outdoor event with more reliable internet than the connection you’re currently on then get in touch with our friendly team today. 

Our Wi-Fi expert engineers are on hand to identify whether Starlink satellite broadband could be the right solution for you. 

by admin
18 Views0
5G 5G Mobile Broadband AI Broadband Cyber Security Digital Infrastructure Labour Manifesto Tech Innovation Tech Regulation
Tech Labour Manifesto Pledges: 5G, Broadband, AI and More

On the 4th July we saw the Labour party secure a landslide victory in the election, with Sir Keir Starmer becoming our new Prime Minister.

With the recent Microsoft problems that saw the UK digital world crash rather spectacularly,  we thought we’d take a little look at the top 5 tech policies promised by the Labour Party in its manifesto, including Digital Infrastructure, Broadband & 5G, AI Regulation & Investment, Cyber Security and Tech Innovation. 

Labour Manifesto and Digital Infrastructure

  • Digital Infrastructure will be given a boost by developing a 10-year infrastructure strategy. This will benefit mobile and broadband networks, AI, and data centres.
  • Approval processes will be streamlined for nationally important designated projects and data centres by easing planning restrictions. 
  • Restarting the economy with a new industrial strategy, designed to supercharge the tech and digital sectors. 
  • Overcome previous planning blocks by supporting the construction of data centres on brownfield sites.

Plans for Broadband and 5G in the Labour Manifesto

  • Target ambition of having national 5G coverage and full gigabit accessibility by 2030 to have a renewed push. 
  • Encourage cooperative building between networks and greater infrastructure sharing by working alongside Ofcom. 
  • Continue to support the last governments Project Gigabit broadband roll-out program.
  • In addition to the above, address the slow roll-out of gigabit broadband under the Conservative government.

Regulation and Investment for AI

  • Labour plans to introduce binding regulations on companies developing powerful AI models and give the AI Safety Institute statutory footing.
  • The creation of sexually explicit deep fakes will be banned and safe AI development will be ensured through comprehensive legislation.
  • They will use the industrial strategy to support the development of the AI sector.
  • New laws will be introduced to regulate AI companies, ensuring ethical AI practices.

What Has Labour Got Planned for Cyber Security

  • Labour will address cyber attacks and misinformation campaigns by conducting a Strategic Defence Review within the first year.
  • Policing techniques will be modernised by integrating new technologies into law enforcement to keep pace with modern threats
  • Critical infrastructure will be protected by developing a comprehensive cyber defence strategy.
  • Labour is committed to ensuring the UK is fully prepared to deal with hybrid warfare, including cyber-attacks.

Tech Innovation and Regulation with the Labour Party in Power

  • In order to help regulators update regulations and speed up approval timelines for new technologies, a new Regulatory Innovation Office will be created. 
  • In order to help harness new technologies and advise businesses, an Industrial Strategy Council will be set up.  
  • The construction of laboratories, digital infrastructure, and giga-factories will be facilitated by modernising national planning policy. 
  • Barriers to growth will be removed and opportunities seized by working in partnership with industry. 

What’s Next?

We’ve seen first hand over the past few days how important digital infrastructure is and how much we all rely on it to go about our daily lives – From paying for groceries, to travelling, to simply trying to log on to be able to start a days work. It’s likely you’ve been affected some way or another by the most recent Microsoft outage. And whilst that was supposedly down to an operating system crash, it’s clear Labour need to follow the tech pledges they have made in their manifesto and commit to following through with those promises. 

Here at Geekabit we’re most interested in connectivity and keeping up to date with how we can help businesses and large private residences stay reliably connected – Whether they’re based in the city or in a more rural, remote location. Will we see national 5G coverage and full gigabit accessibility by 2030? We’ll have to wait and see. 

by admin
6 Views0
Broadband Fibre Broadband FTTP Full Fibre Wi-Fi
68% of UK Premises Now Have Full Fibre Available 

Full Fibre broadband is now available for 68% of UK premises. 

Over recent years we’ve seen steady growth when it comes to the number of premises having Full Fibre broadband available to them, as you can see illustrated in the graph below. 

However, when we look at smaller increments of time, some commenters are frustrated at the length of time it is taking, willing it to be faster. The increase from 67% to 68% has taken just over a month (34 days to be precise) which is slightly longer than the usual time we would expect for a 1% increase. To put it into context, the fastest 1% increase that has been recorded is almost half of this. 

So does this mean that the speed and intensity of Full Fibre rollouts are diminishing? Are they a disaster and starting to slow down, rather than sprinting to the finish – A target of 85% coverage by 2025 and national coverage (99.9%) by 2030?

There are several complex factors that can account for the apparent slowing of Full Fibre broadband rollout. 

Factors Affecting Full Fibre UK Rollout:

  • A large influencing factor for the latest % rise taking longer than expected is the overlap between the different networks, in particular nexfibre and CityFibre rollouts.
  • Another factor to consider is that not every % increase is the same – There seems to be an ebb and flow with Openreach and their rollout where we see a couple of mediocre months in terms of volume, and then a big month. It’s expected that Openreach FTTP will be increasing in volume over the next few weeks.
  • Remember that Full Fibre broadband availability is not the same as take up. Once it is available, providers obviously want customers to take it up in those areas. This means that some providers temporarily pause their rollout in order to spend time focusing on the take up.

Which parts of the UK have the least Full Fibre availability? 

There are still many local authority areas that have low availability of FTTP (Fibre to the Premises). 

The 10 local authorities with the lowest availability can be found below. 

Local Authority% Premises FTTP Available% Increase
Na h-Eileanan an Iar6.39No change since 15/3/24
Shetland Islands5.81.35 increase since 7/6/24
Isles of Scilly9.49No change since 15/3/24
Orkney Islands11.941.11 increase since 7/6/24
Harlow District13.70.01 increase since 7/6/24
West Dunbartonshire14.740.71 increase since 7/6/24
Argyll and Bute16.950.04 increase since 7/6/24
Perth and Kinross20.311.22 increase since 7/6/24
Telford and Wrekin23.310.35 increase since 7/6/24
South Tyneside District25.272.48 increase since 7/6/24

Where in the UK has the best FTTP coverage? 

Unfortunately, there is quite a gulf between the worst areas of the UK for Full Fibre (see above table) and the best. 

The top area of the UK for FTTP coverage is Kingston upon Hull, with a whopping 99.75% of premises having access to Full Fibre availability. 77% of these properties even have the choice of two or more networks when it comes to connecting to Full Fibre broadband. 

We’re excited to see how Full Fibre broadband coverage continues to increase over the coming months and years as the UK moves towards its target of 85% coverage next year. 

We’d love to see more of the least covered local authority areas increase their FTTP availability during that time too so that even more of the UK is covered. 

by admin
6 Views0

© 2019 GEEKABIT LTD | UK WI-FI CONSULTANT | WI-FI EXPERTS FOR BUSINESS | WI-FI HELP LONDON, CARDIFF, HAMPSHIRE | WI-FI ASSISTANCE HAMPSHIRE