Is Your Business the 1 in 5 with Insufficient Internet Speeds? 

Business leaders and decision makers from 160 UK companies were surveyed on their businesses broadband speeds during June 2023 by Neos Networks – 1 in every 5 were found to have broadband speeds that were insufficient. 

Furthermore, 42% of those surveyed planned to move to a higher capacity connection during the next two years as part of their key growth plans. 

Investment in Connectivity

Over the previous 2 years, 11.2% of respondents who had already invested in connectivity said it had a direct impact on their business profitability. 

And it’s not just profitability that’s impacted by good connectivity in business. 98.3% of surveyed businesses said it also impacted:

  • Productivity
  • Staff retention
  • Client collaboration

Why Are Businesses Prioritising Higher Capacity Connectivity?

Why might businesses prioritise higher capacity connectivity? Better performing broadband impacting many parts of the business, including:

  • Increased computer power (22.4%)
  • Operational development in terms of more data and higher capacity requirements (21.2%)
  • Greater device usage for each employee (11.6%)

With the prevalence of AI being used in business, this also influenced decisions to improve and increase connectivity with 1 in 10 businesses actively looking to increase connectivity in order to better integrate AI into their business processes.

What Is The Negative Impact of Insufficient Broadband Speeds in Business?

Poor internet connectivity, speed and/or reliability doesn’t just negatively impact employee productivity and retention, it can also cause businesses to risk losing a customer or client. 55.6% of businesses surveyed felt like they were at risk of losing custom down to poor internet. 

Has Project Gigabit Had A Notable Impact on Business Broadband?

The businesses being surveyed were asked if they felt their business had felt a notable impact from Project Gigabit, of which 52.5% said yes. 

Project Gigabit is a £5 billion government broadband plan aiming to deliver next-generation gigabit broadband to over a million households and businesses across the UK. You can read about their progress here

Project Gigabit didn’t actually start to award contracts until August 2022, so it’s possible that the above percentage figure is reflective of respondents including other similar schemes (like the Gigabit voucher and GigaHubs Dark Fibre) or other commercial upgrades to broadband services. 

Let’s Focus on the Positives

It’s clear that businesses are seeking high-capacity connections to keep up with new technologies as well as support their employees and customers. 

Of course, businesses that are based in more rural areas may well be part of the 1 in 5 businesses without sufficient broadband speeds that need improved network accessibility to achieve better connectivity. Other means of connecting to the internet may be useful, such as mobile internet through the likes of 4G/5G routers or Satellite broadband like Starlink

But if 1 in 5 businesses don’t have sufficient broadband, that means that 4 in 5 do! Recent data from Think Broadband suggests that only 21% of UK premises are yet to be reached by gigabit-capable broadband. That means 79% of business premises in the UK are covered by a broadband connection that is gigabit-capable. 

By 2030, the UK government is hoping to reach their target of having nationwide coverage. Network operators are hoping for more support so that they are able to help businesses with poor connectivity sooner than that. 

Rural businesses may be able to improve their connection through AltNet options. AltNet are alternative network providers offering fibre broadband packages. Although smaller in scale, AltNets compete with the UK and England’s big brand internet service providers. AltNets offer their own full fibre connections and don’t rely on the Openreach network and can sometimes offer higher upload speeds in comparison to the major network providers.

This could mean that rural businesses in hard to reach locations could have access to better internet services sooner than the national telecoms provider can offer, giving them next generation speeds like 2.5, 3 and 10 gigabit services across certain networks before national providers have even started trials. 

Let’s also remember that even though 1 in 5 businesses are receiving insufficient broadband, that doesn’t necessarily mean they don’t have access to it via other networks. There might be other options to the one they are currently using. 

The broadband demands of differing businesses also vary hugely. A graphic design studio or video editing company would need higher speed internet than a takeaway shop that could rely on a slower link. 

As always, these types of surveys should be taken with a pinch of salt. Whilst it is undeniable that there are 1 in 5 businesses with insufficient broadband, there should be options for them to explore like mobile broadband and satellite broadband like Starlink. 

Can we help your business improve its broadband connection?

If your business is struggling with a poor internet connection, then get in touch with our expert Wi-Fi engineers who will be able to advise if mobile broadband or Starlink satellite broadband could be a viable option for you. Give us a call or drop us an email today and let’s get it sorted. 

Average UK Broadband ISP Speeds Hit 69.4Mbps, Ofcom 2023 Study Finds

This month, Ofcom published their last report into ISP performance in terms of UK fixed line broadband. This report revealed that the average download speed has risen from 59.4Mbps (last year) to 69.4Mbps now. Upload speeds also increased from last year’s 10.7Mbps to 18.4Mbps now. 

However, there is unfortunately still a gap between broadband speeds in urban and rural areas. 

Ofcom 2023 Study on UK Broadband ISP Speeds

Study data was collected during March of this year using custom routers and ISP supplied routers installed inside customer’s homes. It’s a highly accurate method of data collection, and gathers information at router level during idle periods of usage. For these reasons, it stops the influence of slow Wi-Fi and local network congestion. 

It’s worth noting that this research focused on the larger ISP’s, restricted by the small sample size. Also, don’t forget that speed test results don’t automatically equal network availability! 

For example, currently:

  • Fixed line ‘superfast broadband’ (30Mbps +) are available to almost 98% of the UK
  • ‘Gigabit capable’ networks (1000 Mbps +) cover over 76% (using both full fibre FTTP and Hybrid Fibre Coax lines) or 56% with just FTTP.

Let’s not forget about ADSL

ADSL is still used by up to 3 million lines. Although this is mostly in areas where there are few other alternatives, FTTC still remains very popular (15.6 million active lines) in locations where there are gigabit-capable connections available. 

In reports like this one from Ofcom, speed testing figures can be dragged down by customers still using slower copper-based ADSL2+ and FTTC lines (up to 20-24 Mbps and 40-80 Mbps respectively). 

Whilst the take up of faster connections is increasing, there are some customers who will be reluctant to to upgrading. This could be due to:

  • Cost of upgrades to a faster connection (faster services are quite often more expensive)
  • Not knowing that there are alternatives available
  • Fees for exiting a contract
  • A fear of switching

What are the UK Median Download and Upload Speeds?

In 2023, the average download speed was 69.4Mbps and upload speed was 18.4Mbps.

The report from Ofcom shared data on real-world average speeds for different types of connection:

  • ADSL2+ – Average download speeds during peak times as well as across 24 hours ranged from 11.2 to 1.7 Mbps. 
  • FTTP – Average download speeds during peak times as well as across 24 hours ranged from 34.7 to 66.8 Mbps. 
  • Cable – Average download speeds during peak times as well as across 24 hours ranged from 134.5 to 1,137.1 Mbps. 
  • Full Fibre – Average download speeds during peak times as well as across 24 hours ranged from 74.8 to 919.8 Mbps. 

Remember that performance can be affected by a number of things. Connections that use copper wire (FTTC, G.fast, ADSL) suffer with signal loss over distance. Results can also be affected by things like:

  • Network congestion
  • Traffic management
  • Service Faults
  • Poor home wiring

FTTP May Not Actually Be Slower Than Cable

Although the figures from Ofcom’s report seem to suggest otherwise, Cable might not actually be faster than FTTP. 

Firstly, the ‘fixed superfast product take up’ reflects the percentage of UK customers that have chosen a package with download speeds of 30 Mbps or more. 

Gigabit ‘cable’ download speeds may look like they are higher than FTTP, but that could be down to the provider (Virgin) setting its profile speeds as faster than their advertised rates. 

Therefore, FTTP is not necessarily a slower technology than cable. 

Rural Connections Still Falling Short

Unfortunately some rural areas and even digitally disadvantaged urban areas are yet to be reached by ‘superfast’ connections. 

Sadly it is harder to make an economic case for the investment in remote rural areas, meaning that the commercial roll-out of gigabit-capable networks has been rapid in urban areas and at a much faster pace than rural areas. 

There is still a big gap between performance in urban and rural areas. This could be reflective of the influx of commercial FTTP builds within cities and towns. 

In Ofcom’s report, the data on this was limited as it only looks at the two most common rural broadband technologies. These are FTTC and ADSL. Unfortunately, copper ADSL lines in rural areas tend to be much longer than ones in urban areas, making them less reliable and more prone to signal attenuation. 

When looking at the peak times of between 8pm and 10pm, the report from Ofcom presented a difference of 26% between the average download speed in urban and rural areas (70.3 and 56 Mbps respectively). It’s worth noting that the average download speed has increased from last year for both rural and urban areas. In March 2022, there was a 585 difference between speeds, so perhaps the gap is slowly closing. 

Could the Universal Service Obligation Help Rural Wi-Fi?

The Universal Service Obligation (USO) sets a minimum download speed of at least 10 Mbps. Anyone who is not getting this could consider using the USO to improve their connection. This doesn’t happen automatically unfortunately – It needs to be requested. 

Interestingly, provider BT/EE are using 4G devices to help tackle anyone not achieving speeds in line with the USO. Whilst it can be transformative for some connections, it doesn’t work for everyone so an alternative may be needed. 

One possible option would be FTTP, however this is often too expensive to deploy under the USO and still won’t solve the issue in that last 1% of premises. 

How Will Project Gigabit Help Rural Areas?

Project Gigabit is a £5 billion project from the government, ensuring that ‘gigabit-capable’ broadband services (1 Gbps +) reach at least 85% of UK premises by the end of 2025. The aim is to have nationwide (99%) coverage by 2030. 

Much of this funding is being used on that final 20% of premises in hard to reach rural and semi-rural areas. Great news, but it will take time to deliver and see the benefits. 

How Can You Resolve Broadband Speed Problems?

Unfortunately, sometimes broadband speeds do fall below the initial estimates for your line. But did you know that Ofcom’s Voluntary Code of Practice for Broadband Speeds can help you to resolve any problems with internet speeds that arise and are not in line with the estimates a member ISP provides on connection performance during the order process. 

Which ISP’s are Ofcom members of the Voluntary Code of Practice for Broadband Speeds? 

  • BT
  • EE
  • Plusnet
  • NOW TV / NOW Broadband
  • Talk Talk
  • Utility Warehouse
  • Sky Broadband
  • Zen Internet

When you are in the ‘sign up’ stage, you can use the code to obtain more information on connection speeds. If these then fall below what was guaranteed and expected, it can help you to exit that contract if things don’t improve. ISP’s are allowed one month to resolve the issues, and if at that stage there is still a problem then the customer can walk away from the contract with no penalties. This ‘right to exit’ can also apply to phone and TV bundles that were purchased along with the broadband.  

You’ll have noticed that only the larger ISP’s are members (apart from Vodafone which is noticeably absent!). Many of the smaller ISP’s don’t sign up due to the costs involved with adapting to Ofcom’s code being too high. 

If you want to read more and see the data in full, you can find the full Ofcom Report for 2023 here

52% of UK Covered by Full Fibre Broadband, Ofcom Summer Study Reveals

With what is likely to be the last of the hot weather for this year, Ofcom have shared the results of their summer 2023 study looking at UK fixed broadband and mobile coverage.

The study reports that Full Fibre FTTP access in the UK has risen by 4% from January 2023 to 52% coverage. 

It has also found that 75% are now within reach of a gigabit-capable network, which is an increase of 2%. 

In addition to this, 76-85% of premises can now get an outdoor 5G connection from at least one operator (an increase from 73-82%). 

Ofcom Summer 2023 Report

This latest report from the communications regulator features data collected between May 2022 and May 2023, including that of their Spring Connected Nation’s update back in January 2023. 

This most recent report is based upon the coverage and service availability information from both fixed line UK Internet Service Providers and Mobile Network Operators. 

Overall, the UK’s coverage of fixed “superfast broadband” (30Mbps+) remains unchanged at 97%, while 15.4 million homes (52%) can now order a Fibre-to-the-Premises (FTTP) service via various networks (up from 48%).

Key Figures from Ofcom Summer 2023 Report

Gigabit

75% of the UK (that’s 22.4 million homes) can now access Gigabit-capable (1Gbps+) services (up from 73% or 21.9m). 

This figure is higher than that for FTTP due to the majority of the gigabit connectivity coming from Virgin Media’s upgrade to their existing HFC network. In dense urban areas, there is a lot of overbuild between HFC and FTTP. 

What about the last 20% in the hardest to reach areas? The UK Government’s £5 billion Project Gigabit programme aims to improve the above figure so that gigabit coverage is extended to at least 85% of UK premises by the end of 2025 (and 99% nationwide by 2030). 

Premises Still Without ‘Decent’ Broadband 

‘Decent’ broadband is based on a download speed of at least 10Mbps and 1Mbps upload. The number of premises that cannot access this is currently 428,000 which is 1.3% of the UK. 

However, if you include wireless connections via 4G, 5G and Fixed Wireless Access, this number drops down to 62,000. 

4G Mobile Networks

Geographic coverage of 4G wireless services across mobile network operators (EE, Three, O2, Vodafone) has remained about the same, with a range of 80 to 87%. 

Although it’s a slow process, these figures will be improved upon by the Shared Rural Network agreement – A £1 billion project to change things for rural users. 

5G Coverage

There’s still a way to go when it comes to 5G coverage in the UK. The Ofcom Summer 2023 report shares that 76-85% of UK premises can now get outdoor coverage from at least one operator, however when looking at outdoor coverage by all operators put together it drops to 12-22%. 

Voice and Text Coverage

Full Ofcom Summer 2023 Report

We’ve included a few summaries for your perusal but for more detailed information with all the facts and figures you could ask for, download the PDF of the Summer 2023 Update on Connected Nations via the Ofcom website here

What is the ‘Fibre in Water’ Trial and Will Fibre Broadband Run Through Water Mains?

For the past year, the DSIT have been trialling ‘Fibre in Water’ in Yorkshire. Fibre has been run along 17km between Barnsley and Penistone to see whether fibre optic (FTTP) broadband cables could be deployed through live water mains. 

The £6.2m trial has just completed its first phase, with the DSIT releasing current progress and what they’ve learned so far, with one year left to go of the trial. 

The theory behind the ‘fibre in water’ trial is that fibre broadband could reach 8,500 more rural homes and businesses without needing to do disruptive and costly street works. Not only that, the fibre could provide capacity to local 5G mobile masts as well as monitor any leakages on the network. 

What is ‘Fibre in Water’?

The main concept behind ‘Fibre in Water’ is to deploy fibre optic cables through live drinking water mains, monitoring them for leakage. It would also mean that broadband companies could use the water network to deliver gigabit connections to any homes and businesses along the water route that the cables were deployed in. 

If you’re wondering whether it’s safe to be putting fibre-optic cables alongside water, then don’t worry! The fibre cables will be inside ‘messenger pipes’ to make sure that they don’t touch the water and are protected. 

The messenger pipe is deployed whilst water is in normal operation so that the pressure can be used to deploy an initial draw line. The installation is completed by blowing the fibre-optic cable into the messenger pipe. 

What do they hope to achieve with the ‘Fibre in Water’ project?

The £6.2m project began in 2021 and is expected to reach completion in 2024 – Taking it from a pilot schemed to facilitate delivery. The aim is to deliver advanced broadband and mobile services to rural locations via mains water. 

Led by the DSIT (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology), the project is also supported by Defra (Department for Food, Environment and Rural Affairs) as well as the Geospatial Commission. 

There are various objectives to the ‘Fibre to Water’ project, a few of these are:

  • To support the Project Gigabit and Shared Rural Network schemes by connecting the hardest to reach areas of the UK with advanced fixed and mobile services (such as gigabit, 4G and 5G)
  • To reduce the amount of clean water leakage from the water mains (approximately 3 billion litres of clean water is lost per day)
  • To support the digital transformation of the water industry in the UK

What are the challenges of the ‘Fibre to Water’ project?

This project sees the merging of two separate industries, so is of course going to meet its challenges. 

It’s a complex endeavour to safely bring together fibre-optic cables and water pipes in one place. Hence why DSIT, Defra and Geospatial Commission are all involved. Not only does it have to meet regulatory frameworks but also has to reflect a sensible cost for all bodies. 

Project TAWCO was formed – Telecoms and Water Combined Operations – Consisting of Yorkshire Water, Commsworld (telecoms operator), the University of Strathclyde as a research organisation and Arcadis as a Design and Engineering Consultancy. 

They proposed a route that would enable them to put the operational and commercial models to the test – Going from Barnsley to Penistoke. 

What does the ‘Fibre in Water’ project consist of? 

The project is split into 3 phases, the first of which has just reached completion. 

Phase 1

This phase has focused on the research and investigation elements to inform later deployment. It had to look at the technical, commercial, legal and maintenance aspects of everything – as well as the benefits – before being able to present findings to the government. Only then can it move into Phase 2 and 3. 

Phase 2

The second phase will look at the design and build elements of the project, including deployment of the final design. It will also include data collection and the accrual of benefits. 

Phase 3

The final phase will evaluate how the project has performed and how it can be scaled up in line with the analysis results from Phase 2, with a view of rolling out this solution on a national scale. 

What has been learnt from the 1st phase of the ‘Fibre in Water’ project?

Now that the first phase is coming to a close, the project has shown that this is a successful model, commercially viable, between the two industries. 

It would seem that there is an investment opportunity for fibre in water, with a host of benefits for not only the industries but customers too. 

European markets are seeing expansion in this area, with a rise in fibre in water technology and monitoring software solutions. More suppliers here in the UK are looking to gain approval for their offerings. As with all industries, competition in this area will drive innovation and technical improvements further as well as keep prices down.

The telecoms market is a competitive one, so Fibre in Water is likely to be another way for these companies to get broadband services to homes and businesses and provide better options for consumers. 

One issue highlighted by the Phase 1 survey was having to gain access to private landowners along the proposed route. Not only would this be a potential risk, it would also cost money due to compensation negotiations. 

A way to avoid this was to alter the route for the trial, reducing it to 8km of ‘fibre in water’ and avoiding the need for private access. Whilst this mitigated the risk and cost, it also means that the number of rural premises being reached is less, down to 7000. 

Will the proposed ‘fibre in water’ trial go ahead? It’s expected that a decision will be made imminently by the DSIT and other government partners alongside Project TAWCO. 

Could this be an exciting development in getting reliable broadband to rural areas? We might well find out next month – Watch this space. 

Rural Wi-Fi Options with Geekabit

In the meantime, if you’re struggling with your broadband in a rural home or business then get in touch with our Wi-Fi experts today. We have extensive experience with 4G and Mobile Broadband – Bringing you a more reliable connection in rural premises. Read more on our website and get in touch today.

Small Rural UK Businesses Damaged by Unreliable Broadband

The Federation of Small Businesses recently published a report highlighting how rural businesses are struggling with the ‘cost of doing business crisis.’ Not only are these rural businesses facing growing energy costs and problematic transport links, but they are also being hit with unreliable broadband. 

Could your business function without reliable broadband? 

Think of all the ways your business, whatever the industry, depends on a strong internet connection. How much disruption would unreliable broadband cause to your business? Effective internet access has become as vital as other utilities to businesses and homes – Yet businesses run from a rural area don’t appear to have a connection they can rely on. 

The report highlighted a range of issues these small rural businesses are facing, but here at Geekabit our focus is always on connectivity. This report illustrates that for small rural businesses:

  • Almost a third (32%) report issues with the reliability of their broadband (in comparison to 17% of urban businesses).
  • Twice as many rural businesses reported that unreliable broadband has affected their ability to contact customers (14% vs. 6%), reduced the competitiveness of their business (11% vs. 5%), and led to a loss of business or sales (10% vs. 5%).
  • Only 58 per cent of rural small businesses state that the speed of their broadband is sufficient for their current and future business needs.
  • 43 per cent of rural-based businesses have not yet changed their transport habits because of the insufficient local infrastructure to support electric vehicles (e.g. charge points).

Small rural businesses have a lot to offer their communities and industries. They shouldn’t have to face a loss of sales because of unreliable broadband. 

What Can Be Done for Small Rural Businesses With Unreliable Broadband?

There are a few different recommendations from the FSB to help tackle the negative impact of poor broadband connections on small rural businesses.

Update the Government USO

One recommendation from the FSB for tackling the issue of unreliable broadband in rural businesses would be for the government to update their current USO (Universal Service Obligation) minimum requirements for both upload and download speeds.

The current minimum requirements in the governments USO is 10 Mbps download speeds and 1 Mbps upload speed. The FSB doesn’t specify in their report what the updated speeds should be, but with the average download speed being approximately 79.1 Mbps we would think the USO needs to be higher than the 10 Mbps download speed deemed to be decent enough. Indeed, the European Union has plans for the universal download speed to be 100 Mbps by 2025. 

UK law states that every home and business has the right to a decent, affordable broadband connection, which is currently the 10 Mbps stated in the USO at a price of no more than £48.50 per month. 

But is that 10 Mbps download speed enough for a small rural business to function? Of course, it does depend somewhat on what type of business it is. A small boutique shop that only sells to customers in person might not need as high a connection as a photography and video editing business. 

Unfortunately, that USO hasn’t even managed to reach every UK location. There are tens of thousands of premises still unable to access download speeds of 10 Mbps due to their remote location – Largely due to the costs involved to create the necessary infrastructure. These places find themselves unable to connect to fixed line or fixed wireless services, whilst also being out of reach of suitable 4G/5G coverage. Making the necessary upgrades to these areas could cost hundreds of thousands of pounds if not into the millions. 

For this reason, just raising the minimum download speed in the USO isn’t going to be a magic fix for all rural businesses struggling with ineffective broadband. The infrastructure needed to really make a difference will take time and money to implement. Remember that this is also funded by the industry itself – Currently ISP’s BT and KCOM – Who have already committed to big legal and financial responsibilities by supporting the government’s USO scheme. 

At the end of the day, every business, including small rural businesses, deserve – And have the legal right to – decent broadband. And perhaps the USO figure of 10 Mbps isn’t cutting it now that we are doing business in a more connected world. A ‘decent’ broadband connection needs to reflect the individual needs and digital demands of individual businesses. Amongst other things, businesses need a strong connection to:

  • Communicate with customers – Online presence is essential in this day and age
  • Take online and mobile payments – Very few people pay using cash, and more customers are opting to pay via their smartphones
  • Send and receive large amounts of data 
  • Utilise E-commerce websites and ordering
  • Transmit orders to warehousing 
  • Connect via video conferencing

Project Gigabit Budget

The government has been trying to shrink the gap between the USO minimum speeds and the average internet speeds enjoyed in other areas with their Project Gigabit rollout. 

This aims to provide nationwide coverage by 2030 (nationwide meaning around 99%). 

The FSB recommends that the DSIT (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology) should take a proportion of the remaining budget allocated to Project Gigabit and use this to help those in hard to reach areas to connect to superfast broadband. 

LEO Satellite Broadband

Let’s not forget the possibility of LEO based satellite broadband like Starlink also being used to help those in particularly problematic areas. 

With more launches planned, this satellite network is only going to grow and could potentially help rural business (and homes) connect to more reliable internet.

The Shared Rural Network

There is also the Shared Rural Network scheme which is putting £1 billion into expanding 4G coverage. The FSB recommends that the DSIT ensures that the target of 95% of the UK having 4G coverage by 2025 is met. 

As part of the Shared Rural Network, our Wi-Fi experts here at Geekabit are helping to implement a rural 4G broadband scheme in West Sussex

Through this scheme, West Sussex businesses that are currently suffering from the slowest broadband speeds (10 Mbps or slower) are being supported to get online with an alternative 4G mobile broadband solution.

This 4G solution on offer to the county’s businesses uses 4G mobile data to connect their business premises to the internet in the same way that a smartphone sends and receives information. The solution uses a single, professionally mounted external antenna which is installed at the qualifying property. The external antenna can deliver a 4G signal directly into a newly supplied router, which then projects the connectivity in the form of Wi-Fi around the property, in the same way that conventional broadband works.

This investment in digital structure is part of the council’s plan to support a sustainable and prosperous economy, and businesses are already seeing huge benefits from using mobile connectivity. 

Get in Touch

If you own a rural business and are struggling with broadband connectivity then get in touch with our Wi-Fi experts today. Our professional engineers in Hampshire can advise whether 4G mobile broadband or Starlink Satellite broadband could help your business.