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Will BT EE Boost UK Mobile and Broadband Services with Starlink? 

It has been reported that National telecoms giant BT (EE) has been in talks regarding plans to harness SpaceX’s ultrafast low-latency broadband via their Starlink LEO (low earth orbit) satellite constellation. This could help improve internet as well as mobile connectivity to those in more remote, rural areas.  

Have BT Used Satellite Technology Before?

This isn’t the first time BT has helped deliver digital connectivity by channelling satellite technology. One example is the SaT5G (Satellite and Terrestrial /Network for 5G) project, supporting the development of solutions for integrating a standard commercially available 5G core network into a live satellite network.

BT is also running trials for rural broadband and mobile connectivity in the UK with OneWeb (rivals of Starlink) backed by the government. 

Recent reports revealed that BT is testing the Starlink system at its Adastral Park research centre near Ipswich. This is just one of the ways they are attempting to solve the continuing issue of getting reliable internet to those in hard to reach locations in the most rural, remote parts of the UK. Of course, consumers can already just sign up to Starlink’s satellite broadband service.

What is Starlink?

Here is some basic information if you’re new to everything Starlink satellite broadband. 

Starlink LEO Satellites

At the moment, Starlink have a network of 5,289 LEO satellites. They orbit the Earth at an altitude of around 500km. 

SpaceX Starlink has approval to expand this number to approximately 7,500 satellites by the end of 2027. 

Cost of Starlink Satellite Broadband

For UK customers costs start at £75 per month. There is an additional cost for the £449 regular home kit which includes a standard dish, router and relevant kit. There is also a shipping fee of £20 on the Standard package. 

Starlink Broadband Speed

The Standard Starlink broadband package promises download speeds of between 25 and 100 Mbps and upload speeds of 5-10 Mbps. It also offers latency times of 25-50 ms. 

Starlink’s New Direct to Cell Mobile Roaming Service

On top of that, Starlink is also in the process of launching its new global Direct to Cell mobile roaming service for use with regular unmodified Smartphones, which would require support from both a mobile network and Ofcom in order to launch in the UK. EE would clearly be a good fit for something like this, given the BT Group’s wider experience in the field. We wrote all about this last week, you can read it here. 

How Many Customers Do Starlink Have in the UK?

1.83% of Starlink’s current customers are based in the UK. Starlink has 2.3 million customers worldwide, with 42,000 of them residing in the UK. This is up from 13,000 UK based customers last year. 

Will BT EE Utilise Starlink Satellite Broadband for Business Customers?

The report that came out last weekend suggests that the current talks going on between BT EE and Starlink are looking at business broadband solutions and providing mobile connectivity to remote sites such as oil rigs out at sea.

It doesn’t look like BT are interested in just reselling Starlink’s broadband product, but instead are looking at it as a viable way to complement their own terrestrial connectivity services. 

When Will Satellite Connectivity Support Broadband and Mobile Services?

As things currently stand, we don’t know when we see satellite connectivity become fully fledged products that can be a viable solution to supporting broadband and mobile connectivity in rural and remote areas. 

The satellite solutions mentioned in this article are currently still in the early Proof of Concept trial stages. Having said that, although there is no guarantee that BT will use Starlink satellite broadband to bolster their broadband and mobile customers in more rural / remote areas, particularly businesses, it’s certainly exciting to know that discussions are taking place that this could be a possible solution in the future. 

Hire Starlink Satellite Broadband with Geekabit

We’ll be keeping a close eye on how this situation develops. 

As a company committed to helping businesses stay connected with reliable broadband – Using traditional methods as well as mobile and satellite options –  we are excited at the prospect of Starlink satellite broadband going further to help businesses in rural areas. 

If you are interested in Satellite broadband as an internet service provider option for your business or event, then get in touch with our Wi-Fi Experts today. We have Starlink satellite broadband kit ready to hire! Contact us here.  

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First 6 LEO Broadband Satellites for Mobile Service Launched by Starlink

The first week of January saw SpaceX launch their first 6 satellites to support their new ‘Direct to Cell’ product. This brings them steps closer to Starlink’s constellation of ultrafast broadband LEO (Low Earth Orbit) satellites being able to offer a global 4G mobile service.

A Quick Starlink 101

Here is some basic information if you’re new to everything Starlink satellite broadband. 

Starlink LEO Satellites

At the moment, Starlink have a network of 5,289 LEO satellites. They orbit the Earth at an altitude of around 500km. 

SpaceX Starlink has approval to expand this number to approximately 7,500 satellites by the end of 2027. 

Cost of Starlink Satellite Broadband

For UK customers costs start at £75 per month. There is an additional cost for the £449 regular home kit which includes a standard dish, router and relevant kit. There is also a shipping fee of £20 on the Standard package. 

Starlink Broadband Speed

The Standard Starlink broadband package promises download speeds of between 25 and 100 Mbps and upload speeds of 5-10 Mbps. It also offers latency times of 25-50 ms. 

What’s New for SpaceX Starlink Satellite Broadband?

SpaceX Starlink signed agreements back in 2022 enabling them to launch a global space-based 4G mobile network. 

The network will be called Direct to Cell and will connect satellites to unmodified smartphones on the ground. 

How will the Starlink 4G Network work?

The satellites with the capability to connect from space to Smartphones on the ground will have an advanced eNodeB modem onboard. This allows network integration similar to a standard roaming partner, essentially acting like a cellphone tower in space.

Supported by mobile operator T-Mobile, originally the first beta test products were supposed to launch by the end of 2023 in select areas of the USA (for example Hawaii, parts of Alaska, Puerto Rico). With the launch of the first 6 at the beginning of January this year, things are obviously running a little behind. 

These first 6 Direct to Cell capable Starlinks were launched aboard a Falcon 9 rocket alongside a batch of 15 other Starlink birds.

The testing phase is expected to eventually involve 840 4G capable satellites, transmitting 4G mobile to roughly 2,000 unmodified Smartphones on the ground. 

According to SpaceX, they plan to launch a basic text service sometime this year, offering SMS, MMS and ‘participating messaging apps’ messaging. 

Voice services (ie. the ability to make calls) and data services (being able to use a slow mobile broadband connection) is due to follow sometime next year (2025). 2025 will also hopefully see the ability to connect to Internet of Things (IoT) devices.

Will we be able to use Starlink 4G mobile in the UK?

Unfortunately at this stage, Starlink doesn’t have supporting access agreements for these services with any cellular providers in the UK. We are one of a few countries with cellular providers yet to support Starlink 4G mobile. 

Hopefully we will know soon who it’s likely to be! Both Vodafone and EE (BT) have experience with satellite solutions (they are testing rival systems!) so they may be the ones to watch. 

Who Are Starlink’s Current Global Direct to Cell Partners?

Providers who are ready to support Starlink 4G mobile in some countries are:


T-Mobile (USA)
Optus (Australia)
Rogers (Canada)
One NZ (New Zealand)
KDDI (Japan)
Salt (Switzerland)
ENTEL (CHILE)
Entel (PERU)

Can Starlink 4G Mobile Compete With Our Current 4G Mobile Broadband Offering?

At this stage, not really. Elon Musk has himself said that these first Direct to CEll capable Starlink satellites can only support data speeds of  “~7Mb per beam and the beams are very big, so while this is a great solution for locations with no cellular connectivity, it is not meaningfully competitive with existing terrestrial cellular networks.”

In other words, Starlink 4G Mobile services will be beneficial to those in rural areas that struggle with more traditional forms of broadband connectivity and 4G cellular networks, but not to those already reliably using 4G networks. 

For those that want the tech bit – Information shared last year on the subject detailed that the Direct to Cell system will be able to provide “theoretical peak speeds of up to either” 3Mbps or 7.2Mbps peak upload (Earth-to-Space) over 1.4MHz or 5MHz bandwidth channels per beam, respectively, and up to either 4.4Mbps or 18.3Mbps on the downlink (Space-to-Earth) over the same bandwidth channels per beam using LTE (4G) technology.

It’s also worth remembering that we don’t yet know the costs of this type of global roaming. To compete with traditional roaming services, it’s going to need to be a competitive cost. Although, those who struggle to get any connection at all where they’re based may be willing to pay a bit more if it means getting a reliable connection. 

What Potential Issues Might Starlink 4G Mobile Be Facing? 

SpaceX are already facing some challenges in the USA. There are concerns about spectrum interference, particularly from AT&T (formerly known as the American Telephone and Telegram Company) who are also in the testing stages of a rival solution AST SpaceMobile and Omnispace who are also combining mobile roaming with the scope of satellite for a global 5G network. 

There are likely to be similar disputes in other markets too, seeing as the Starlink 4G network needs reciprocal access and spectrum agreements with mobile operators. They will also need support from regulators and ground stations across the world. 

Starlink 4G Mobile via satellites from SpaceX is certainly an intriguing development and we’re keen to see how this plays out throughout 2023 and beyond. Let’s watch this space! 

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Geekabit’s Top 10 Blogs of 2023

2023 is coming to a close – And we know the new year will bring new technology and wireless improvements with it!

Here at Geekabit, we covered a lot of different Wi-Fi topics last year here on the blog. Much of what we write about is influenced by the enquiries and questions that our customers and clients ask our Wi-Fi Experts across Winchester, London and Cardiff. This year we’ve seen an increase in demand for 4G/5G broadband and Starlink Satellite broadband options, particularly for homes and businesses in rural areas.

We thought we would take a look back on the last year and see what blogs were most popular with you – Our readers!

In at Number 10, this blog had people wondering whether scientists could watch we are doing through walls!

Can Scientists Use Wi-Fi to Watch Us Through Walls? 
#10

Number 9 was all about finally getting 5G on the London Underground so you can stay connected whilst travelling around the capital.

London Underground: 5G Deployed by Virgin Media O2 UK 
#9

With Ubiquiti UniFi devices increasing in popularity, it’s no surprise that this fault finding blog about flashing lights on access points made it in at number 8.

Why Are My Ubiquiti UniFi Access Points Flashing?
#8

Here at Geekabit, we’ve talked a lot about how impactful broadband can be for rural businesses. This blog about unreliable broadband for rural businesses came in at number 7.

Small Rural UK Businesses Damaged by Unreliable Broadband
#7

It seems you all want to know how to choose and install a 4G and 5G mobile broadband antenna, as this blog telling you how narrowly missed being in our top 5 blogs of the year.

How To Choose and Install an External 4G or 5G Mobile Broadband Antenna
#6

Kicking us off in the top 5 was where best to place your router for successful results.

‘Where is the best place to put my Wi-Fi router?’
#5

Taking the 4th spot was a look into 2023 and what it had in store for us in the world of Wi-Fi.

2023 and Beyond: Wi-Fi Alliance Says All Roads Lead to Wi-Fi 
#4

In 3rd place was another blog on 4G and 5G mobile broadband, answering all your frequently asked questions.

4G and 5G Mobile Broadband Antennas: Frequently Asked Questions
#3

Narrowly missing the top spot, this blog about discounted Starlink Satellite Ultrafast Broadband here in the UK was one of your most popular reads this year.

Discounted Starlink Satellite Ultrafast Broadband for UK Customers
#2

And taking the top spot for most read Geekabit blog of 2023 was this one about the rise of UK Starlink broadband speeds.

UK Starlink Broadband Speeds Rise
#1

So it seems our readers were most looking for information on Starlink Satellite broadband and 4G/5G mobile broadband options. Does that mean that consumers and business broadband customers are interested in alternative Wi-Fi options for their homes and businesses?

We’re looking forward to what 2024 will bring in the tech world and seeing how that impacts all things Wi-Fi and staying well connected.

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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. 

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Could 4G Boosters on Church Towers Improve Rural Wi-Fi in the UK? 

Using OpenRAN (Open Radio Access Network) technology, Vodafone are working alongside the Church of England to help extend mobile broadband via 4G for those in rural parts of the UK. They are doing this by utilising 11 church bell towers as base stations for the deployment of this small bits of kit. 

Which Rural Communities Will Benefit From These Church-Based 4G Base Stations?

The first to be installed were Brompton Regis (Blessed Virgin Mary Church) in Somerset and Ewyas Harold (St Michael’s and All Angels) in Herefordshire. 

9 further church-based 4G base stations will be going live over the next few months across the following counties:

  • Dorset
  • Essex
  • Norfolk
  • Wiltshire

Why Do Churches Make Good Base Stations for 4G Mobile Broadband? 

Generally speaking, churches are tall buildings that are often found on high ground, as well as being at the heart of communities. This makes them the ideal location to install a mobile site to help boost 4G mobile broadband connectivity for these communities. 

Even better, current technology means that the base stations are small enough to not spoil the architecture and tone of the churches themselves.

Vodafone’s aim is to use this technology to improve connectivity and better reach these rural communities that struggle so much with traditional broadband. 4G mobile broadband via these church-based base stations could be a huge step forward in connectivity for rural communities across the country. 

Rural communities deserve to access good, strong, reliable internet speeds like anyone else, and boosting 4G mobile broadband in this way could be just the thing to deliver it. 

How Do These 4G Base Stations on Churches Work? 

These 4G mobile broadband base stations are called new cell sites and involve small cells in the form of well-hidden boxes being employed on church towers. 

These new cell sites have a coverage radius of 500 metres, so are ideal to serve the community based around the church itself which is usually close by. 

The Idea of Church-Based 4G Base Stations is Actually Nothing New

Church spires and towers have been identified as a prime place for bits of mobile and fixed wireless broadband kit before, so this idea is nothing new. It’s been done many times before! 

A previous agreement between the Church of England and Cornerstone (Vodafone UK and O2’s network sharing division) was made back in 2019. 

But while the premise might not be new, we still think any action taken to improve the connectivity of rural communities across England and the UK is a great step towards access to reliable broadband for all. 

Do You Need Wi-Fi Assistance? 

For Wi-Fi and Mobile Broadband Assistance for your business across Hampshire, Cardiff and London, get in touch with our Wi-Fi experts today. Our experienced and professional engineers are on hand to help with your Wi-Fi woes as well as determine if 4G mobile broadband could be a viable option for you.

Call us or email us today.

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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.

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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.

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Ultrafast Broadband Satellites: SpaceX Launch Starlink v2 

You may have read our previous blogs on Starlink – the satellite broadband internet system from Elon Musk’s SpaceX. This low latency internet option is ideal for rural areas and consists of a constellation of small satellites in a low earth orbit, working with transceivers on the ground.

Last month, SpaceX launched its second generation of Starlink Block v2.0 satellites into Low Earth Orbit. 54 of these satellites have now joined the rest of the constellation, hopefully resulting in multiple improvements to the service, including:

  • Better capacity and faster broadband speeds
  • Better coverage
  • Improved network reliability
  • Delivery of mobile phone services from space

What do Starlink customers pay and what service do they get?

UK Starlink customers generally pay about £75 per month, plus the cost of the standard home kit at £460 (including the standard dish and router) in addition to a £40 shipping fee.

The standard Starlink package includes:

  • Unlimited usage
  • Fast latency times (25-50ms)
  • Download speeds of 50-200Mbps
  • Upload speeds of 5-15Mbps

With the latest number of subscribers currently at around 1 million – Double what it was just over 6 months ago) it looks like it’s becoming increasingly in demand. It is worth noting that the speeds quoted above may change as the network grows. 

What does the latest Starlink launch mean?

Starlink now has about 3,370 satellites in a Low Earth Orbit at an altitude of around 500km. The aim is to have 4,400 LEO satellites deployed by 2024. They also have approval to launch another 7,500 by the end of 2027. 

Interestingly, this latest Starlink launch looks like it includes an experimental batch of GEN2 satellites. These second generation satellites aren’t what tech experts were expecting to see as part of the launch, hence why they are being viewed as somewhat experimental. 

These trial satellites include some of the improvements wireless engineers were hoping to see from satellite broadband. 

Originally, the plan was for the second generation satellites to be launched on board their Starship rocket. These satellites would have seen the following enhancements:

  • Bigger – 7m long unfolded and 1,250kg
  • Lasers for inter-satellite links
  • Ability to use more spectrum bandwidth (e.g. the V band)
  • Reductions in brightness through dielectric film
  • Larger antenna
  • More power and support for connecting 4G and 5G smartphones from space (mobile broadband for voice and data) through twin solar array

However, unfortunately the Starship rocket still isn’t ready. As this would have been the only economically viable way to launch that version of second generation satellites, Starlink decided to adapt these Gen2’s so that they could launch with the Falcon9 rockets which is what we saw in December. 

These adapted GEN2’s are actually more similar in form to the first generation satellites. They are smaller than originally planned (just over 300m each) hence why they were able to launch earlier than waiting for the Starship rocket. 

Which features are being tested with this set of GEN 2 satellites? It’s not too clear, but likely to include enhancements related to Starlink’s acquisition of SWARm Technologies. Their tiny pico satellites were for connecting small IoT devices, utilised for agricultural sensors, buoys in the sea and smart energy metres. 

Whilst we may not be getting all the benefits that would be expected from GEN2 in this current form, SpaceX are preparing something intermediary in the form of a v2 mini which will weigh around 800kg and be 4.1m x 2.7m in size. Benefits such as improved bandwidth are likely to come along with this form. 

Why are we interested in the latest Starlink satellite launch?

Here at Geekabit we strive to offer the very best wireless broadband connectivity to our clients – Wherever they are based.

With this in mind, we will be starting to offer Starlink satellite internet for hire. This will be especially useful for those running temporary events like festivals, rural press launches, sports events and film crews.

All events depend on excellent communications and we are passionate about providing reliable internet access for some of the most prestigious events names in the UK. Keeping you connected is our passion.

For more information and to find the best solution to suit your internet needs, please get in touch with one of our event Wi-Fi experts – We’re here to get you connected. 

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Connectivity Alliance – Telecoms Providers Join UK Landowners 

Last week on November 23rd, UK telecommunications providers, infrastructure providers and landowners joined together to form the NCA (National Connectivity Alliance). Why? Well. the main aim is to make collaboration easier on mutual areas of interest as well as aid the rollout of new networks. 

Let’s think about digital infrastructure for a moment – We’re talking about things like trenches for optical fibre cables and mobile masts. It’s easy to see why landowners and digital infrastructure developers might not be on the same wavelength (if you’ll pardon the pun). Previously, landowners would only allow operators to deploy infrastructure on their land in return for high rental fees. This would in turn have a knock on effect for consumers and telecommunications providers as operators would be unable to increase their coverage due to expensive rental fees. 

Back in 2017, the government amended the ECC (Electronic Communications Code) in order to make it more straightforward (and cheaper) for operators to access both public and private land. However, this didn’t have the balancing effect needed and lent instead more in favour of the providers – Some forcing rent of an extremely lower price. 

These lower rents didn’t take into account that landowners had multiple considerations to make like:

  • Facilitating access 
  • Ability to repurpose sites for other ventures (or inability to do so once infrastructure had been deployed)
  • Impact on insurance of any kit fitted to a roof
  • Safety risks for residents near base stations
  • Keeping an area used for deployment in good repair

You can see why this could easily end with disputes in court! Of course, the goal for everyone is to successfully roll out broadband and mobile networks, and the upcoming PSTI bill (Product Security and Telecommunications Infrastructure) plans to make the changes needed to do just this. 

It’s clear to see that something like the NCA is necessary to help increase collaboration between both landowners and digital infrastructure developers. 

The NCA Chair and Co-Founder is Partner at Blaser Mills Law. Carlos Pierce is thrilled to launch this cross-industry body that will benefit all parties – Including the general public. This new found collective of landowners and digital infrastructure developers will help improve digital connectivity for all. Industry experts bring about best practice, as well as helping landowners to have a deeper understanding of all things digital infrastructure. This combination of education and communication through this NCA collaboration brings an awareness of the needs of all parties in this sector, eventually benefitting the general public. 

The Minister for Digital Infrastructure, Julia Lopez MP, welcomes this new alliance in support of ‘world class connectivity’ for all people across the UK, regardless or whether they live in a city or rural area. Bringing together industry experts and landowners in this way will go a long way in helping negotiations so that all parties are happy. As a result, we can expect this new NCA to boost connectivity, productivity and even the economy. 

You can find out more about the NCA and what they’re about by visiting their website, or have a read of their latest press release here. 

Image from https://www.ncalliance.org.uk

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Law Passed to Give Everyone Right to Fast Internet in Germany 

In April 2021, all German citizens were promised the right to fast internet for the first time ever via a new law passed by the Bundestag. 

Whilst that sounds great in theory, what does that actually mean in practise? Giving everyone the legal right to fast internet sounds like a blanket statement, but in reality it will likely affect people differently rather than a universal thing. 

Does everyone in Germany have fast internet? 

Germans have been used to slow internet with pages taking a long time to load and unreliable connections. This promise of faster internet for all should have brought a quicker connection to the people of Germany this summer just passed, with the law forcing an improvement in upload speeds, download speeds and latency. 

Prior to this, internet users in Germany were entitled to functional internet access – At a speed of 0.056 mbps. The recent law aimed to significantly increase this minimum speed.

Who will benefit the most from this law change? 

To ascertain how much the speed needed to increase, the average download and upload speeds plus latency were calculated. 

The highest 20% of internet speeds were not included in the calculation as much of the German population already enjoyed faster internet speeds. The lower 80% had slower connections and would benefit more from the law change. 

With this in mind, those who lived in rural areas were more likely to be positively affected by the law change, as many of the more major cities in Germany already had fast internet available to them. 

For people who were struggling with an unreliable, slow connection (particularly those in rural areas who notoriously grapple with bad internet connections), a commission to a new provider with relocated broadband access would be investigated. 

But even with the law change, will the minimum internet speed be enough? 

Faster internet speeds – What about the UK? 

In UK law, it is the legal right for every home and business to request a decent, affordable broadband connection. 

‘Decent’ is defined as meeting the internet needs of an average family. It has been deemed by previous Ofcom research that a speed of 10mbps (download) is enough to meet these needs, enabling multiple family members to be online at the same time. 

Affordability is based on paying no more than £48.50 per month for broadband. Many people pay much less than this for their internet connection per month. 

The UK saw the government ensure that everyone in the UK had access to broadband speeds of at least 10Mbps by 2020. This universal high speed internet is delivered by a regulatory body as a Universal Service Obligation. 

Post pandemic there has been a huge upsurge in working from home, and people needing strong, reliable, fast internet for business operations at their kitchen table. Think Zoom calls, Teams collaborations, Slack messages and data transfers. That’s a lot more internet traffic than our home networks are used to.

It’s also worth mentioning that in 2022, the average internet download speed is 79.1Mbps. That is significantly faster than the 10Mbps deemed fast enough for the average family home. So whilst the legally mandated minimum is 10Mbps here in the UK, the current average internet speed indicates that this probably needs to be much, much higher. Especially as the European Union has plans for universal broadband of 100Mbps by 2025. 

The increase of those working from home also means that the importance of good upload speeds has also increased. Think remote designers needing to download, edit and upload large files, or group video conference calls. 

In essence, the majority of households need a strong, fast and reliable internet connection in order to work and play from their homes. The current USO doesn’t meet the average speed of internet use across the UK. 

The way we use the internet has changed dramatically over the past couple of years, and we need UK law to reflect this. The pandemic showed the volume of data double almost overnight. 

Our home broadband networks need to reflect the increased prevalence of remote working. This need for fast internet on a reliable connection needs to be written in law, and the USO minimum speed increased.

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