Fed up with dismal downloads? Now could be a good time to check your postcode.
If your broadband feels like it’s constantly trudging through treacle, now could be a very good time to check your postcode. It’s just been confirmed that 17 million UK homes can now upgrade their internet access and ditch ageing copper cables in favour of faster Fibre to the Premises (FTTP). For those unaware, Full Fibre is capable of beaming the web into homes at speeds in excess of 800Mbps – that’s compared to copper that can only muster a top range of around 70Mbps.
News of more homes getting FTTP access has been confirmed by BT-owned Openreach who supplies and installs broadband technology across the UK.
The company says that it is now connecting over 75,000 new premises every week – that figure even includes homes in more rural areas.
It’s not just BT users that will benefit. Other Internet Service Providers such as Sky, Vodafone and TalkTalk also use Openreach cables to supply customers so if you get your broadband from any of those big names it’s worth checking your postcode.
Openreach has a dedicated website where you can type in your address and see what technology is available in your street.
CHECK YOUR POSTCODE HERE
Speaking about the update Clive Selley, CEO, Openreach, said: “Fast, reliable connectivity is essential for the UK, and the increased traffic on our broadband network is evidence that customers are increasingly reliant on it in their daily lives.
“We’re building and connecting people faster than ever before and I’m proud of the progress our engineers have made. We’re well on our way to delivering our ambition of reaching 25 million homes and business by the end of 2026, and now our sights are set on reaching 30 million premises by the end of 2030,
“While over a third of properties have already switched, there’s plenty of room for more people to get a better connection right now. So why not check if you could get faster – and potentially cheaper – broadband today.”
Here’s how long it takes to download an HD movie via different speeds
HD MOVIE DOWNLOAD TIMES
50Mbps speeds – 12 minutes
100Mbps speeds – 6 minutes
500Mbps speeds – 1 minute
1Gbbps speeds – 30 seconds
Just beware that the faster the speeds you sign up for, the more you will pay so check exactly what you need for your family.