Broadband

An internet connection has now become an essential tool for all businesses, be it for simply getting emails or browsing the web , or more complex needs like allowing the use on internet telephony or giving remote workers access to business resources.

The simplest way to get connected is a broadband connection . Over the years Adsl broadband speed have increased  from 0.5 megabyte  to 80 megabyte download speeds. Now with the PSTN switch of happening in 2025 , we are seeing the roll out of full fibre broadband with speeds of upto 1 Gigabyte .

The choice of broadband available to a business is very much dependant on what telephone exchange area the business is in.

Depending on the exchange area, the options available are standard Adsl , fibre to the Cabinet (FTTC ) and fibre to the premises (FTTP)

Adsl is delivered on copper cable all the way  from the telephone exchange to the customers premises. Due to the limitations of copper cable maximum speeds achievable with Adsl are 24 Mb download speed and 2'5 Mb upload . The speed achievable is governed by the distance from the exchange and condition of the copper cable used. It is not uncommon for businesses in rural locations  to get maximum speed as low as 1.5 Mb download  where Adsl is the only available wired connection. If this is the case it might be our 4G broadband option could a suitable alternative and give greater speeds. Adsl is delivered over a standard phone line so requires a broadband filter  to remove the dial tone from the broadband signal.

Fibre to the Cabinet was introduced to provided  greater broadband speeds  than standard Adsl , with up to 80 Mb download speeds. It achieves this by sending the broadband signal over a fibre optic to the road side cabinet, where it is then passed on to copper cable for delivery to the customers premises. While speeds of up to 80 Mb are achievable , the limiting factor is the distance from the road side cabinet. In rural locations this can drop as low 10 Mb. Like Adsl  it is delivered over a standard phone line, so requires  a broadband filter  to remove the dial tone from the broadband signal. It is now being replaced with Sogea Broadband , which is delivered without dial tone on the line .

Fibre to the Premises, is being rolled out across the UK in line with the governments intention to get the whole of the UK on fibre internet. Inline with this BT is rolling out Fibre across the UK , with 2025 being set  as the date when the old telephone network gets switched off , known as the PSTN Switch off. The introduction of FTTP allows for the delivery of greater internet speeds with up to  1 Gb  available regardless of distance from the telephone exchange. The benefit of FTTP is you can get a broadband speed that suits your business needs and finances. The available download speeds are 40 Mb, 80 Mb, 160 Mb, 220 Mb, 330 Mb, 550 Mb and 1 Gb, upload speeds like broadband are asymmetrical to the upload speeds. 

SOGEA ( single order generic ethernet access) , is the replacement service  for  ADSL and FTTC  where  fibre based internet services are not available.  Inline with this BT is rolling out Fibre across the UK , with 2025 being set  as the date when the old telephone network gets switched off , known as the PSTN Switch off. The introduction of FTTP allows for the delivery of greater internet speeds with up to  1 Gb  available regardless of distance from the telephone exchange. The benefit of FTTP is you can get a broadband speed that suits your business needs and finances. The available download speeds are 40 Mb, 80 Mb, upload speeds like broadband are asymmetrical to the upload speeds.