Rural broadband still sees widespread connectivity issues
Posted by Jeremy in Latest Broadband News on February 15, 2012
Broadband is in widespread use across the UK but recent studies have revealed there are still many basic connectivity problems around the country.
The effectivity of the web to stream video smoothly is still being worked out in many locations. The study- carried out by the Telegraph- has shown that a standard urban area is generating an internet connection of 6.9.megabits per second. This broadband speed would be just enough to watch a programme on a TV website iplayer such as BBC iplayer or 4OD.
However in rural areas the broadband connection is much slower at 3.6 megabits per second. This results in very limited capacity when streaming videos and a sluggish download rate. Watching any type of video such as YouTube or iplayer streaming will be almost impossible. Streaming DVD-quality video, however, requires 10Mbps, while Blu-ray quality would require 40Mbps. Both of these are well above the UK average of 7.6Mbps, even including rural areas.
The potential rural customer can research which internet service provider will have the best reception levels in their area before buying. There are great websites which anyone can access this broadband comparison service, but for the countryside local, being aware of their lacking broadband coverage is not enough. The ‘digital divide’ is encouraged even though rural people will subscribe to contracts that cost the same tariff for apparently the same amount of data.
For the general public and businesses alike in these rustic environments, the noticeable faults with the accepted service is stark. The internet is just as much a part of their working practices and everyday lives yet the assistance offered does not match this need.
More figures have been highlighted verifying that the use of broadband is on the rise globally. And this growth has been predicted to continue until 2016.
UKCCIS issues ISPs with guidelines for online safety
Posted by Jeremy in Latest Broadband News on February 13, 2012
The UK Council for Child Internet Safety (UKCCIS) has issued internet service providers (ISPs) with new guidance aimed at making sure both parents and children are consistently reminded about how to stay safe online when they are using the internet.
The UKCCIS has designed the guidelines in response to concerns over how advice given to parents by different ISPs is often conflicting. Some child protection charities have also complained that ISPs are not doing enough to make sure their safety messages are prominently displayed in numerous locations online.
Listed as key risks to internet safety by the UKCCIS were fraud, privacy issues, sexual imagery, cyberbullying, grooming and harmful content.
The release of the advice was planned to coincide with Safer Internet Day, an event organised by Insafe, an organisation devoted to improving internet safety, that aims to raise awareness of how important responsible web use is and how safer technology needs to be developed for mobile web browsing as well as traditional ways of accessing the internet.
On the same day, TalkTalk announced that it is to offer broadband customers an ‘active choice’ on if they want parent control settings activated on their account or not. The provider is the first UK ISP to offer customers this choice, which will utilise TalkTalk’s HomeSafe network security program to enable customers to block access to unsuitable content and control when their children will be able to access distracting sites. The company hopes that by offering customers this choice, it will make protecting the younger generation from malicious content easier across a variety of platforms including computers, games consoles and other web-capable devices.
Speaking on Safer Internet Day (7 February 2012), Prime Minister David Cameron acknowledged the difficulty some parent face in keeping up with technology their children can easily access and use. He said: “As a parent it can be […] worrying to know that alongside the fun, games and educational sites there are dangers they need to be protected from. Safer Internet Day aims to address these concerns by empowering parents, helping them to understand the problems then arming them with the right tools to keep their children safe online.”
Superfast broadband ‘vital’ to most consumers
Posted by Jeremy in Latest Broadband News on February 12, 2012
Superfast broadband has become the Virgin Media product of choice. Half of new customers and a sizeable proportion of existing customers are choosing this service.
Chief executive of Virgin Media Neil Berkett claims superfast broadband phone and digital TV are the biggest generator of income. ‘Demand for better broadband also continues to grow fast, with around half of new customers choosing superfast speeds’.
These high speed coaxial cables pump data at an average speed of between 47.7 and 49Mb. Virgin’s fourth quarter revenue reached £1 billion last year, which demonstrates the growth the company is still experiencing due to efficient new services. Berkett observed that Virgin’s ‘strategy of focusing on customers who want more from the digital world is paying off.’
Superfast broadband phone and digital TV is just as important in the business sector. By keeping up with technological advances in this industry businesses can save themselves a great deal of money and time.
This crucial amenity is not only improving the lives of house and office tenants but now actually pushing up the prices of houses also. Research conducted by ISPreview displays how many UK consumers now see rapid broadband as a vital utility – one that they cannot live without 80 per cent agreed. Yet many homes in rural areas lack access to top download speeds. Research is indicating that this can make all the difference to a property sale. More than half of those questioned (57.4 per cent) claimed they would be willing to pay more for a home with super-fast download capabilities – defined as 25Mb or greater. The demand for premium broadband properties is on the increase and needs to be considered by landlords all over the country.
It is extremely important for property tycoons to realise the nation’s reliability on superfast broadband and to make this an essential element when looking to buy or sell new properties.