Posts Tagged rural broadband
Virgin Media confirms position on rural broadband
Posted by Jeremy in Latest Broadband News on February 16, 2012
Virgin Media have announced that it is willing to meet with organisations representing rural communities in the UK to discuss the ongoing issue of rolling out broadband services to communities based in the countryside, although the ISP did not go as far as promising to help fund the rollout.
A Virgin Media spokesperson told ISPReview: “Our doors have always been open to the CLA and other groups to try to find solutions to the problem of poor connectivity in rural areas.”
The Country Land and Business Association (CLA) are one of the most vocal campaigners for the improvement (or indeed installation) of rural Britain’s broadband infrastructure.
The company says it is eager to assist in finding solutions to the inferior connectivity that rural areas have to endure, although the spokesperson admitted Virgin Media would not be altering its strategy for the rollout of superfast fibre optic broadband services. Its fibre optic network currently reaches 10 million homes.
The spokesperson said: “We have invested over £13 billion of private money in building our network to half the country and, while we continue to expand our reach, we are doing so within our own means.”
Last week Virgin Media was accused by the CLA of ignoring businesses and homes in rural parts of the UK in favour of giving areas that already boast impressive broadband connection access to even faster speeds.
Dr Charles Trotman, the CLA’s Head of Rural Development said in a statement released on 8 February 2012 that: “Virgin Media’s latest rollout ignores homes and businesses in the countryside to give areas that already have good broadband even faster connections. Rural areas with inadequate broadband should be brought up to speed first before doubling the speeds for areas that do not need improving.”
Following the announcment by Virgin Media, industry commentators are waiting with baited breathe to see how the CLA responds.
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.
Satellite broadband operator secures funding for third satellite
Posted by Jeremy in Latest Broadband News on February 9, 2012
Satellite operator Avanti has announced it has raised enough money to fund the production and launch of its third satellite which it has dubbed HYLAS 3. The broadband provider, which is the UK’s only registered satellite broadband operator launched HYLAS 1- its first orbiter- toward the end of 2010, and has plans to launch its second this summer.
The company sold shares to raise the funds, becoming one of only two satellite operators registered in the UK to be listed on the London Stock Exchange along the way.
At present HYLAS 1 enables Avanti to deliver satellite broadband to homes and commercial properties that can reach speeds of 10Mbps (megabits per second), with the company primarily focused on providing services for households and businesses that are based in rural areas of the country where fixed-line broadband services from providers such as BT and Virgin Media are not available.
Avanti hopes its service will help reduce the growing divide between rural and urban areas when it comes to choice of broadband service. BT and Virgin Media have already declared they will not be rolling out their fibre-based broadband services in many rural areas as the low population density means the cost of installing the infrastructure is higher than the returns they could make.
The satellite broadband provider will launch HYLAS 2 this summer, with aims to offer satellite broadband services to homes and businesses across Europe.
A spokesperson for Avanti said: “Sales momentum for HYLAS 1 and 2 is building strongly, with £8.7 million of sales booked in December 2011 and £14.0m in January 2012,”
They continued: “The company expects HYLAS 3 to launch as it enters the final year of HYLAS 2’s approach to full utilisation, providing the company with the means to continue to serve the growing demand of its customers.”
The funding raised will be used to design, build and eventually launch the company’s third satellite; HYLAS 3.