Many of us find that we struggle to get internet connectivity in our homes. The majority of the UK can get a decent level of service on ADSL,
fibre optic broadband, or even mobile broadband. However, about 160,000 to 170,000 homes in the UK are in broadband black spots where they can’t get these services and really do struggle to get internet. Unfortunately, if you are in one of these areas, your options are compare broadband deals limited.
Satellite Broadband
Satellite broadband is a type of broadband without a phone line that is available in 100% of the British Isles. Because it works by satellite it isn’t tied to the land lines through telephone exchanges or telephone masts as in the case of ADSL and mobile broadband and therefore it will be usable anywhere in the UK. The challenge is that it is expensive. The installation costs are around £300 to £700 when we factor in the hardware of the satellite dish to installation fees and so on.
When it comes to getting satellite broadband, many of us are put off by the price. So the question is if satellite broadband is your only option? Well, the truth is if you’ve exhausted the options of fibre optic broadband, ADSL, and mobile broadband, it most probably is.
Fibre Optic Broadband
Fibre optic broadband is available in some pretty remote parts of the UK. It is a type of broadband without a phone line for many consumers on a fibre-to-the-home basis. However, fibre-to-the-cabinet tends to require a phone line and so is not a true broadband without a phone line solution.
The reality is that fibre-to-the-home connections are the rarity in today’s world and are becoming popular as more cables are laid. The majority of connections are actually on fibre-to-the-cabinet when it comes to fibre optic broadband.
Virgin Broadband is the main fibre-to-the-home service provider offering their cables and their cable TV package to around 50% of the UK. BT and Virgin are fighting to drive their cables further into the UK market and therefore we will see more and more regions getting them. The problem is that the more remote regions that struggle to get broadband tend to be less lucrative. Therefore they are less likely to invest their capital in these regions preferring to concentrate on the more lucrative regions.
There is however certain projects that as we have already intermitted develop broadband in rural areas. For example, there is a North Wales broadband project that will be delivering broadband to the valleys.
Over time fibre optic broadband will reach further and further into the rural areas and the government has plans to increase the scope of broadband to the masses.
