Fibre Optic Broadband Blogs

Wednesday, September 1st 2010

BT's broadband propositions are hugely popular, with 15 million of us now signed up to get our web access via its high-speed network.

Now that the telecoms giant has achieved this significant milestone - which means it has managed to attract an average of 5,000 customers every day for the past eight years - we thought it would be the perfect time to cast an expert eye over some of the best value broadband offers BT currently has available.

Although you'll need to be signed up to a home phone with BT too, it's possible to get the company's Broadband Option 1 package for just £15.99 per month on a one-year agreement, with no upfront connection fee.

Tuesday, August 10th 2010

Fibre optic cable broadband is becoming increasingly prevalent across the country, thanks to the hard work of BT and Virgin Media.

More and more parts of the UK are getting access to these high-speed broadband connections every day, with BT claiming that as much as 66 per cent of the population could be hooked up by 2015.

Unlike normal broadband networks, which rely on copper telephone cables to send data, fibre optic broadband makes use of thin strands of glass that can transfer information at super-fast speeds.

If you're one of the lucky people who can get access to fibre optic broadband, it makes sense for you to take advantage of it - particularly given that it doesn't have to be an expensive luxury.

Friday, July 9th 2010

While most of us have access to broadband speeds that comfortably meet our needs, no-one would ever suggest that they are the fastest in the world. However, culture secretary Jeremy Hunt has hinted all that could change in just a few years.

Talking at the annual reception of the all-party parliamentary media group, he suggested that a change in the regulatory framework could ensure that the UK is home to the fastest broadband in Europe in five years' time.

Is this really possible? Considering the UK was just rated 14th in the world in terms of broadband quality and infrastructure by the Economist Intelligence Unit, some would argue that it is not very likely.

Monday, July 5th 2010

With some of the hype and general excitement about BT's decision to offer Sky Sports 1 and 2 to customers beginning to calm down, it seems that now is a good time for the company to reveal where the new offerings stand in its grand scheme for digital TV domination.

Well, according to the company's Andy Barker, hopes are high over the potential impact that offering access to the channels from £6.99 a month could have on its subscriber numbers.

He told TechRadar that the addition would make BT Vision "phenomenally strong" and support projects that are in the pipeline to improve the offering even further.

Thursday, June 24th 2010

Many people would not argue against the fact that when it comes to broadband speeds in the UK, Virgin Media is already setting the pace.

Few rivals have been able to keep up with the fibre optic broadband provider's offerings, including 50Mbps services, in recent times. Because of this, they are likely to be less than impressed with the company's plans to push UK broadband further than ever before.

It has already been reported that 100Mbps broadband could be launched by the firm before the end of this year, while trials on 200Mbps are also continuing. However, the organisation's latest announcement of plans to potentially introduce 400Mbps is almost breathtaking.

Thursday, June 17th 2010

Do you face a constant battle with your kids to get online? Are your mum and dad always hogging the computer by downloading 1970s hits from iTunes? If either of these questions relate to you, it may not necessarily be a bad thing.

A new competition from bundle provider BT is seeking out families across the UK who rely strongly on broadband as an integral part of their home life. The aim of the Superfamily competition is simple – prove your online credentials and you could win free fibre optic cable broadband access for 18 months.

At present BT is seeking 'Superfamilies' in Halifax, Caerphilly and Cardiff, although the number is expected to rise in the coming months.

Wednesday, June 9th 2010

As anyone who has paid attention to the broadband industry in the past few years would be able to tell you, Virgin Media appears to set the standard when it comes to connection speeds.

The company's current XXL package offers speeds of up to 50Mb, but the firm is not stopping there in its quest to offer the ultimate when it comes to fibre optic broadband services.

In the past few months, the firm has revealed plans to get 100Mb broadband up and running in the UK by the end of this year, while it is already trialling the delivery of 200Mb speeds in Coventry.

If successful, the services would undoubtedly put Virgin Media way out in front of its mainstream rivals when it comes to super-fast networks.

Friday, June 4th 2010

When BT announced its financial results for the year to March 31st, the figures were overshadowed somewhat by details of the company's future plans.

The revelation that the bundle provider planned to invest a further £1 billion in extending the rollout of fibre optic broadband to two-thirds of UK premises by 2015 caught a lot of people's attention – and it seems the firm has not held back on its promise.

In the past week or so, BT has revealed it is close to getting fibre optic broadband services up and running in parts of Bristol and Edinburgh, as well as Caerphilly and Barry.

Monday, May 17th 2010

While some consumers may have scoffed at research released last week which suggested the price of fibre optic broadband is falling, Virgin Media has arguably made its best value deal available.

The company is offering its L broadband deal – which offers speeds up to 10Mbps – with unlimited weekend UK landline and Virgin mobile calls for £5 a month for the first three months.

While the deal reverts to £12.50 a month with Virgin phone line rental for £11.99 a month, the introductory offer is likely to be a big draw for many people looking to switch broadband providers.

Thursday, May 13th 2010

Ask any broadband user on the street about the most common problem with their service, and many would respond with a moan to do with connection speeds. No matter how reliable the infrastructure becomes, people still want more.

Fortunately, companies like Virgin Media and BT have set their sights on ensuring consumers get exactly what they want. The latter's announcement of its financial results for the year to March 31st was overshadowed by details of its plans to boost fibre optic cable broadband coverage across the UK.

A further £1 billion will be invested in extending the rollout of fibre to two-thirds of UK homes and businesses by 2015 – taking BT's total expenditure in the area to £2.5 billion.

Wednesday, April 28th 2010

While Virgin Media has proved itself to be a dab hand with broadband, digital TV and home phone deals in recent times, its cable services led the way to a strong first quarter of 2010.

In its latest trading update, the fibre optic cable broadband provider revealed its cable broadband subscriber figures rose 53 per cent during the period, while its product net additions also rose by 57 per cent.

The company's total revenue rose 2.9 per cent to £963 million, while its operating income also increased to £76 million from £13 million.

Neil Berkett, chief executive officer of Virgin Media, said its cable customer figures rose at the fastest ever rate.

Thursday, April 22nd 2010

While consumers have probably used many adjectives to describe their broadband services– particularly when struggling with problems – not many will have referred to their connections as "sexy".

However, if Virgin Media chief executive Neil Berkett has his way, this will be how we all look at our web services. Talking to the Independent, he said: "Part of my job is making broadband trusted. You have to make it sexy otherwise it is a commodity."

So how do you really make broadband "sexy"? Well, it was suggested that the offering of increasingly faster speed will play an important part.

Tuesday, April 20th 2010

The fibre optic cable broadband market is changing. While Virgin Media and BT have dominated the market for consumers in the past few months, a new contender is set to enter the fray.

Eclipse Internet has a strong legacy in both home and business broadband, but is launching two new products where it will offer some of its fastest speeds ever.

Available for £39.95 per month, Eclipse Fibre offers download and upload speeds of up to 40Mbps and 2Mbps respectively, alongside a 50GB usage allowance during peak hours and a free vDSL modem.

For those who want that little bit more, Eclipse Fibre Pro offers 10Mbps upload speeds, 60GB usage in peak hours and a free WAN router.

Wednesday, April 14th 2010

When it comes to the high street, Virgin Media tends to have more of a presence than many of its rivals. Stores offering its fibre optic broadband, digital TV and home phone deals are quite common, but it seems the provider is aiming for more.

The company has partnered with Best Buy to showcase its services in the retailer's stores, which are launching in areas including Essex, the West Midlands and Liverpool in the coming months.

So, what will the stores offer? Virgin Media has stated that consumers will be able to watch HD TV and sample the firm's V+HD boxes, while the firm's 50Mbps broadband will be available in some outlets.

Wednesday, April 7th 2010

Connectivity speeds can be a major deciding factor for consumers looking for a new broadband provider and once again Virgin Media has proved it has what people are looking for by topping Cable.co.uk's broadband speed test for the second month in a row.

The fibre optic cable broadband provider recorded average connectivity speeds of 8.4Mbps for March, matching its average speed for February and retaining its place at the top of the table.

O2/BE rose up the results table to claim second place with an average speed of 6Mbps, up from 5.6Mbps in February.

BT also saw a rise in its connectivity speed, reaching 4.3Mbps, up from 4.1Mbps, which saw it climb up to third position.