2Mbps Broadband Minimum for UK

[Ian]

The BBC reports that the UK government has signalled its commitment to ensure that every household in the UK has access to 2Mbps broadband minimum. A handful of areas around the country are still without broadband at all, and some users are only able to get minimum speeds of around 512Kbps.

Earlier this year Lord Carter set out his interim recommendations for Digital Britain, in which he proposed a Universal Service for broadband. He recommended a minimum of 2Mbps, which the government has now backed.

The Treasury said the cost would be met in part by underspend from the BBC's promotion of Digital TV switchover. The government's backing of 2Mbps was contained in the Budget Report. Speaking to MPs at the House of Commons, the chancellor of the Exchequer Alistair Darling said: "It is vital to ensure the entire country and economy benefits from the digital age.

"So I am allocating extra funding for digital investment, to help to extend the broadband network to almost every community." That speed would "allow virtually everyone to experience the benefits of broadband, including the increasing delivery of public services online".

Read more at the BBC here.

 

[Anon_F]

Hope the government tell BT this!
As only after changing from BT to Sky did we get over 2MB speed.

 

[crazylegs]

Yeah the BT lines are crap, a mate of mine pays for 8mb and he actually only gets dial up speeds around 50 to 60kbps..Its so slow its a joke, BT say he's right at the end of the line from the exchange..

 

[Madxgraphics]

Yeah the BT lines are crap

I use BT and pay for 8mb and get 6mb...I am about 2.5 miles away from the exchange

 

[Abarbarian]

"some users are only able to get minimum speeds of around 512Kbps."

Yeah like 99 % of folks who live in rural areas. Heck who cares about them anyway, bunch of inbred retards not like townies.

We still can't get Channel 5 either.

Pah and humbug. Rant rant.

 

[Ian]

"some users are only able to get minimum speeds of around 512Kbps."

Yeah like 99 % of folks who live in rural areas. Heck who cares about them anyway, bunch of inbred retards not like townies.

We still can't get Channel 5 either.

Pah and humbug. Rant rant.

My parents have the same problem, and they live right next to a small town - than again it is in Northumberland.

It's more of a technical limitation rather than not wanting to extent broadband to rural areas, as it would cost so much. Beckys village in Dorset had about 400 people in it and they had to get a certain number of signups before they'd even install basic broadband capavility there (in about 2005 I think).

FWIW, I can't get channel 5 in Manchester either - unless I use digital.

 

[Ian]

I use BT and pay for 8mb and get 6mb...I am about 2.5 miles away from the exchange

That's not too bad for the distance actually I seem to be getting about 6MB now, which I'm quite happy with For some reason my speeds have increased in the last month

 

[Anon_F]

FWIW, I can't get channel 5 in Manchester either - unless I use digital.

You not missing much, Ian!

 

[Madxgraphics]

You not missing much, Ian!

Just Neighbours and Home and Away......

 

[JaLing]

I was getting 6Mb with BT on good days.... strange thing is that when I swapped over to Sky it now reports at 12Mb (just over)

 

[Madxgraphics]

I was getting 6Mb with BT on good days.... strange thing is that when I swapped over to Sky it now reports at 12Mb (just over)

The whole thing makes me wonder though..I pay for 8mb through BT and get 6mb...My neighbour next door uses BE and pays for 24mb and gets 18mb....BE uses BT lines so why can't BT provide 24mb..????

 

[Ian]

The whole thing makes me wonder though..I pay for 8mb through BT and get 6mb...My neighbour next door uses BE and pays for 24mb and gets 18mb....BE uses BT lines so why can't BT provide 24mb..????

It's all to do with LLU (local loop unbundling), which is why companies like BE only use some exchanges :

Local Loop Unbundling (LLU) enables operators to connect directly to the consumer via BT's copper local loops and then add their own equipment to offer broadband and other services. This process involves operators accessing BT’s local exchange buildings to connect to BT’s network of copper lines which connect them to homes and businesses.

There are two types of unbundled line:

• A fully unbundled line gives operators the exclusive use of the copper line.
• A shared access line only gives operators the use of the high frequency channel used for broadband and will also be used by the customer's fixed-line voice provider.

Ofcom believes that development of the LLU market, to allow operators to target infrastructure investment and to develop scale in the creation of high-speed data services, will be critical in ensuring a fully competitive and innovative telecoms market for the long term.

http://www.ofcom.org.uk/media/mofaq/telecoms/bb_faq/

 

[Anon_F]

Our local BT exchange has a max output of 4MB & it's being upgraded in Q3 2009.
That said we get faster speeds now with SkyBB.
Our main problem was that we are one of the last houses on the exchange.

 

[Madxgraphics]

That's not too bad for the distance actually I seem to be getting about 6MB now, which I'm quite happy with For some reason my speeds have increased in the last month

Not bad at all or so I thought untill I did a check this morning...

 

[PotGuy]

Having broadband is possibly the least essential service I can think of.

Much bigger problems to solve than helping a bunch of 14 year olds download porn a bit quicker.

 

[Madxgraphics]

Having broadband is possibly the least essential service I can think of.

Much bigger problems to solve than helping a bunch of 14 year olds download porn a bit quicker.

Well it depends what you do. And what you use your commputer for. For me I need a pretty decent speed.

 

[captain zed]

I thought i'd test mine out as well....supposed to be 10Mb

Zzzzz

 

[crazylegs]

Mine is a 10meg connection so they be doing me out of 1 meg...
Funny it was 10 meg when I tested last week and the 3 times before that..Bl**dy robbers..

 

[captain zed]

Are there are simple fixes that can boost internet speed that i could try ??

Zzzzz

 

[floppybootstomp]

Having broadband is possibly the least essential service I can think of.

Much bigger problems to solve than helping a bunch of 14 year olds download porn a bit quicker.

Not true.

14 year old's porn quota is the most important thing on this planet.

Let's face it, they ain't ever gonna get the real thing.

Even more important is online gaming response time, even more important than download speeds.

Strange to see such cynicism in one so young, obviously doomed from the start