It’s been a busy week for broadband rollout announcements. As well as the latest brace of BT fibre-based connections, EE has announced further 4G mobile broadband rollout and BeyonDSL has beefed up its satellite packages, adding 20Mbps download speeds to the mix.
Elsewhere we’ve heard announcements from both The Cloud and BT WiFi, bringing even more free WiFi to the high street.
Let’s crack on then with Broadband Rollout Roundup so we can all head on in the sun, get tipsy on two beers and get burnt within less than twenty minutes.
BT adds 38,700 new superfast fibre lines
BT has connected over 30,000 homes and premises to its superfast fibre broadband rollout this week.
In Hebden Bridge, Yorkshire, 3,700 can now order in FTTC (Fibre to the Cabinet) type broadband providing download speeds of up to 80Mbps.
As with ADSL-type broadband, note that this speed is an ‘up to’ headline speed and you’re unlikely to get it unless you’re living within spitting distance of your BT street cabinet. Check out our FTTC feature by following the link above for a better explanation of how this works.
As always with Broadband Rollout Roundup, we’d recommend that you check out SamKnows to see if you can actually get FTTC broadband. Just because your house or business is connected to an FTTC-enabled exchange, that doesn’t always mean you’ll be able to get it.
Aside from Hedben Bridge, BT has announced rollout of superfast broadband in four other areas.
Over 2,400 residents in Stokesley, North Yorkshire can access FTTC broadband while the same technology is available in 4,600 locations in Penistone, South Yorkshire.
A lucky few connected to the Thorne exchange in South Yorkshire will be able to order in fast FTTP (Fibre to the Premises) broadband. BT hasn’t revealed how many places will be able to do this, but has said that 6,500 premises overall will be able to get superfast broadband. The exchange listing for Throne on Openreach’s site says that both FTTC and FTTP are available, but this doesn’t necessarily mean you’ll get a choice between the two.
BT has also announced that over 21,500 homes and businesses connected to the Sharrow and Woodseats exchanges in Sheffield.
Right now, only FTTC is available from the Sharrow exchange while both FTTC and FTTP is available from the Woodseats exchange. BT doesn’t provide a breakdown of figures, so there’s no way of knowing for sure how many homes can order what type of broadband from which exchange. Not ideal.
KC to nearly double superfast Fibre to the Premises broadband coverage
In Hull, KC has promised to nearly double its FTTP coverage this year. 15,000 more locations will be added to the already 17,000-strong superfast fibre footprint.
KC’s FTTP product provides download speeds of up to 350Mbps with its KC Lightstream product.
The Cloud brings free WiFi to Schuh shoppers
If the Schuh fits…. The Cloud has signed a deal with high street shoe retailer Schuh which will see free WiFi piped into stores across the UK.
Free WiFi from BT ensures Fenwick department store shoppers are being served
BT WiFi has announced a deal with Fenwick department stores which will let shoppers make use of free WiFi on their phones and tablets on the go. BT WiFi will be coming to the following Fenwick stores:
London New Bond Street and Brent Cross, Newcastle, Leicester, Windsor, York, Canterbury, Tunbridge Wells, Bentalls, Kingston upon Thames and Bracknell and Williams & Griffin in Colchester.
Northumberland wireless and satellite broadband providers for last 5 per cent revealed
The iNorthumberland loan scheme will see three companies able to dip into a £1.3 million pot to light up the deepest, darkest corners of Northumberland with (hopefully) faster 2Mbps speeds by 2015. The companies are Avonline and Q-Sat (satellite providers) and Briskona (a wireless ISP).
Rural superfast broadband map redrawn by Digital Durham
Durham County Council is hoping to extend its superfast coverage obligations and is hoping that Defra’s RCBF money will allow it to do so.
The plan is to secure an additional £1.53 million from Defra to go alongside the £24 million BDUK project which will bring superfast speeds to 94 per cent of the county.
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