

So internet providers can often offer faster broadband packages when you choose a fibre service, or when you partner with a provider that uses coaxial cables.įaster broadband speeds allow web pages to load faster, make video calls go more smoothly without so many interruptions, and let you stream movies and TV at much higher quality.ĭevice quantity is one of the primary reasons why speed is so important today. It’s much the same with high-frequency coaxial cables, too. Fibre-optic cables deliver data using pulses of light at higher frequencies, so the signal can travel much further without degrading. And the further you are from the exchange – so the more cable that’s needed – the slower your broadband will be.įibre internet, whether fibre-to-the-cabinet or fibre-to-the-premises, is typically much speedier. That’s because the copper cables degrade the broadband signal.


Speed-wise, however, it can be much slower than the alternative options. This sort of broadband is usually more cost-effective, and it’s available to 99% of UK premises. The maximum speed they can offer will be determined by the method used to deliver internet into your home.ĪDSL delivered over copper cables tends to be slowest. For example, if your property is further away from the exchange, you may notice your speeds are slightly slower than advertised.ĭifferent internet providers will offer packages that provide different sorts of speeds. It may not be exactly the same, as various factors can affect the speed of the internet going into your home. However, if that WiFi signal strength is good, then the speed you’re seeing on your devices should be very close to the broadband speed quoted by your provider. These include walls, doors, furniture, and frequency interference, which impacts WiFi signal strength. That's because there are several things that can affect the speed of the connection between your router and your devices. This speed isn’t necessarily the speed you’ll see on your individual devices. And while those activities are speed-dependent, that’s not always a good indicator of actual speed.īroadband speed refers to the speed of the internet that’s being delivered into your home, either through the old copper cable network, through fibre-optic cables or Virgin Media’s coaxial network. It’s easy to think of it in terms of how quickly a web page loads on your smartphone, or how smoothly a game runs on your laptop. There’s sometimes a little bit of confusion about what broadband speed really is.
