Q&A’s

Fibre broadband is the new generation of broadband – much faster, more reliable and it uses a different technology. Whilst traditional broadband (known as ADSL) is delivered via copper telephone lines, fibre broadband commonly uses fibre optic cable to link between the customer and the exchange.

Fibre broadband be delivered in two ways: fibre to the cabinet (FTTC) and fibre to the premises (FTTP).

FTTC uses fibre-optic cables throughout the network right up to the street cabinet. It then uses copper wires to connect the cabinet to homes and businesses. FTTC provides wholesale download speeds up to 80Mbps and upload speeds up to 20Mbps.

FTTP means fibre-optic cables run right to the door of each house or business. It provides wholesale download speeds up to 1,000Mbps and upload speeds up to 30Mbps.

The exact speeds you’ll be able to get will depend on your own premises are connected.  There are two main ways in which fibre optic can be used to bring fibre broadband. Fibre to the cabinet (FTTC) and fibre to the premises (FTTP).

• FTTC uses fibre-optic cables throughout the network from the telephone exchange right up to the street cabinet. It then uses copper wires to connect the cabinet to homes and businesses. FTTC provides wholesale download speeds up to 80Mbps and upload speeds up to 20Mbps.
• FTTP means fibre-optic cables run right to the door of each house or business. It provides wholesale download speeds up to 1,000Mbps and upload speeds up to 220Mbps.

It is free and very straightforward to carry out a speed test. As speed vary at different times of the day, it is to carry out a few tests on different days and vary the time. Many online testers are available, see: https://checker.ofcom.org.uk/broadband-test

If possible you should connect a cable directly to your router to do the test, or if only have WiFi do the right next to it. This will give a truer picture of the actual access speed on your line. Other items such as printers and digital wireless phones also affect your wifi signal.