Broadband Guide Blog

Network Neutrality

2008-08-20T13:23:17Z

Also frequently referred to as 'Net Neutrality' or simply NN; internet users particularly in the UK could be forgiven for not having heard of this topic.

Net Neutrality is the principle that a network of any kind, though most commonly the network that links you and me with each other known as the internet, should be neutral. This means it doesn't prohibit any kind of site or usage, it doesn't favour one type of communication over another, and it can't be bribed to prioritise Company A's traffic over that of Company B.

That sounds fair, doesn't it? Well there are objections. One user, for example, might use services like Skype quite a lot to make calls and he might want his Internet Service Provider to be able to guarantee him a good service, despite his neighbour who spends all his time downloading music and films. In order to introduce some kind of guarantee, often described as 'Quality of Service' or QoS, his provider would have to prioritise certain internet traffic and not others.
Comcast, an ISP in the States, was recently found to be blocking or severely delaying file transfers using BitTorrent, presumably in an effort to restrict the bandwidth used - unfairly, in the eyes of some.

A commonly-held view by these providers is that in order to justify their large investment in infrastructure such as cable, those individuals and companies who use large amounts of bandwidth - Google, perhaps, ought to pay more for it. Clearly there's a possibility here for companies to collude and help each other out, at the expense of competition and consumer choice. For example, how would it be if a given service provider allowed you fast, privileged internet speeds when surfing a particular shopping website, and snail-like speeds on another? Where would you end up doing your shopping?

The issue of net neutrality has yet to take hold in a big way in the United Kingdom, but certainly in the States it's being discussed in places as political as Congress. In the UK we're lucky to have dozens of available ISPs - in most cases it would be easy for a user to switch if he/she disapproved of the service offered. In the US, however, competition is much more limited, and maybe this is a reason for the unrest.

One thing is for certain though, it's an important issue and if not handled correctly, could affect the very fabric of the internet as we know it. Tim Berners-Lee (the inventor of the web) truly believes that without protection of net neutrality, the death of the internet could be just around the corner.

UK gets free mobile broadband

2008-08-14T14:36:02Z

That’s not broadband for your mobile by the way, that’s broadband on the move. But then who’s to say this deal won’t mean on your mobile too one day? Vodafone and Sony Ericsson certainly don’t look as though they would this month, as they announce their plans to lower the charges drastically for high-speed broadband on the move in the UK for business.

The Lenovo ThinkPad is a laptop in every sense of the word but from August this year it will have the new 3G technology that will mean broadband could eventually be as cheap as... free! When users purchase one of the new models, they will then be able to access the Vodafone mobile broadband service and receive a 30-day free trial on the internet.

There is no tie-in to the free service, no bank charges and no digits needed. It just requires your name and email and after that, you’re away and surfing for nothing. It’s a notebook for the small/medium business user, who is out and about most of the day and needs to connect to the web on the go. Aside from the internet capabilities, the ThinkPad is a pretty advanced piece of hardware on its own. It’s not the most affordable model on the market but it boasts excellent reviews and is a lightweight and powerful laptop for business and home, on the move.

The carrot of ‘free’ internet is something a few of the ISPs have latched on to but some have come under scrutiny, such as the so-called free deal from Talk Talk and The Carphone Warehouse. Is this another one of the same ideas? We’ll have to wait and see.

Brits want broadband on the beach

2008-08-07T14:17:48Z

A recent survey carried out by T-Mobile and YouGov has revealed that Brits are getting increasingly demanding about where and when they can get access to the internet.

The results of the survey reveal that people are not happy just going online in their homes or at work any more. Instead, one in five people want internet on the beach (as opposed to only 3% last year), 44% want to be online in the garden and some people even want to use it down at their local pub. All of these findings suggest a huge shift in the surfing habits of the nation.

In addition to the new locations where people now want internet connections, the results also reveal a huge rise in the number of people purchasing mobile broadband rather than a fixed-line connection. T-Mobile has already stated that a quarter of its customers are purchasing their mobile broadband package rather than a mobile phone, which represents a huge increase from any previous figures.

According to Richard Warmsley, head of internet and entertainment services at T-Mobile, “mobile broadband has reached a tipping point and is now hitting the mainstream”.

The changes being witnessed in the availability of the internet and our increasing demand to be online in more locations are also having an affect on the attitudes of office workers. With half of workers claiming that they spend less than 30 minutes outside each day, 37% of them said that they should be allowed to work outside now that internet connections are springing up in more locations.

Such changes in attitudes reveal the profound effect that the internet is now having on our lifestyles. And, as broadband becomes even faster and more accessible in the years to come, we are left wondering just how much our lives could change as a result.

Incentives offered for super fast broadband

2008-07-30T13:58:19Z

Ofcom has recently offered financial reassurances to companies such as BT and Virgin Media if they choose to invest in setting up high-speed fibre optic networks across the UK. If the companies carried out the works, it would bring the country much closer to the next generation of super fast broadband speeds.

At the moment, UK broadband runs on a slow copper wire network. However, as our browsing habits change and more music and films are downloaded, the need for faster connections is becoming ever more important. Fibre optics would create faster speeds and increase the capacity for larger downloads.

The problem so far with investing in fibre optic cables is that it is a very expensive process, which neither BT nor any of the other companies in this area has been prepared to carry out. It is estimated that it would cost £15 billion to install a network and the main fear is that the companies will not be able to charge the prices that they would need to in order to recoup their investments.

However, Ofcom has now stated that it wants a “regulatory environment” that “both allows and encourages operators to make risky investments”. In other words, it will not change the rules further down the line to punish the providers financially when the new cables are installed.

The aim is to encourage operators to develop the new infrastructure without having to take big financial risks, and would essentially allow BT to operate the fibre optic cables whilst charging large amounts to users of the lines.

If the new network is constructed, internet users in the UK will finally be able to download at the same speeds as other countries such as Japan and France and UK businesses will become more competitive as a result.

O2 provides the fastest broadband speeds

2008-07-23T15:22:52Z

Recent quarterly broadband speed tests, carried out for the first time by moneysupermarket.com, have revealed disappointing results for most UK broadband users.

Moneysupermarket.com tested 16 ISPs (Internet Service Providers) across the country, and discovered that top of the list was O2. Users of the 8Mbps deal received average speeds of 5.39Mbps, which were the fastest when compared to those stated by the provider. Other ISPs to perform well were Sky, whose customers received average speeds of 3.59Mbps, and TalkTalk, who came in third place with 2.99Mbps.

It was revealed that the least value for money was found in the packages which offered speeds of over 16Mbps, at an average cost of £18.60. These actually provided an average speed of just 7.02Mbps, less than half of what they claimed. The same was true of the packages offering 8Mbps, which only provided an average of 4Mbps.

However, the average across the UK was only 2.97Mbps, which has led to concerns about the speeds being advertised by providers. Rob Barnes, head of broadband and mobiles at moneysupermarket.com, said: “O2 has sped its way to the top of the broadband league”. He also pointed out that the speeds advertised were far from what were really on offer, and claimed that “Ofcom’s code of practice can’t come into force soon enough”.

Ofcom currently has a voluntary code to make sure speeds are adhered to but it has promised to make it compulsory if rules continue to be broken. The code states that ISPs should provide a true estimate of the maximum speeds, and this is currently failing to happen.

Zen voted the best broadband again

2008-07-16T19:00:26Z

You might not have heard of them but according to a recent consumer poll at Which? magazine, Zen are the UK’s best broadband ISP. The survey prides itself on being totally voted by the consumer and therefore the big money-flashing companies can’t push for pole position. Last year saw the up-market supermarket Waitrose take the top spot but this year they have slipped one place to second and the gang at Zen came out top.

Zen are a small, Rochdale-based ISP and only really operate within the UK. But they were one of the very first providers to be established in Britain way back in the early stages of the internet in 1995. It was predominantly for schools and local business around the Rochdale area back then, but when the web went through the roof, Zen expanded and increased staff and turn-over. They have kept a fairly low profile in the world of ISPs though and the average customer might not have heard of them. Their strength comes from the highest quality recommendation from existing customers and they have prided themselves over the years on being the unsung heroes of the internet world.

The Which? award celebrates a number of areas in the service. Connection reliability, connection speed, customer services, value for money, online and telephone support, storage and download limits are just a few of the main ways the ISPs can earn points. Zen have always ranked in the top three in the famous consumer poll so it hasn’t come as a huge surprise to them to be awarded the top prize for 2008.