No fibre, What are my options?

FISHGUTS

FISHGUTS

FISHGUTS

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Joined
7 Jul 2004
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Location
N.W. England
After 2 years of watching my local cabinet fibre upgrade getting pushed back, it's now gone back to under review, which I'm guessing means it isn't coming soon.

I'm sick of a best download speed of 0.6mb so I'm looking at alternatives?

So it seems to be either:

4G with EE on a 4G Router.

Microwave broadband

Satellite broadband

Satellite is looking like the worst option in terms of price and download limits.
4G...Routers look limited and EE seems the best at 25GB data sim for £30. I can get a 4G signal.
I'm leaning towards microwave through a Cumbria provider called Kencomp, although I'm unsure of prices as they haven't been updated for ages.

Are there any advantages or pitfalls to 4G/microwave/satellite?
Setup cost are going to be 2-300 for routers on all it seems on what I can see and all are pretty expensive for even modest data use.
I'm just fed up of not being able to read simple web pages whilst my Wife is glued to FB.

Opinions would be most welcome.
 
4G has potential usage caps or throttling. Microwave, although I've never used seems to have a good rep. Satellite, as you've said has terrible latency, isn't cheap and can have very draconian usage caps. I'd find out more about the microwave option.
 
I'd go with the local wireless company. They should be able to do a proof-of-concept demo at your house before you fork out for the install so you can see if you're happy with it.
 
Microwave is very good if the company is half decent. I work for a WISP and the service that we deliver is fantastic compared to BT products. Latency is low, stability is fantastic and speeds can be very good.
 
Oh lol I just saw the 0.5Mbps upload that all the services are capped at. With 50:1 contention and a £3/Gb overage charge.
 
You did move to cumbria!

We have only just had fibre added to a cabinet in the nearest village (over 2 miles away) which we may be connected too. That being said speedtest hasn't shown any change (5/0.3mbits) and I haven't noticed any difference.

Kencomp speed capped us a 1mbits download (told us was the best they could do) and 10GB a month data limit. We couldn't leave cause they hosted our business website (old contract from previous owners)
 
Disco_P said:
You did move to cumbria!

We have only just had fibre added to a cabinet in the nearest village (over 2 miles away) which we may be connected too. That being said speedtest hasn't shown any change (5/0.3mbits) and I haven't noticed any difference.

Kencomp speed capped us a 1mbits download (told us was the best they could do) and 10GB a month data limit. We couldn't leave cause they hosted our business website (old contract from previous owners)
Click to expand...

You know you have to change package with your ISP to achieve fibre speeds? Just having a fibre cabinet fitted at the street will not change your current speeds.
 
Disco_P said:
You did move to cumbria!

We have only just had fibre added to a cabinet in the nearest village (over 2 miles away) which we may be connected too. That being said speedtest hasn't shown any change (5/0.3mbits) and I haven't noticed any difference.
Click to expand...

I wouldnt try getting fibre from that m8, my parents are connected to a cabinet thats about 1.5 miles from their house and theyve been paying for BT unlimited bout 27 quid a month for it for years, and when i tried it at their house they barely get 1 mbit at peak times. THeyve had BT engineers out 3 or 4 times and every time they come during off peak times test it says its giving 10 mbit, but obviously its useless as as soon as it gets busy again the line degrades into a useless state.

edit: the funny thing is i only live 500yrds from their house and im connected to naother cabinet aabout 20 yards from my house and i get the full 80mbit.
 
Sparx said:
You know you have to change package with your ISP to achieve fibre speeds? Just having a fibre cabinet fitted at the street will not change your current speeds.
Click to expand...

I won't get fibre speeds. Not from this far away. But I would have thought that I would see some increase if the cabinet has more bandwidth to distribute.
 
You'll see no change unless you pay for a 'fibre' (FTTC) connection. If you don't you'll remain on the ADSL connection you're currently on.

You'll also almost certainly need a new modem and/or router (which would be supplied with the upgrade).
 
Disco_P said:
I won't get fibre speeds. Not from this far away. But I would have thought that I would see some increase if the cabinet has more bandwidth to distribute.
Click to expand...

Not at all, you will see zero changes as you are connected to a different backbone of equipment via ADSL.
 
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