Internet, Email & Telephones > Getting Connected

I can’t get broadband - Help!

By Daniel Heery

If you cannot get broadband through your BT line – don’t give up! This article goes through the alternative ways of getting connected.

As greater numbers of people connect to broadband those left without a service are increasingly struggling to keep up.  In the voluntary and community sector large numbers of people work from home and a slow internet connection can seriously hamper productivity. 

Each technology has its own advantages and drawbacks:

• If you need a connection quickly and are a light user then a 3G datacard is the easiest solution (providing you can get coverage).
• If you are well off, then a 2 way satellite connection is relatively quick to arrange – but there are high monthly charges.
• A community wireless network can provide an affordable connection by sharing the costs between households and businesses.  This involves speaking to neighbours and drumming up support then running the service together. 

The main options:

3G phones

Most of the UK is covered by mobile phone networks which are currently being upgraded to offer faster and better quality data services.  Most companies are now offering GPRS (General Packet Radio Service).  This “always on” data connection to a device like a laptop or mobile phone offers speeds of 56Kbs (kilobits per second) on average (see Wikipedia’s definition of Universal Mobile Telecommunications System for more on this). 

3G stands for Third Generation mobile telephone technology.  It is faster (around 384Kbs – 1800Kbs), and can be used for video calls and music downloads. 

Mobile phone companies have made a significant investment and there is competition to win new customers for their networks. T Mobile offers a 3G service for £30 / month with a download limit of 1 Gigabyte. 

The cost of upgrading mobile phone networks to 3G is high.  There is a familiar pattern emerging where urban areas are covered first, with rural areas connecting much later, most mobile companies have maps on their websites so check to see if you can receive a service. 

Two way satellite broadband

Two - way satellite systems also involve attaching a dish to the outside of your building which connects to a router and then into your PC.  Several satellite pilot projects successfully shared the cost of a connection between clusters of users.  The satellite service is shared out using a wireless network and this model is easily replicable. 

The main drawback is latency - a short delay as the signal travels to the satellite and back again can affect time sensitive applications like video conferences, gaming and on-line financial transactions.

Prices vary considerably depending on how much you wish to pay for the installation up front, and how much you wish to spread the cost over the course of your contract. A a pdf with a comprehensive list of suppliers can be downloaded from the Community Broadband Network.

The failure of Aramiska, a large satellite provider, in 2006 left a number of customers without a connection and it is always worth checking the financial viability of the company before committing to a long term contract.

Sharing broadband using wireless

You can take a broadband connection from a nearby building, then redistribute it via a wireless network to surrounding homes and businesses.  

At its most basic, this can be achieved by purchasing a wireless router for £50 then providing neighbours with access.  The neighbours would need a wireless card - approximately £20 or available more cheaply from the Charity Technology Exchange.  Many broadband companies now provide wireless routers free of charge to customers when they sign up for a service.  This service is best suited to areas where the exchange is operating at full capacity.

Wireless can cover a few hundred feet or with more expensive equipment can travel several miles.  This depends on the way the system is set up – to cover several miles requires external antennas, and can cost £250 per install plus up to £1500 for routers and access points.  Where people are outside the reach of wired broadband, these “point to point” links are the most appropriate way of connecting isolated buildings.  While they may appear costly, they can help to improve the value of a property as buyers increasingly have broadband availability as a requirement. If you provide this service, then you have the option to charge and generate revenue for local good casuses.

The Cybermoor network in Cumbria connects 370 homes and businesses using wireless connections.  A high speed link arrives at the local school and is then shared out using antennas on remote farms, serving residents who are outside the reach of other broadband providers.  Customers pay between £8 and £30 a month for the service.

One way satellite broadband

1 way satellite can offer a service from £9.99 a month allowing you to download web pages and files but dial up via a phone or ISDN line to upload data and send e-mails.  A satellite dish is attached to the outside of your premises and this is connected to a router which then connects to the USB port on your PC.  Speeds vary from 512kb download and 128kb upload.

This has limitations for some workers that need to send large attachments e.g. a teleworkers in Northumberland maybe collaborating on a document with co-workers based in Newcastle and London.  This is good if you regularly need to download large quantities of data e.g. training videos but do not send much out. 

Sit and wait…

The broadband map is changing all the time as new technologies come on stream and offer new services.  Wimax, a new wireless technology, will deliver broadband over much longer distances.  Equipment costs are falling rapidly and this could see more WiMAX operators providing a service from the end of 2007. 

Ofcom are the regulators of broadband services and they may open up new radio frequencies which allow signals to be transmitted over longer distances.  In 2006 they consulted on raising the power of wireless devices so signals could travel further.

Waiting is not recommended, new technologies are often deployed first in areas which are extremely well covered as this is where most of the business is.  The fact you can’t get broadband at the moment suggests that you are quite low down the list of priorities for communication companies…..

Support

The support in getting broadband depends largely where you live in the UK. It is worth following up these lines of enquiry:

• Some Regional Development Agencies run projects to connect communities which cannot access ADSL.  One example is Project Access in Cumbria, funded by the North West Development Agency which connects outlying communities with wireless links. 
• Local authority Economic Development Departments may offer grants to set up a wireless project to serve a group of businesses.
• Business Link can offer business development grants for individuals which can be pooled to share a satellite connection.
• Change Up funding can be used to promote flexible working, e.g. workers need broadband to allow them to access databases and documents remotely.
• Visit the Community Broadband Network website for details on how to access advice and support.  A-bard is an EU project which provides information on broadband in rural areas. The website is full of useful case studies, reports and information.

Common reasons for not getting broadband

The most common technical reasons why internet service providers cannot connect some customers to broadband are:

• All of the capacity in the exchange is used up, so you have to wait for someone else to cancel their broadband before you can get connected.
• The broadband can only go so far down the phone line, so the further you are from the phone exchange, the slower the service.
• Quality of the phone lines can vary, so while they may be adequate for conversations, they may not be good enough to carry a broadband signal.

These problems predominantly affect rural areas, but there are also some urban areas which have been affected.  Residents in Milton Keynes are mainly connected using aluminium phone lines which are not as good as copper at carrying broadband signals.

 

Conclusion

There is no particular solution which suits everyone – some people will prefer to use wireless technology and keep costs down.  People who have more money may prefer the simplicity of a satellite solution or 3G datacard, which offer more support.  However, there are many options which can solve your broadband problem!