broadband

Hudson plane crash drama unfolds on broadband

2009-01-27T10:51:00.003Z

Broadband bloggers document US Airways emergency landing in Hudson River in real time

Plane crashes, fortunately, are rare events. But when such a drama unfolds, initial reports generally flash up on major news stations.

But on January 15th 2009, as a seemingly-doomed US Airways plane glided down from 3000 feet towards the Hudson River in New York, shocked eyewitnesses were seconds away from reporting events via broadband.

When the pilot of the Airbus 320, Capt. Sullenberger, landed in the river’s icy-cold water, stunned passengers watching from nearby ferries, some with access to mobile broadband, immediately started typing broadband blog reports of what they were seeing.

It was only minutes before the news and drama was all over microblogging broadband site twitter. At that point, broadband bloggers had no idea if there were any survivors. The Guardian reports New Yorker Janis Krum’s eyewitness account from the broadband site: “There’s a plane in the Hudson. I’m on the ferry going to pick up the people. Crazy.” Krum also used broadband to upload a photo of the plane floating in the river.

Soon after, other broadband ‘twitterers’ picked up the first-hand accounts and a domino-effect directed other broadband friends to them.

Although broadband blog reports are not strictly ‘journalistic’, bystander accounts may convey the real-time shock, relief and emotion more effectively than a delayed news story from a reporter. It also enables bulletins to be virtually instantaneous – transporting a cameraman and journalist to an incident scene can delay reporting.

The ‘Miracle of The Hudson’, in which all 115 passengers survived, is a fine example of broadband taking the conveyance of news to a more immediate and accessible level.

Good Week Bad Week 19 December 2008

2009-01-19T17:18:00.006Z

It’s been a Good Week for...

Broadband news coverage – Reporting of one of the most dramatic good news stories of the week was significantly enhanced by broadband. As a US Airways plane crash-landed into New York’s Hudson River, it was only a matter of minutes before eye witnesses were posting images and reports over broadband on microblogging sites such as twitter. All passengers, remarkably, survived.

Digital music industry – A hefty 95% of broadband music downloads are still illegal, but the digital music industry seems to be flying in the face of adversity. Profits in the sector are up - a rather impressive 25% - for 2008. The music piracy issue is one which the government, broadband providers and the British Music Industry has been ruminating over for some time now. Until a solution is found, music piracy on broadband lives on.

Carphone Warehouse customers – Broadband and phone users could benefit from a competitive New Year package from the Carphone Warehouse. The TalkTalk deal offers broadband up to 8Mbps with 40GB of download limit and a free router. Free evening and weekend calls are also included until 2010. The 18-month deal costs £10.50 per month initially, rising to £16.99 after 12 months.

It’s been a Bad Week for...

Broadband kids – Children’s lives are being branded ‘toxic’. Childhood, it seems, is no longer about climbing trees and building dens, but more about logging onto broadband - be it over a bowl of Coco Pops or tucked up in bed. Today’s broadband kids are also becoming less interested in reading for pleasure, as twittering takes over.

Broadband market – It was only a matter of time before the broadband sector was knocked sideways by the economic downturn. Unfortunately, the latest data from PointTopic confirms this. The study reveals the UK added only 200,000 broadband lines in the last quarter of 2008 - less than half the predicated forecast for the period.

The Army – While the row over Prince Harry and his alleged ‘racist’ comments has yet to go cold, fresh reports of racial tension have emerged in the Army. The Guardian discovered several ‘extreme and offensive’ comments on the broadband networking site posted by broadband users claiming to be serving soldiers. The Ministry Of Defence has now launched an inquiry.

Science-Fiction fans overpower broadband internet

2009-01-12T09:42:00.004Z

Broadband internet has always been a good home to science-fiction fans. From websites celebrating long-dead series like Buffy the Vampire Slayer to message boards and broadband forum communities speculating on the latest gossip and rumours, fans of science-fiction have carved out a little piece of broadband internet all for themselves.

The power of science-fiction was cast into the public eye recently with the unveiling of the 11th Doctor Who. As 6.9 million Dr Who fans tuned into their televisions to see the BBC announce Matt Smith as the latest Doctor, fans of the Timelord’s adventures flocked onto their broadband connections eager to air their opinions on message boards and broadband internet forums.

Such was the level of broadband traffic to the Dr Who fan site, Dr Who Online, the site crashed within minutes of the announcement. Sadly, this prevented thousands of Sci-Fi fans from venting their opinions down their broadband line.

While the choice of the new Doctor was always going to cause controversy, the level of interest from broadband surfers surely should raise awareness of science-fiction’s popularity over broadband internet. Indeed, while other websites have crashed in the past because of an overload of broadband connections – the 1901 census website crashed in its first hour of release because of excessive broadband use – the failure of such a niche website due to multiple broadband connections should raise eyebrows.

As a genre, science-fiction is considered to be on the fringes of popular culture; to see a website crash because of a broadband overload shows that this couldn’t be more wrong. As more science-fiction fans gain access to super-fast broadband internet, we can all expect to see more websites undergoing server difficulties on the day of big sci-fi news. Maybe this is a job for the new Doctor after all.

Strictly Come Dancing meets Casualty in new broadband operation

2009-01-06T10:20:00.002Z

GPs to face the judges on NHS broadband bulletin board

Being a doctor is a pretty tough job. Not only are you concerned with saving lives and ensuring people’s general wellbeing, there’s also waiting lists, paperwork and untold bureaucracy to deal with. Now, GPs could find themselves under added pressure, after the public are given the chance to “slander or praise” them on a new broadband site.

It’s all the idea of government health minister, Ben Bradshaw, who has cited his intention to make the NHS Choices broadband site a means for patients with broadband access to write comments about their doctor’s surgery.

His objective is to utilise broadband and patient power to improve the primary care medical system in Britain. He hopes GPs will be driven to offer a better service as detrimental broadband reviews could push patients to seek registration at another medical practice. The aim is to invite comments over broadband on reception staff, the availability and speed of receiving an appointment, as well as medical professionals’ bedside manner.

Bradshaw told the Guardian he wants the NHS Choices broadband website to do for healthcare what Amazon has done for the book trade and Trip Adviser for the travel industry: providing positive and negative feedback - warts and all - from consumers on broadband.

The ‘rate or slate’ broadband idea was, perhaps unsurprisingly, met with criticism when presented to the British Medical Association.

Speaking to the Guardian, the chair of the BMA’s GPs committee, Laurence Buckman, said:

“A [broadband] site on which people can slander or praise irresponsibly is the wrong approach. Patients should be able to choose a doctor, but I don't think this is the way to do it. For example, if I don’t give antibiotics for a viral infection because I don’t think it is appropriate, the word will get out that I am a tough git. But making them happy is not what I am there for. I am there to make them healthy.”

Buckman said there would be a temptation for doctors to game the proposed broadband system. “If you want to survive as a GP, you will encourage patients to vote for you. It will be rather like Strictly Come Dancing.”

Despite the complaints of medics, officials have been told to have the appropriate software ready next year. And while GPs may soon find themselves in the firing line of Strictly-style barbed comments from disgruntled judges (aka patients), presumably they won’t have to take part in stuff like this...

Strictly Come Dancing star Rachel Stevens performs a perfect foxtrot.

Pulp Fiction star to front Virgin’s broadband campaign

2009-01-05T10:15:00.001Z

Virgin Media has drafted in a celebrity face, in the form of Pulp Fiction star Samuel L Jackson, to front its first TV advertising campaign for 50Mb broadband.

The TV campaign will be launched tomorrow night, during the football coverage of the third-round FA Cup tie, between Liverpool and Preston North End.

Speaking to the Guardian, Ashley Stockwell, managing director of brand and marketing at Virgin Media, said: “50Mb is a massive leap forward for the broadband market and promises to transform the way people interact and entertain themselves online.

“Samuel L Jackson is an unmistakably powerful voice to deliver our message and bring the impact of ultrafast broadband right into people’s living room.”

Virgin Media’s 50 Mb broadband service is currently the fastest available on the broadband market. The faster speeds should provide an unrivalled level of service for Virgin broadband customers who will be able to download films in just over three minutes, TV shows in a minute and music albums in 11 seconds. However, for the privilege, Virgin ‘broadband only’ customers may have to pay up to £51 per month. Cheaper 50Mb broadband packages are available to Virgin customers who subscribe to other products, such as a landline phone.

In the TV campaign, Jackson stands in front of a bright wall of lights which portray Virgin Media’s fibre optic broadband network. Jackson says: “It is 2009. Remember the time when the internet revolution really happened.”

You can see the new broadband advert on the Guardian website. Here is an old Virgin Media broadband ad featuring L Jackson:

Queen’s speech loses viewers to broadband

2009-01-05T10:05:00.003Z

Queen’s speech loses viewers to broadband in festive carve-up.

Broadband surfing proved preferable to the Queen’s speech for many British citizens on Christmas Day. That’s the word on the street as it appears people are ditching their long-held family traditions in favour of sessions in front of the broadband connection. And while watching a plum-voiced old woman attempt to appear in-touch with the people who pay her wages might seem like a brilliant way of spending ten minutes on Christmas day, it seems most people would rather check their emails.

Facebook, the social networking site, experienced a surge in broadband activity between 2pm and 3pm on Christmas day – the time of the yearly Queen’s speech broadcast.

The results, from a survey run by broadband provider PlusNet, also reveal that Facebook performed particularly well in terms of broadband traffic over the main festive period. In light of this, it would seem messaging friends and relatives has evolved as an important Christmas activity. Facebook was only topped in terms of broadband traffic by search engine Google.

Other sites which saw increased broadband traffic were shopping sites such as Amazon and Argos, as broadband surfers used Christmas Day and Boxing Day to bag a bargain.

The PlusNet study reveals the top 10 broadband sites experiencing the greatest volume of traffic on Christmas Day and Boxing Day:

Christmas Day
Rank
1st Google
2nd Facebook
3rd BBC
4th Amazon
5th iTunes
6th YouTube
7th eBay
8th MSN
9th Bebo
10th Microsoft

Boxing Day
Rank
1st Google
2nd Facebook
3rd BBC
4th Amazon
5th eBay
6th YouTube
7th iTunes
8th Argos
9th Bebo
10th Play.com

Commenting on the broadband findings, Neil Armstrong, PlusNet’s products director, said: “The study is a good illustration of how the web is changing the face of the traditional Christmas as more people go online for their fun, information and entertainment.”

Good Week Bad Week 19 December 2008

2008-12-22T10:18:00.004Z

It’s been a Good Week for...

Mobile broadband laptops – good news for fans of embedded technology: sales of mobile broadband-ready 3G laptops have increased sharply since they were launched to the public. One study has found that mobile broadband laptops are currently outselling models that require a dongle by a ratio of 3:2.

Welsh broadband users – the Welsh Assembly has named six villages in the principality that will be given brand new superfast broadband connections. These so-called ‘not-spots’ will be able to receive up-to-speed broadband next year, with villagers saying it will help local children with homework and Facebook.

Superfast broadband – Virgin Media finally released its successor to the Mother Of All Broadband, a new fibre optic 50Mbps service, with a glitzy photoshoot featuring Strictly Come Dancing star and former S Clubber Rachel Stevens. The new service is said to be nine times the speed of average broadband in the UK. Virgin Media said it will be available to more than 12.6 million homes by the summer of 2009.

It’s been a Bad Week for...

Criminals – bad news for nefarious types hoping to maintain an edge of law-evading anonymity: you can now be served legal papers over Facebook. One couple, who avoided summons by ignoring emails, phone calls and visits to their house, were shocked to find a court order among the invitations to install SuperPoke when they logged on to the popular social networking site.

Nokia mobile broadband – the latest word from the Scandinavian mobile phone giant is that they won’t release their own mobile broadband package when they start selling mobile broadband USB dongles next year, instead letting providers use the hardware in conjunction with their own mobile broadband deals.

Broadband customers – new research shows that broadband users are being hit by hidden costs outlined in their broadband package small print. Around 27% pay an average of £36 a year, say Moneysupermarket, on extras such as paper billing and non-Direct Debit payments. Still, the costs aren’t really ‘hidden’ – just written in small writing. Always check any contract thoroughly before signing up to a broadband deal.

The best broadband-related adverts revealed

2008-12-22T09:13:00.004Z

After the last week’s blog charting the 4th and 5th best mobile broadband advert of 2008, Compare Broadband UK reveals the best three broadband advertisements of the year.

3. Virgin: Mother of All Broadband

Virgin broadband pulled in two of the biggest names in Hollywood when Uma Thurman and Samuel L. Jackson stood in the glare of the camera for the broadband provider’s campaign earlier in the year.

Using two of American film’s biggest celebrities for its broadband package campaign automatically means Virgin triumph in the contest for the biggest names in a mobile broadband advert (O2 dragged in Sean Bean, while Orange featured cyclist Mark Beaumont). It’s actually quite a slick advert too. Still, despite being bright and vivid, it’s not quite good enough for a position in the top two rankings. A bit like every film featuring Samuel L. Jackson.

2. Orange: Film Funding Board

Unlike the ‘I Am Everyone’ advert and the Orange mobile broadband campaigns – grand, large-scale pieces for mobile broadband and phone services – these adverts keep their tongue firmly in their cheek; rapid, minute-long adverts mocking some of Hollywood’s most famous celebrities.

More compelling than the Orange broadband and mobile adverts and certainly funnier than the Virgin mobile broadband advert, the Orange Broadband Film Fund gets a second place finish for pure brazen cheek. Making fun of Rob Lowe didn’t do the advert any harm either, mind.

1. BT: Adam and Jane

The champion of the greatest broadband advert in 2008 comes from broadband provider BT, winning over both the 02 and Orange mobile broadband advertising campaigns. Adam and Jane, featuring Brit thespian Kris Marshal, proved to be the most engaging and, at times, heartfelt broadband advert on television in 2008.

Telling the story of the love affair between Adam and Jane, BT’s direction in its broadband campaign was straightforward and successful. Viewers became emotionally attached to the adverts – a Facebook group was set up urging industry bosses to get the pair back together after it was suggested they had broken up.

Alas, it was not to be eternal love and after another advert in November, it was clear that the love affair between the broadband love birds had run its course. A genuinely affecting broadband advertisement and a worthy champion in the best broadband advert 2008. No doubt the team behind T-Mobile and Orange broadband ads will be taking notes.

Good Week Bad Week 12 December 2008

2008-12-15T10:27:00.004Z

It’s been a Good Week for...

Teen broadband users – new research sponsored by the MacArthur foundation has found that all those hours spent by teenagers surfing broadband may be useful after all. Broadband use was said to boost brain power and allow teens to “take a deep dive into a subject”.

Mobile broadband – mobile broadband is back on top this week with the news that the price of an average mobile broadband deal has fallen by 35% over the course of the past year. Even better is that mobile broadband data allowances have gone up – doubling to almost 4GB in 2008.

French hospital broadband – staying in hospital can be a boring experience, especially if you’re just waiting to die. That’s why some French hospitals have had the idea of installing ‘bedside broadband’, for patients to use between x-rays. The broadband link can also be used by doctors and nurses, to access vital information and patient records.

It’s been a Bad Week for...

Huawei – the mobile broadband USB dongle manufacturer will be looking nervously over its shoulder, as news emerges that mobile phone giant Nokia plans to release its own mobile broadband USB dongle modem. Nokia expects to start selling USB modem dongles to mobile broadband providers next year.

Liberty – more internet freedoms were impeded this week when the Internet Watch Foundation blocked access to a Wikipedia page showing a “potentially illegal” Scorpions album cover from 1976. The image, of a naked pre-pubescent girl, was blacklisted by the organisation and access to the page swiftly blocked by several UK ISPs. However, the Foundation later rescinded its ban citing “contextual issues.”

UK Online customers – one group who won’t feel the benefit of the recent VAT cut is UK Online subscribers, after the company refused to pass on tax savings to its customers, saying that it would be too much trouble to do what every other ISP, retailer and business in the country is currently doing and change their pricing literature.

Mobile broadband advertising: not as bad as you’d think

2008-12-12T15:47:00.002Z

They’re all at it: crafting oblique ‘n’ surreal ads that ‘speak ‘to the consumer about brand identity and suchlike, but who has the best mobile broadband advertising? Orange broadband? O2? Virgin Media? Part one of our guide will help you decide.

5. Orange: I Am Everyone
Orange burnt the midnight oil this year with a spate of mobile and broadband advertising campaigns. After unveiling their wildlife-inspired tariff packages earlier in 2008, the Orange broadband and mobile promotions department decided to bang on the UK’s goodwill with their newest campaign giving the viewing public the ‘I Am Everyone’ advertisement in the second quarter of the year.

The theme of community has been the direction of most Orange broadband and mobile campaigns. Much like a campaign for Orange broadband in 2006 – featuring a goldfish caught in a fish tank – this advert for Orange broadband and mobile packages mirrors the themes Orange have banged on about since the age of man; community and friendship.

Orange broadband subscribers have been subjected to this kind of nauseating sentiment before; two toy figures holding hands for an Orange broadband advert in 2006. While the ‘I Am Everyone’ advert was an emotional bit of promotion for the Orange broadband and mobile packages, the ambiguity of the whole advertisement had a few marketing companies wondering just what Orange was attempting to promote to the viewer.

4. O2 Better: Connected
The Orange broadband and mobile campaign wasn’t the only broadband package to be advertised imaginatively though. O2 got out the surrealism for their latest broadband package.

Very surreal. Barking Labradors on roofs, commuting bears and floating concert stages all made for an eccentric and interesting advert that trumped Orange Broadband’s equivalent for creativity. Later in the year, 02 kept the same surreal angle for its broadband deal, displaying the emotional effect on homes which were lacking 02 broadband. They were sad.

Strangely enough, the personification of inanimate animals was previously used in a promotional campaign for Orange broadband; a goldfish despondently swam around a bowl, anxious to join a shoal in the big blue ocean. Presumably, its jealousy stemmed from the fact they all had Orange broadband.

Come back next week for more amazing mobile broadband-related adverts.

Good Week Bad Week 5 December 2008

2008-12-08T11:35:00.003Z

It’s been a Good Week for...

Superfast broadband – the latest rumour is that the Virgin Media 50Mbps broadband service will launch on December 15. Journos reported this week how the provider had told them to keep that date free in their diaries, for what is believed to be a big unveiling event for the product.

Cheap broadband – the recent VAT cut has seen several providers knock money off the cost of their packages. BT were the first to respond, reducing their broadband deals in line with the rate cut. Then Be broadband took a whole 50p off their broadband deals – a reduction greater than the government’s 2.5%.

Orange broadband – Orange received a boost this week when their mobile broadband was voted the best in the country in a YouGov poll. The mobile broadband provider was said to be the best for reception, reliability and customer service. “Being awarded the best mobile broadband network by our customers across the UK is a real honour.”

It’s been a Bad Week for...

Mobile broadband – despite constant stories about how well the medium is performing, there are always some waiting to point out problems with mobile broadband. This week it was the turn of Techwatch’s David Allen, who noted that mobile broadband would be unable to compete with fixed line ADSL until vital issues – namely, usage allowances and connections speeds – were sorted out.

Irish online gamers – bad news for Emerald Isle-based fans of broadband gaming: ping times were found to be “well above” the accepted maximum for gamers. "None of Ireland’s ISPs showed ping times that would be considered acceptable by competitive internet game players," said a spokesperson for broadband analysts Epitiro.

Broadband justice – yet more reports of innocent broadband users being targeted by legal firms recouping costs for copyright holders, this week. Broadband users – including pensioners – have been accused of illegally sharing hardcore porn and ordered to pay £500 or face court proceedings.

Christmas shopping online beats high street hassle

2008-12-05T11:57:00.002Z

As the run-up to Christmas approaches, market research has found that more and more home broadband users are shunning the High Street and turning to the broadband internet for their seasonal shopping needs. Encouraged by lower prices and the ‘hassle-free’ factor of shopping over the broadband internet in the festive period, many broadband users have been logging on and buying their Christmas presents from internet retailers like Amazon and Play.

Research from financial company Deloitte has predicted that online sales over broadband internet in the UK will rise by ten per cent to £4.7 billion over the Christmas period. It is thought that the increase of broadband internet in households has contributed to the rise in the number of purchases made online; faster broadband connections ensure that people are able to shop via the broadband internet quicker. According to the broadcast regulator Ofcom, the proportion of households with broadband internet has increased from 52 per cent to 58 per cent over the past twelve months.

These results paint an interesting picture and despite waning High Street sales – as a result of the faltering British economy – online retailers are confident that the festive period will be a lucrative one. Shopping site Kelkoo has reported a rise in broadband traffic during the past three months and comments from Bruce Fair, managing director of the site, were positive. He said:

“We dispute the notion that online shopping in a downturn, in the UK and Europe at least, as there is much evidence that shows it is replacing the high street as a primary shopping location.”

While online broadband websites will be hoping broadband traffic remains constant over the festive period, a report from the United States has suggested that websites may still suffer from economic downturn in the UK. A survey from a broadband service in the United States has speculated that online shopping over broadband connections was in decline for the first time since 2001. It has predicted that sales over broadband internet would fall by four per cent and that growth of broadband companies would remain flat over the Christmas shopping season, regardless of increased broadband traffic.

Good Week Bad Week 28 November 2008

2008-12-01T10:25:00.005Z

Let's have a look at this week's broadband winners and losers...

It’s been a Good Week for...

Mobile broadband – the ever-growing medium was granted yet more good news this week. Firstly, experts expressed astonishment at the take-up rate that has seen mobile broadband catapulted to its status as the broadband connection de rigueur. Meanwhile, news that home broadband operators are running scared from the medium – looking to services such as IPTV to bolster the attractiveness of their broadband packages – will be no surprise to those who predicted the mobile broadband boom.

Broadband bundles – Orange brought the worlds of home and mobile broadband closer together this week with the launch of their new package that gives subscribers access to a home ADSL connection and an on-the-go mobile broadband service for the princely sum of just £20 a month. The new deal looks set to give broadband users the best of both worlds.

Broadband subscribers – the shock VAT cut announced by Alistair Darling looks set to benefit broadband subscribers as two ISPs – BT and Plusnet – revealed they would be implementing price changes immediately. Broadband customers who have already subscribed to BT and Plusnet, and paid in advance of 1st December, will also benefit from the VAT change. While the savings will probably be small, they will nevertheless be appreciated in these turbulent financial times.

It’s been a Bad Week for...

Broadband crime – with broadband users being constantly reminded of the importance of internet security and staying safe online, it does not help that children as young as 11 are using broadband to commit online fraud and other offences. Furthermore, these broadband bad ‘uns are using video sharing sites such as YouTube to show off. "They are obsessed with making videos of what they are doing," said one online crime expert.

WiMAX – reporting back from a roundtable discussion hosted by SME-oriented ISP Easynet Connect, ZDNet writer David Meyer says: “[One] point of interest from this morning's roundtable regarded a certain early WiMAX operator here in the UK. Apparently they need 400 customers in a one-kilometre radius to break even. And there's your fun fact for the day.” Oh dear.

Broadband Phishing Scams Catch Out PC Owners

2008-12-01T09:47:00.001Z

While many of us are happy to cosy-up in our bedroom with broadband, there’s seemingly a growing culture of teenagers who are attempting to make our personal internet time far from snug.

Broadband-hooked teenagers are now on the pulse of phishing scams which attempt to trick people into handing over personal details. A report by security firm Symantec has found that cyber criminals are intent on targeting PC owners – largely because they are the easiest to trip up.

Another document - The Get Safe Online report for 2008 reveals similar worrying information and statistics. The research throws some enlightening statistics into the public domain, about the scale of phishing scams on the web.

This particular stat sums up the rise of phishing in the UK - 23% of UK internet users fell victim to phishing scams in 2008, as oppose to 8% in 2007.

Fortunately, Get Safe Online gives broadband users handy information on how to keep safe online. Here’s a few to bear in mind . . .

• Use an up-to-date web browser
• Always use strong passwords
• Don’t use the same few passwords for all websites
• Activate privacy settings on social networking sites
• Don’t give away too much personal information on blogs and social networking sites
• Use good judgement – if you wouldn’t tell someone in the street, don’t tell them online!

And with Christmas approaching, it makes sense to have your wits about you in the following ways . . .

• When you’re shopping online, look for clear signs you’re buying from a reputable company
• On an online auction site, learn how it works and learn to pick good sellers
• Use safe ways to pay, such as a secure payment service, or credit and debit cards
• Look for evidence of a physical address and telephone contact details
• Be wary of anything that is offered in an unsolicited or spam email
• Use your common sense to avoid scams – if it sounds too good to be true, it probably is!

Broadband breaks through 400 million mark

2008-11-25T10:47:00.001Z

The total number of broadband lines in the world has exceeded 400 million, according to a report released last week by Point Topic – a company that provides information on broadband communications services.

Casting an eye over the broadband horizon, in five year’s time this figure is expected to reach 680 million. China is forecast to lead the way as the “biggest” broadband country, with a projected 153 million broadband lines - surpassing 117 million in the USA. It is highly possible that China will overtake the USA by the end of 2008.

The standings, by 2013, are expected to look as follows:

1. China
2. USA
3. Japan
4. Germany
5. France
6. India
7. UK
8. Brazil
9. Italy
10. South Korea

According to the statistics of the report, it would seem the country set for the principal surge in broadband uptake is India. Point Topic predicts it will see a growth of almost 500% by 2013. This is due to the phase of broadband development that the country is currently experiencing - India has now passed through the initial embryonic phase and is steadily maturing.

Others countries, which are in a similar broadband metamorphosis, include China, Russia and Brazil. Conversely, more developed countries, such as the US and Japan, already have lots of broadband customers and the market is more saturated. For these countries, the challenge is on to find new broadband customers.

The projected broadband forecasts assume the recession will cut the rate of growth in more industrialised countries, but will have little effect in the emerging economies. The effects of the credit crunch are expected to last through the second half of 2008 and the whole of 2009. The impact is likely to be felt more heavily in the USA, the UK, South Korea, Australia and Hungary than in other industrial economies.

Good Week Bad Week 21 November 2008

2008-11-20T16:29:00.005Z

It’s a bit of a TV-over-broadband special this week, as we look at the winners and losers from this week’s news in the world of broadband.

It’s been a Good Week for...

Broadband TV fans – it’s been a great week for people who like to watch television over their broadband connection, with two (TWO) big announcements regarding the broadband TV medium.

Firstly, ITV announced that they’d signed a deal with BT to make content available over the company’s Vision service. Top shows like Corrie and I’m A Celebrity... will be available for catch-up viewing, while ITV will also add over 500 hours of archive programming.

Meanwhile, the BBC has just revealed that it is to stream BBC1 and BBC2 live over broadband for the first time. BBC’s Three and Four, CBeebies, CBBC, and News 24 are already shown live – or ‘simulcast’ – on their respective websites, but the addition of the broadcaster’s two big hitters will no doubt boost their broadband TV ambitions.

Channel 4 was the first major television station to start live broadcasts over broadband , in 2006.

It’s been a Bad Week for...

Shops – amid fears that shoppers may hold off picking up their Christmas gifts until last-minute sales start on the high street, there was a fresh blow for shops with the announcement of a tax break for shoppers who use broadband to bag bargains. From 1 December 2008, customs duty will be lifted on items under £105, meaning there could be big savings on online goods, which are often imported from places such as the US and Jersey.

Sky Broadband customers – the broadband provider this week confirmed a story on SkyUser that the prices of its broadband packages would be rising. However, the bad news was offset considerably with the announcement that customers would be unaffected should they switch to one of Sky’s Talk home phone deals. Hurrah!

Web wins it for broadband Barack

2008-11-17T09:51:00.004Z

So, the dust has settled and Barack Obama has won the US Presidential Election, winning the right to call himself President-elect for the next couple of months in a landslide victory over Republican candidate John McCain.

‘What has this got to do with broadband?’ we hear you screaming at your monitors. Well. Barack Obama has been the subject of great praise this last week, over the manner in which he used technology – including broadband and mobile broadband – to help his election campaign.

The 44th President of the United States of America implemented a unique strategy to aid his passage into office. Using small personal donations made by broadband users who visited his campaign website, the Democrat machine funded a technology-friendly operation that some say helped win over the minds of younger voters.

Mass text messages were sent to mobile phones across America simultaneously (notably when Obama made the decision to drop Hillary Clinton and select Joe Biden as his running mate for the vice presidency); mobile broadband users could check for campaign updates on the go, while home broadband subscribers were sent emails informing of updates from the campaign trail.

Compared to a Republican strategy that basically involved spending thousands of dollars on making the Palin family look nice (the campaign was heavily criticised for what many saw as a misappropriation of valuable party funds) with new clothes and various makeovers, the Barack Obama broadband plan was masterful.

And it seems Barack’s love for broadband is a reciprocal one; election night saw huge swathes of broadband users going online to register their interest in the Obama final push. Broadband provider TalkTalk reported a near tripling of broadband traffic on the night that Barack Obama sailed to his landslide victory.

For British political parties looking to emulate the Obama path to success, the message seems to be to look to broadband for inspiration.

Silver surfers unsure how to use broadband

2008-11-10T10:48:00.004Z

While it would be presumptive to suggest that all older internet users are uncertain of their time on the internet, two news stories this week cast an interesting light on how older people view and use their broadband internet.

An article from Web User magazine, published this month, suggested that older broadband users were reluctant to use the internet; many said they were unconfident of their abilities over a broadband line. The second news story featured a legal case against an elderly couple who were wrongly accused of file sharing and fined £500 by a computer game publisher.

Both stories highlight an interesting trend in the broadband usage of ‘silver surfers’. While many older people are keen to embrace the internet, some are either unconfident of their abilities on the internet, or unable to ensure their broadband security.

The latter applied in the case of Gill and Ken Murdoch, fined by game publishers Atari for downloading a game through their broadband using file sharing technology. The pair were said to have an unsecured broadband network, used by a third party to illegally download the game ‘Race 07’, although the charges against the pair have since been dropped.

The story brings into question the lack of training available for older broadband users. Furthermore, horror stories of internet gone wrong are putting off older generations from joining the broadband revolution.

It is a point reinforced by the recent article in Web User magazine. Older people are reluctant to use the internet because they are unsure of their online ability. The magazine found that older people were uncertain how to download media from legal sites like YouTube or iTunes and as a result were more likely to use a dial-up internet connection, rather than a broadband one.

It appears to be a self-perpetuating problem and many older internet users said they would like to be able to download material more quickly through a broadband connection, but were unable to do so because of their lack of understanding about broadband internet.

British news trumps American for broadband users

2008-11-03T10:33:00.007Z

British coverage of American election pulls in global broadband audience

With the American election only one day away, more and more broadband internet users are logging onto the internet to hear the latest news about the race for the Whitehouse.

50 per cent of American voters under 30 are using broadband to keep up-to-date with the election battle between John McCain and Barack Obama. Interestingly though, almost a quarter of these broadband users are logging onto foreign websites to get their information and news from the campaign trail.

A survey taken over the past year has discovered that 12 per cent of American broadband users regularly check international news sites like the BBC or Al Jazeera for their election news.

This is an interesting statistic and while America has a number of televised and print outlets, it would appear that a large proportion of the broadband-using electorate are using their broadband to gather their national news. While national American news channels, like Fox News or CBS are exceptionally popular in the United States, there have been a number of questions asked about their political neutrality.

Many international news sites such as the British Broadcasting Corporation are required to remain strictly impartial during such elections and it would appear that many broadband users are logging onto foreign sites in order to obtain their news. As British sites like the BBC, Sky News and The Guardian Newspaper all have dedicated election coverage, the UK media is probably aware of the statistic.

In other election news, a study complied in the United Kingdom suggests broadband searches for US political keywords are massively beating domestic political searches.

According to an internet research group, Barack Obama is the most searched-for political figure in the UK, beating Gordon Brown, David Cameron and the Lib Dem leader Nick Clegg.

Broadband breeds success

2008-11-03T10:23:00.009Z

Broadband allows more internet users to make a name for themselves

Nearly 14 million households in the UK now have broadband internet access. With more operators offering cheaper broadband, more users than ever before are able to access high-speed broadband internet, download content and view videos, movies and images.

High-speed broadband offers users the ability to download and upload a wide-range of multimedia. Whether they’re a budding singer, writer or merely want to share a video with the world, high-speed broadband is allowing users to interact with each other like never before. Broadband has allowed singers to sign record contracts and bloggers to pen screenplays. Whatever your opinion of broadband success stories, the internet is the 21st Century way to get famous.

Arguably, the rise of high-speed broadband has been the most beneficial to aspiring musicians. Using social networking sites like MySpace or Facebook, unsigned musicians can use their broadband connection to upload their songs for the broadband community, gain notoriety and possibly be spotted by a record label.

Broadband success stories include Lily Allen, Kate Nash and Sandi Thom. The latter gained success through hosting a series of live webcam gigs in her basement, the most successful reportedly drawing in over 700,000 broadband viewers in one online concert.

Also benefiting from broadband internet are bloggers. High-speed broadband mean it is now quicker and easier to view one of the millions of blogs online and some blogs have millions of subscribers. While most blogs are relatively unheard of, there are a select few that have been propelled into the media spotlight.

Gossip blogger Perez Hilton, script writer Diablo Cody (author of 2007 film Juno) and London blogger Belle de Jour have all found success off-line after the broadband success of their blogs. Belle de Jour’s blog, ‘The Secret Diary Of...’ has recently been dramatised by ITV2 and features Ex-Dr Who actor Billie Piper.

Broadband users pushing their limit

2008-11-03T10:17:00.010Z

How UK bandwidth is eaten up

Although almost all broadband packages come with data usage limit, almost 6.2 million customers don’t know there is a cap on their broadband usage. There are many ways in which users can unknowingly eat up their broadband bandwidth. Here are some of them.

Online games

Online games like World of Warcraft or Counter Strike take up tremendous amounts of bandwidth. Playing with thousands of broadband users in a virtual world takes its toll on your broadband connection and many gamers – be they broadband orcs, elves, trolls or wizards – are finding that after several evenings of consecutive play, their broadband usage is dangerously close to the limit.

With over 6 million players playing World of Warcraft at any given time, loading the game takes a considerable toll on your bandwidth. Installing updates for the game also hits your broadband bandwidth quite severely. The latest patch for World of Warcraft was over 2Gb in size.

Video

Broadband internet is great for downloading media through your broadband connection. Sadly, fast media comes at a cost and videos from YouTube, BBC iPlayer or iTunes readily consume your broadband bandwidth.

250Mb per hour are being streamed from these sites. Regardless of whether you’re watching a ten second video from YouTube or a period epic from the BBC, it all clocks up on your broadband data allowance.

Email

According to a 2006 government survey, 81 per cent of the UK population regularly check and send email.

With email clients now allowing email sizes of up to 20Mb through broadband lines, these can quickly accumulate and swallow bandwidth. Video and picture attachments can take up a lot of bandwidth and those with a tendency to forward messages with attachments may find themselves capped by their broadband company.

Good Week Bad Week 31 October 2008

2008-10-31T16:27:00.001Z

It’s been a Good Week for...

Fibre optic broadband – the super fast medium was this week highlighted as the best solution to the country’s impending bandwidth woes. Mark Benson of IT Vibe said that with bandwidth being swallowed by websites such as YouTube, the spread of fibre optic broadband is vital. Which is good news, since research carried out by Point Topic shows that over four million homes and businesses will have fibre optic broadband connections by 2013.

Privacy – Orange broadband scored a victory for privacy in the great ongoing Phorm saga the other day, when the company’s Paul-François Fournier went on record to say they would not be implementing the controversial spying system at this time. Orange did not rule out selling customers’ data in future, but said they would discuss it with them first.

Wireless broadband in London – our capital city was this week revealed to be the ‘most wireless’ major city on earth, with over 3,000 more wireless broadband connections than its nearest rival New York. Security is important to Londoners; 90% of them have some form of encryption on their wireless network, but only half use advanced protection.

It’s been a Bad Week for...

Ireland – bad news for the Emerald Isle this week as it was revealed that the Irish governments’ plan to provide broadband to isolated areas is now around two years behind schedule. Backbiting has broken out between those involved in the farrago, with Fine Gael communications spokesperson Simon Coveney saying that “people have simply lost patience” with Irish Minister for Communications Eamon Ryan.

Broadband speed – with all the talk being about economic doom, luxuries such as broadband speed are taking a back seat to necessities like bread, water and caviar. Consumers have been advised that they could save money during any upcoming money troubles by downgrading elements of their broadband package such as speed.

Vodafone – the mobile broadband provider had its wrist slapped by the Advertising Standards Agency this week over claims they had made about being the “fastest, most reliable mobile broadband”. When asked to substantiate their claims, the mobile broadband giant offered up data that showed them to be slower than other companies in six out of ten areas. Oops.

In-private browsing?

2008-10-31T16:26:00.002Z

It seems that, like socks and shoes, the internet and privacy are two things that will always be intrinsically linked. With the web being an ever-expanding, all-encompassing medium that seeps further into our lives with every passing day, the issue of how much we choose to share with it becomes ever more pressing.

One area in which you’d assume broadband users would have total control is the sharing of personal information with advertisers. Not so. BT got into trouble earlier this year for commencing a trial of controversial website tracking tool Phorm without asking their customers’ consent first.

The system works by tracking websites visited by the user, then using the information to alert companies to tailored advertising opportunities. So if you regularly visit golf websites, you’ll see adverts for clubs and tees. Convenient or intrusive? It’s open to debate.

(One small glimmer of hope for privacy fans is that Orange has ended its involvement with Phorm.)

Another issue presented by the internet’s emergence as a powerful global communication tool is that of freedom of speech. With so many people using the web to converse, the matter of what is acceptable and who polices it becomes increasingly important.

China, true to form, has its own ideas about internet regulation – it bans everything deemed to be unacceptable. Which might not sound so bad, until you realise the state doctors search results to miss out things of which it doesn’t approve.

Google has been criticised for going along with this policy, which basically means that if you live in China and want to find out about something the government does not like, you don’t stand a chance.

China’s playful relationship with privacy was in the news again recently when it was revealed the superpower had been using the web chat program Skype to spy on its citizens. Mentions of specific ‘bad’ words were logged and sent to a huge central database. Scary.

South Korea also found itself facing criticism when it unveiled plans to control what broadband users could say online. When the most broadband wired nation on Earth starts meddling in its citizens personal affairs, you know there’s cause for concern.

Good Week Bad Week 24 October 2008

2008-10-31T16:23:00.002Z

It’s been a Good Week for...

Businesses – BT put smiles on the faces of British businesses this week when they announced that they would be giving away free mobile broadband to companies who sign up for its Business Total Broadband package. For £27 a month, firms get ADSL, mobile broadband and a free dongle, making it a bargainous broadband bounty.

New Zealand broadband – recent research shows that the quality of UK broadband lags behind that of New Zealand. The Australasian nation’s broadband Quality Index is almost 200 points higher than the UK’s, according to research by Epitiro Technology. The reason for our drop in quality is said to be the increased roll out of unbundled lines.

Olympic broadband – good news for east London as Stuart Hill, the man responsible for bringing broadband to the 2012 Olympic village, says that the high speed facilities enjoyed by the athletes at the Games will spread and leave a fibre optic legacy stretching far beyond Hackney.

It’s been a Bad Week for...

Uncapped dongles – it may sound like a small matter, but do you know where your dongle’s cap is? Probably not, unless it is attached by string. That is the view of PC Pro’s Barry Collins, who says that string-attached caps are a tiny – but vital – detail in the mobile broadband experience. Having “lost count” of the number of times he’d searched train floors for errant dongle caps, the expert said he now favoured dongle models, such as the one offered by BT, which comes with tethered toppers.

Broadband bandwidth – according to BBC technology correspondent Rory Cellan-Jones, broadband bandwidth is being battered by big downloads and online games. The reporter cites an example where broadband provider PlusNet said they’d seen an increase in traffic after online game World of Warcraft released a “very big” patch for download.

Laptops deals – hardware that comes bundled with broadband took a blow after an article in The Times questioned the value of such packages. The piece pointed out that customers usually end up paying the full price – or more – of their laptop over the course of the broadband contract. Speaking about the deals, one expert said that consumers would be better off signing up to cheap broadband, then buying a laptop online.

Broadband searchers favour friendship over lovin'

2008-10-31T10:04:00.005Z

Broadband searches for social networking sites top those for adult sites

Searches for social networking sites through search engines like Google and Yahoo! are now more common than searches for adult-themed material. The news that searches for adult-content were decreasing in favour of browsing for social networking sites should not surprise many people.

The increase of broadband users in the UK, particularly in the 18-24 group, means that more broadband searches are for Facebook, MySpace and their ilk. Broadband searches for social networking sites top searches for adult sites
Searches for social networking sites through search engines like Google and Yahoo! are now more common than searches for adult-themed material. The news that searches for adult-content were decreasing in favour of browsing for social networking sites should not surprise many people.

The increase of broadband users in the UK, particularly in the 18-24 group, means that more broadband searches are for Facebook, MySpace and their ilk. Facebook itself has over 2 million UK users of the site aged between 21 and 39.

Findings by internet researcher Bill Tancer found that while searches for illicit adult material have dropped by ten per cent in the last decade, searches for social networking sites have rocketed.

The results give a fascinating insight into the way young people view the internet over their broadband connection; when young adults go online through their broadband, they are more interested in interacting with other broadband users through social networking sites rather than making their broadband experience an individual one.

Other results from the survey also cast an interesting point in regards to how broadband users combine their internet use with other media. The survey found that broadband searches were dependent on current events; broadband searches for ‘tropical storms’ rose during the period Hurricane Katrina affected the United States in 2005.

Likewise, searches for ‘Big Brother’, ‘Barack Obama’ and ‘Tony Blair’ rose depending on the amount of news coverage, on television or in print, the subjects were getting.

As expected, searches related to the upcoming American election make up a large proportion of recent broadband searches. Terms like ‘Obama,’ ‘McCain’ and ‘Palin’ are some of the most frequently typed into search engines and broadband users are using their broadband internet to expand their understanding of the American election.

It’s an interesting find and shows that broadband users are using the internet not only to read the news, but to enhance and deepen their understanding of specific subjects.

Good Week Bad Week 10 October 2008

2008-10-10T14:27:00.006+01:00

It’s not been the busiest week in the world of broadband, but let’s assess the winners and losers nevertheless.

It’s been a Good Week for...

Old people – Two bits of good news for the more senior broadband users among us this week. Firstly, Stream IPTV, a service aimed at the elderly offering on-demand broadband programming through a set top box, was launched in Hull. Then, high speed broadband finally came to the sleepy, pensioner-filled village of Long Melford in Suffolk. A local action group acted after residents feared they would have to wait years for fibre optic broadband to arrive.

T-Mobile – The mobile broadband operator had cause for celebration after its latest package led to them shifting all of their bundled laptops. They’re now looking for a new manufacturer partner, after Asus said they could no longer meet T-Mobile’s demands at the price they wanted.

Tesco customers – The supermarket giant announced this week that it might consider launching its own mobile broadband service, to go with the home broadband and phone deals they already offer. After Virgin Media launched their mobile broadband service, it seems more providers are waking up to the potential of mobile broadband.

It’s been a Bad Week for...

Broadband advertising – BT found themselves in hot water after Virgin Media took issue with an advertising claim the company made. The Advertising Standards Agency got involved when BT declared themselves ‘Best Broadband Provider’, without pointing out it was an ADSL-only accolade. Naughty BT.

Free speech – Following last week’s BT Phorm announcement, privacy took another knock with the news that China has been monitoring its citizens’ use of the Skype online chat program. Meanwhile, South Korea announced plans to control what is acceptable for people to transmit via broadband. The new regulations stretch even as far as online forums.

Bank customers – Bad news for the less tech aware as the BBC reports that phishing fraudsters are using the current economic climate to capitalise on people’s fears and extract money from their personal accounts using fake emails.

Stay up to date with all the latest broadband news at CompareBroadbandUK.

Google’s Mail Goggles to the rescue of drunken broadband users

2008-10-08T11:32:00.006+01:00

Stumbling home late on a Friday night and going online after a few too many drinks can seem like a great idea. But what about the potential pitfalls involved with being drunk in charge of a broadband connection?

Unlike the very serious issue of drink driving, there are no high-profile advertising campaigns in place to make people aware of the risks of ‘drink surfing’.

But the dangers are there; from gambling vast amounts in online casinos, to running up huge bills with online retailers (that DVD box set containing every single James Bond film seemed like such an essential purchase at one in the morning).

However, nothing matches the sheer panic of waking up and realising that you’ve sent an email telling your boss where to go, or professed an undying love for a previously platonic pal.

And with broadband making it even easier to say stupid things – the chance to make a complete idiot of yourself is little more than a ‘send’ button away, after all – it is no wonder we’re wary of stuff like this:

“I love you”
“I think we should get back together”
“I hate your sister”
“Idd ont went too work f or yuo anmyore grrr!!!!1”

All of which offer untold opportunities for next-morning knuckle biting. This is why the helpful people at Google have come up with a new piece of ‘stop and think’ software, designed to prevent the sort of broadband-based indiscretions that can see you quickly earning extra canteen space.

Mail Goggles (pictured below) is a clever little feature that puts users through a quick set of mental arithmetic tests, to allow them a moment of reflection in which to consider whether they really are in the right state of mind to be sending emails.

The theory is that if you’re alert enough to complete the tests, it’s likely that the content of your message will be considered enough to not cause a social disaster. Simple. You can read more about Mail Goggles on the official Google Mail blog.

Now if they can just come up with a version for mobile phones we will all be happy...

Good Week Bad Week 3 October 2008

2008-10-06T09:10:00.006+01:00

Let's have a look at this week's winners and loser in the world of broadband.

It’s been a Good Week for...

Mobile broadband – the ever-growing medium got another boost this week when several major players in the industry got together to form an alliance devoted to furthering its success. The creation of the group was heralded by the unveiling of a new mobile broadband standard mark logo (see right), which will appear on all next-generation mobile broadband-enabled hardware.

Virgin Media – the fibre optic broadband provider extended their portfolio of telecoms services further still this week, when they launched their very first mobile broadband package, making them a ‘quadruple play’ provider. The mobile broadband deal costs £15 a month and comes with a 3GB monthly data allowance, as well as a free USB dongle.

Japanese broadband users – Already the global leaders when it comes to broadband speeds, our Nipponese cousins are now enjoying download AND upload rates of up to 1Gbps, and all for the princely sum of £30 a month.

Everyone in Europe – According to the latest Universal Service Obligations (us neither) review, every citizen on this fair continent has the RIGHT to be able to access broadband services. This could force companies to extend their networks into rural areas. Whether it will force your other half to shell out for whizz bang superfast fibre optic broadband is another matter entirely.

It’s been a Bad Week for...

Dongles – The newly formed mobile broadband alliance and its accompanying mark, which will adorn all next-gen laptops, is bad news for dongles. Why? Because in order to carry the logo, laptops must have built-in mobile broadband capabilities and not require a dongle. Poor dongles.

Privacy – BT went ahead with the next stage of their controversial Phorm website tracking trial this week, despite the widespread criticism they faced last time they tested the system. That trial ended with a public outcry and a police investigation into BT’s behaviour. This time, the broadband provider is hoping that the system, which tracks and records every website users visit for advertising purposes, will attract less controversy.

Wielding the WiMAX

2008-10-03T14:54:00.008+01:00

If we told you that Sprint Nextel this week launched its first commercial WiMAX network in America, you’d be forgiven knowing little and caring even less about what we were saying.

But the launch of the wireless network, and the subsequent degree of success it encounters, could have profound implications for the way in which the UK’s next generation broadband network is rolled out.

Before we find out how, though, let’s go back to the beginning.

What is WiMAX?

WiMAX is not a new brand of hair removal cream; it is actually a term that stands for Wireless Interoperability for Microwave Access. It’s a next-generation wireless technology that can connect different broadband formats, like fixed home connections or mobile broadband.

How can it be used?

The main use of WiMAX is to provide wireless internet access. So far, its main purpose has been to offer broadband connections to places that are not served by a standard wired infrastructure. The largest WiMAX network to date is operated by Wateen Telecom and serves 17 cities in Pakistan.

Unlike Wi-Fi, WiMAX has the ability to connect large areas (like cities) while keeping connection speeds high. In theory, WiMAX connections can be shared between many thousands of people.

And this is where the relevance of WiMAX to the future of UK broadband becomes apparent.

Broadband providers have deliberated for years about how to handle the ‘last mile’ when it comes to upgrading the country’s broadband network. The term ‘last mile’ refers to the distance between homes and the telephone exchange; it’s the trickiest bit for companies to handle, both logistically and in terms of cost.

One option is to link optical fibre cable to every single home in the country. This would require years of intricate cable-laying and cause huge disruption. Then there’s the cost; the latest estimate for this plan was a figure in the region of £29billion.
By using WiMAX to cover the last mile, providers could connect hundreds of households within a given radius, without having to dig up roads. They could even reach isolated properties while still keeping speeds high.

The plausibility of using WiMAX to cover the last mile rests on how well it performs in the US. Sprint launched their Xohm network in Baltimore this week, with early users suggesting that it is working well. If it continues to perform, WiMAX could be a technology we eventually see over here.

Good Week Bad Week 26 September 2008

2008-09-25T12:29:00.009+01:00

Time for a round-up of all this week's broadband winners and losers.

It’s been a Good Week for...

Disadvantaged children – Gordon Brown’s latest attempt to paper over the cracks of his wonky reign was to use “the biggest speech of his life” to announce a broadband bonanza for the nation’s poorest children. The premier promised £300m to fund hardware and connections.

Mobile broadband – a flurry of positive news for the portable internet this week, including news that the medium is set to become even more convenient, as Vodafone bring out a dongle-less laptop and T-Mobile launch a new £2 a day tariff, plus the announcement that Virgin Media are set to enter the mobile broadband market.

Bus passengers in Denmark – how’s this for mobile broadband: Arriva buses in Denmark have been equipped with wireless internet, meaning the 250 million passengers they carry each year can now surf while they ride, as opposed to just looking out of the window trying to avoid making eye contact with their fellow commuters.

It’s been a Bad Week for...

Farmers – Ofcom weren’t moved by calls for rural broadband expansion to be funded by public money; the telecoms regulator agreed with the government that the money should come from the private sector.

The word ‘free’ – freshly banished from adverts for laptop bundles, ‘free’ is causing controversy again, this time landing TalkTalk in hot water. This links to an earlier story in which Whitby pensioners were falsely sold broadband by doorstep agents working for the company.

Broadband contracts – new research shows that broadband users are suffering a credit crunch-inspired wariness of lengthy contracts, with people spending more time looking for shorter and cheaper deals. On top of this, 79% of broadband subscribers said that they intend to ditch their agreements and opt for no-contract packages in future.

Apple and Nokia – with networks and manufacturers claiming that mobile broadband is the next battleground on which telecommunication war will be waged, these two have found themselves with another rival to fight it out with in the form of Google, who this week launched their new G1 mobile phone in New York.

Google wants a slice of Apple’s pie

2008-09-24T16:01:00.007+01:00

When you think about Google, what springs to mind? Search engines? Web browsers? Constructivist minimalism?

Of course. But would you ever associate the increasingly powerful techy types with mobile phones? Not until now, anyway.

But the Sergey ‘n’ Larry-founded giant from California has just launched its very first mobile phone – the G1, which it hopes will become a rival to Apple’s mighty iPhone – at a massive press conference in New York.

Incredibly, the aforementioned duo turned up on rollerblades (see video) to promote the device, presumably as a demonstration of its portability rather than a display of their childlike excitement. “It is quite difficult to carry [a laptop] if you are rollerblading”, said Larry, doing his bit for obviousness, before pointing out that the G1 combines the functionality of a laptop with the portability of a mobile.

But anyway, what does the G1 do? Well, like other next-gen mobile phones it offers voice calling, internet and email access, media playback and all the other features you’d expect. It also comes with open source software – an entirely new operating system, Android, developed by Google – which will allow developers to create and share their own application for the device.

The killer twist comes with the addition of a slide-out keyboard, making writing emails a lot easier than it is with the iPhone’s message-obscuring and occasionally fiddly touch screen effort. It is this difference, and others like it, that has led some commentators to note that while Apple’s kit is an object of style, Google – true to form – remain devoted to purpose.

Let’s have a look at some more info:

Name: G1 Google Phone
Price: Free on contract (SEVEN HUNDRED AND TWENTY POUND CONTRACT)
Network: T-Mobile
UK Launch: November
Key features: Laptop-speed internet access; slide-out QWERTY keyboard; Android

Very nice. With industry experts believing that mobile phones are set to be the next battleground on which web war will be waged, another competitor in the market is sure to spice things up. “We think that mobile internet is the dominant force in our industry going forward”, said T-Mobile, “The G1 is a milestone in bringing mobile internet to the mass market”.

(Video via Crunch Gear).

Crippling costs cause countryside controversy

2008-09-19T11:11:00.042+01:00

When you think of potential countryside controversies (vandalised barns, fence disputes, stolen sheep etc), disagreement over the roll-out of next-generation broadband is not something that immediately springs to mind. But broadband is the hot topic right now, with debate raging across the green counties like a bad case of foot and mouth.

Round one

It all started back in July, when BT announced they were to spend £1.5billion bringing superfast fibre optic broadband to 10 million homes across the country. “This marks the beginning of a new chapter in Britain's broadband story,” said BT chief executive Ian Livingstone at the time, adding “Our aim is that urban and rural areas alike will benefit from our investment."

Jumping on the statement like a fox going after a rabbit, the Ofcom Consumer Panel insisted that those who had missed out on the first generation of broadband (ie those without tarmac on their drives) should be recompensed by being given next-gen broadband before anyone else – a sort of broadband-based act of positive discrimination.

Bad news

Then came the hammer blow that those waving the flag for rural dwellers feared: the Broadband Stakeholder Group announced that the cost of rolling-out fibre optic broadband to all parts of the country would be almost £29billion, almost five times the amount needed for an urban-only rollout.

"If rural areas are to be served in a reasonable time frame, thinking needs to start now about creative solutions for making them more attractive to investment", said BSG chief executive Antony Walker.

The government, always eager to help, announced that it would spend precisely no money on the broadband improvement scheme, insisting that broadband providers should foot the bill themselves.

This was the equivalent of leaving every gate in the countryside wide open, as rural bodies reacted with fury. “We are not talking about playing games and watching videos here – the very future of British industry depends on this”, shouted the Country Land and Business Association’s Dr Charles Trotman, who branded the government’s broadband plans “seriously blinkered”.

What do you think?

Should the government cough up? Should we pay so that country dwellers get their mitts on fibre first? Or should the rural community just give up and open some more urban farms in Camden? Whatever happens, it seems the debate raging over b-road band (GEDDIT?) will run like an irate bull.

Good Week Bad Week 19 September 2008

2008-09-19T11:11:00.041+01:00

As the cold September winds blow in and autumnal changes start to take effect, we thought we’d try something a bit different for this week’s news round-up. So thoroughly brace yourselves as we present the very first edition of – drum roll please – Good Week Bad Week.

It’s been a Good Week for...

Sky Broadband – the relative broadband newcomer saw its hard work rewarded this week when it topped a customer satisfaction survey aimed at finding the best broadband providers. The TV and broadband giant came top in all categories, beating off competition from TalkTalk and Virgin Media.

Haggling – consumerist hearts were warmed everywhere this week as we told how one man was able to reduce his broadband bill by almost £200, just by threatening to take his custom elsewhere. The case highlighted providers’ willingness to haggle, with a BT spokesman saying "We do have the flexibility to offer anyone a deal who is contracted to us."

Businesses – Orange has launched a new mobile broadband bundle aimed at business users. The deal, which includes a business-grade HP laptop, is available from Orange shops.

It’s been a Bad Week for...

Government – our elected officials have come under fire this week for shirking their responsibilities towards the expansion of the nation’s broadband network. Countryside groups are unhappy that the government is refusing to fund work to bring fibre optics to farms.

‘Free’ laptop packages – last week we heard how some broadband retailers have dropped the word ‘free’ from the advertising surrounding their broadband-plus-laptop deals; now it seems new legislation from Brussels could put a stop to them completely. It is thought rules to tighten up mobile contract lengths might make the monthly payments on laptops prohibitively expensive for some.

UK broadband – bad news for British web users: our internet is rubbish. That’s the verdict of MBA students from Oxford University’s Said Business School, who found the country’s broadband infrastructure ill-equipped to deal with the next-gen internet developments set to take place over the next five years. Still, as we always say, things could be worse.

Broadband News Round-up: 12 September 2008

2008-09-12T10:38:00.005+01:00

Back in the day (2003) we were all paying through the nose for broadband and it was pretty much a given that costs were high, but did anyone ever run up a bill of 28 BILLION POUNDS? No - not unless they’d left their Pay As You Go connection switched on for about six years, anyway. We ask because, according to experts, that is the bill facing the UK if it’s to upgrade to a FTTH network (which is where every single household gets a superfast cable broadband connection). And who should stump up? Not the government – they want broadband providers to foot the bill (but they would say that).

Next up we’ve got the strange case of the disappearing ‘free’. Overnight, three high-profile broadband providers dropped the word from their hawking of broadband-plus-laptop packages, perhaps because someone pointed out to them that the laptops weren’t actually free. As our main site’s guide to the packages points out, ‘free’ laptop deals are actually more like rental agreements.

There was good news for commuting mobile broadband users: 02 have signed a deal to bring the service to five of Glasgow’s Underground stations. If successful, the scheme could be rolled out in other systems, including the tube in London.

It’s not often the worlds of crime and broadband come together (unless you count the criminal customer service offered by certain providers HAHA) but they did this week in spectacular fashion. Firstly, seaside town Whitby was hit AGAIN by unscrupulous doorstep broadband sellers. Eager to bag commission, it seems the con artists were falsely selling packages – offering free broadband when they know full well it is not available in the area.

Following on from this was the news of the most daring case of wireless theft ever (see below), just one of many scrap-based misdemeanours to hit the broadband industry, including this week’s robbery of a telephone exchange in London’s posh Mayfair.

Finally, you may have seen stories about bandwidth (in other words, the broadband network’s capacity), and how investment in expanding it could lead to extra costs being passed on to customers. With the web now more crammed than ever with bit rate-hungry apps, Radio 4 has looked at whether the system will continue to cope. It’s a bit of a serious listen, but interesting nonetheless.

Wireless theft reaches ridiculous new heights

2008-09-11T15:30:00.005+01:00

Many of us have got some experience of ‘borrowed’ wireless broadband connectivity. Whether it’s a slowed connection making you suspect that someone else (tip: look out for previously stingy neighbours boasting of superfast broadband connections) is using yours without consent, or you cheekily hopping on to a stranger’s Wi-Fi in order to check ‘urgent emails’ (ie football scores), theft of wireless seems to be a growing phenomena.

And with one in nine people admitting to ‘piggybacking’ – the name given to the act of using someone else’s wireless connection to go online – it’s one that shows no sign of abating. Observers believe that relaxed attitudes and a loose understanding of the law mean many people think it is okay to borrow (steal) other people’s wireless connection.

However, would anyone go as far as the group of Pennsylvanian thieves, who this week stole an entire 120-foot wireless tower from a community’s back yard? Hopefully not.

The wireless tower, which was about to be bought by a broadband company as part of the USA’s expansion of its underachieving fat pipe network, was taken – piece by piece – in the dead of night.

Police say the thieves must have had a very precise plan for the disassembly of the tower, which they believe was taken for its value as scrap (as in this country, rising metal costs in the US have seen an increase in outlandish thefts – indeed, daring copper raids have been responsible for the electrocution of many a metallurgic burglar).

Reports WJAC TV:

“Police believe the thieves threw cables over the guidelines of the tower and yanked it down with a truck. [They] also found cut bolts and torch marks on nearby grass. Police say the tower had to be cut into small pieces in order to get it out of the wooded area, but they can't figure out how they did it without anybody noticing.”

The family who owned the tower now look set to lose you out, after the broadband company looking to buy it understandably withdrew their offer. They are offering a reward for information leading to the thieves’ arrest.

Broadband News Round-up: 5 September 2008

2008-09-05T15:39:00.004+01:00

When it comes to broadband, not only do we Brits want it fast, but we want it ALL THE TIME. So say the results of a new YouGov report, which show the nation is gripped by an addiction to the fast stuff. A whopping 76% of people said they cannot live without broadband, while 44% actually start to show signs of withdrawal if deprived of their connection. Which must mean it’s good stuff. Reports that Amy Winehouse has been ringing around trying to source “some of that broadband gear” are unconfirmed.

Another national addiction, this time to the sporting extravaganza that was the Beijing Olympic Games, saw broadband usage rocket by a staggering 140%. Experts say that demand for streaming ‘TV-over-broadband’ content was up 200%, which is significantly more than can be said for when the BBC put Hotel Babylon repeats up on the iPlayer.

The increasing demand for broadband TV, and, no doubt, the image of pound signs dancing before their eyes, has caused ITV execs to plunge wads of new cash into developing broadband-only content. Its first offering, The Gloryhunter, drew online audiences bettered only by Corrie and The X Factor.

Elsewhere, it was a week of mixed news for that most cherished of social groups, students. The bad news is that they have to start getting out of bed three times a week (term starts this month); the good news is that they can ease the pain with a new student broadband package from Orange. We told earlier in the week how the flexibility and cost-effectiveness of mobile broadband make it ideal for students, and Orange clearly agree: they’re knocking a fiver off their monthly charge for anyone who can produce an NUS card.

Another big story this week was the Ofcom Consumer Panel’s suggestion that the disparity in broadband coverage (some people are up to their necks in fibre optics, while others are still using cups tired to string) could be solved by making rural and deprived areas the first to benefit from the roll-out of new super duper broadband, delivering speeds of up to 100Mb.

Not strictly related to the broadband market, but big news nevertheless: Google have waded into the ongoing browser wars with the release of their shiny Chrome beta. Like an IKEA wardrobe, the new browser is beautiful, organised and simple-to-use. Unlike an IKEA wardrobe, you can use it to look at your Facebook. Result!

'Fix my broadband or else!'

2008-09-05T15:30:00.002+01:00

We’ve all had our share of frustrating experiences dealing with broadband providers’ customer service departments. But has your on-hold frustration ever led to you threatening to take one of the service provider’s technicians hostage?

No? Well, that is allegedly what happened for Canadian playwright and actress Carol Sinclair, who was arrested this week after a broadband repairman claimed she tried to hold him against his will.

It all started when Sinclair’s broadband connection went down earlier this year. Sensing that the problem could easily be fixed by her broadband provider (which is textbook naivety), she telephoned them. "I was polite the first 20 times I talked to them," said Sinclair, echoing sentiments shared by anyone who’s been put at the mercy of outsourced call centres, "But each one gave me the same routine: 'Is the modem connected. Are the lights blipping?' And then each one would say, 'It should be working, it should be working. The problem must be with your computer.' "

So far, so typical. It was only when Ms. Sinclair’s broadband provider agreed to send a technician to her address that things got weird. The repairman said he could not find anything wrong with the connection and that the problem must have been with her computer. This is where accounts of the incident start to differ.

Sinclair says she told the repairman "I don't want to hold you hostage, but would you mind hanging around until another technician arrives so that the two of you can sort it out."
He, meanwhile, insists that Ms. Sinclair aggressively demanded that he stay to fix the problem, using the implied threat of a firearm to hold his attention.

Not keen to lose blood over a wonky broadband connection, the 21-year-old technician slipped out of Ms. Sinclair’s property, offering her the classic ‘I just need to get something from my van’ line before speeding away in said motor vehicle.

While a dumbstruck Sinclair headed upstairs for a vodka (remember she’s Canadian, not American), the terrified tech sped down to the local police station to inform officers, who promptly turned up at the writer’s house waving arrest warrants.

Sinclair was bailed on the condition that she has no contact with her broadband provider. Which sort of scuppers her chances of getting the problem fixed. Still, she’s probably so familiar with their call centre script by now that she could go and work there.

Broadband News Round-up: 29 August 2008

2008-08-29T09:30:00.004+01:00

The broadband freebie wars hotted up this week, with two more providers throwing their hats into the ring. TalkTalk, the broadband and phone bit of the Carphone Warehouse, started things off by offering their mobile broadband services in addition to their home broadband for an extra charge of just £3.25. Then they said that anyone taking them up on the proposal could help themselves to a free dongle while they were at it.

Orange, not wanting to be outdone, have gone one further than everybody else by giving away their entire broadband package for free. Not a laptop, or a dongle, but a free broadband connection (for anyone on their £35 mobile contract). Now that is generosity. Perhaps it might go some way to repairing the damaged relations between Orange and the broadband-buying public.

It was another good week for mobile broadband with the news that the number of people using laptop dongles or mobile phones to access mobile broadband worldwide has risen to more than 50 million. There are a whopping two million of those in this country alone. Apparently, the meteoric rise of mobile broadband is down to two factors:

It isn’t rubbish any more
It costs less than it used to

Which seems like a fairly logical equation. Improved service + lower costs = more customers. Ironically, it’s this increase in users that could yet prove the sticking point in mobile broadband’s plan to take over the world. With bandwidth being swallowed up by a growing user base, experts warn that in future, prices will be driven up to cover the costs of the mobile broadband providers investing in extra bandwidth.

Finally, the big news this week was the Office for National Statistics’ survey into the UK’s broadband usage. Basically, they found a load of people and asked them questions about when, how, why and where they use the internet, then built a picture of the nation’s internet and broadband consumption based on the answers given. A more detailed breakdown of the results can be found here, but did you know...

Nine per cent more men use the internet than women
The internet makes you clever – brainiacs are more likely to have access
People with dogs have the fastest web connections
Just over half of households up north have got the internet

One of those facts is false, can you guess which one? We’ll leave you with that teaser until next week. In the meantime, happy surfing.

The sun always shines on IPTV

2008-08-27T11:44:00.007+01:00

The past 12 months have been all about the mobile broadband boom, but there’s little doubt that the growth of so-called TV over broadband services has been similarly buzzing.

The traditional line – that we should all throw away our tellies in anticipation of a future spent hunched over our computers watching ‘whatever we want, whenever we want’ – might be an elaborate fantasy, peddled by those eager to push their respective on-demand services on an easily-impressed public, but that doesn’t mean we should ignore the medium completely.

Whatever the truth behind the marketing spin, there’s little doubt that broadband TV is set to become a big part of the broadband market. According to projections based on research carried out by technology company Alcatel-Lucent, the British TV over broadband market could generate revenues of £1.78bn by 2011.

The BBC is certainly taking broadband TV seriously. No doubt buoyed by news of an Olympics-inspired doubling of their iPlayer network traffic, they’re investing in new, higher quality technology to carry their broadband TV service. Meanwhile, Orange plans to bring its plans for broadband TV nationwide, following in the footsteps of BT Vision.

It’s not all about broadcasters trying to beam their wares directly onto your computer. Some companies are trying (again) to bring the internet to your telly. Intel has signed a deal with Yahoo to produce a Widget Channel, enabling viewers to do ‘cool stuff’ like check the weather or buy things. Y’know, things you can’t already do with a television.

Ultimately, whether or not broadband TV is a success will depend on many factors. Clues to its future are scarce, with positive signs (eg 17% penetration in France) offset against less promising indicators like a practically non-existent uptake in Germany, or the struggling BT Vision at home.

Commentators have advised that in order for broadband TV to continue to grow, certain factors will have to be just right. Companies must keep their prices low, market their services aggressively and, above all, provide a strong and unique line-up of content that people are going to want to pay money for.

If broadband TV can become a unique entity – more than just a grainy, stuttering version of the proper telly – then it could become a preeminent medium in the 21st century media melange. If not, we’ll just be stuck with Kate Modern reruns.

Broadband News Round-up: 22 August 2008

2008-08-22T10:04:00.005+01:00

Another week, another mobile company offers a free laptop with their broadband. This time it’s Orange giving away a complimentary Asus with their Internet Everywhere package. Of course, the laptop isn’t ‘free’ as such (it comes with a £600 contract) but it’s always nice to receive gifts.

Speaking of giveaways, it seems the British public might have been a little too forthcoming with the readies when it comes to their broadband. Research shows that 70% of broadband users are paying over the odds for packages they could get cheaper elsewhere. If you want to stop your pocket feeling lighter than it should, log on to Compare Broadband UK for all the latest money-saving deals.

A good news week for mobile broadband started well with Ofcom saying that sales of ‘dongles’ – the little thing that plugs into your laptop making it internet-ready – are going up by an average of 18% every month, with the possibility that firms will be flogging 300,000 a month by the end of the year. Blimey.

Famed pollsters YouGov pitched in with some figures of their own, suggesting that mobile broadband might finally mount a threat to its wired, home-based older brother. They found that one-in-eight people had ditched their home broadband connection in favour of a mobile flavour, with another five per cent vowing to do so before the year is out.

The mobile broadband boom isn’t just good news for the companies. Latest research shows that consumers are taking advantage of the new technology to give them the edge when they’re out shopping. By firing up their mobile broadband connection on the high street, shoppers can check prices and read reviews of products they want to buy, meaning their chances of buying a dud are severely lessened.

With ISPs issuing scary warning letters and file-sharers being thoroughly sued, it is understandable that some broadband users might be worried. Not as worried as those who opened an email virus claiming to be a cease and desist letter were, though, obviously. Surfers have been warned to treat unsolicited emails suspiciously and to discount any threats of legal proceedings made via their inbox.

Finally this week is the news that Virgin Media are thinking of advertising their superfast 50Mb broadband using the talents of superfast Usain Bolt. The Jamaican, who has just taken gold in the 100m and 200m Olympic sprint finals, looks set to follow in the footsteps of A-listers like Samuel L. Jackson and Ruby Wax by promoting the firm.

Survival of the fittest

2008-08-20T15:35:00.003+01:00

As we sail through dire financial straits and the whole world queues up to tell us that even the biggest companies are going to be left penniless by the economic downturn, thoughts inevitably drift to the survival of the broadband market.

With fewer new houses being built and more people staying put there are fewer customers for the broadband companies to chase. This, coupled with the fact that one-in-six homes now already has a broadband a connection, makes it tougher than ever for broadband providers to stay afloat.

Certainly, Tiscali knows this. They’ve been trying to flog their broadband business since March, but can’t shift it because no one will meet the asking price. Meanwhile, Carphone Warehouse has had to revise its customer recruitment targets downwards by about 50%.

But on the whole, the broadband market continues to do well, and there are some companies set to not only survive the credit crunch, but also come out of it with more customers.

Sky, relative newcomers to broadband, are keen to bank on the loyalty of their existing TV customers, plus the strength of their ‘triple-play’ broadband package, which offers telly, phone and broadband for a competitive price. They hope to have three million broadband customers by 2010.

Virgin Media, the second-largest broadband company, hopes that speed will be enough to secure its customer base. They offer speeds of up to 20Mb via their fibre optic network, and hope to get things up to 50Mb from October, making their broadband faster than a very fast thing.

BT, not to be outdone, is also going down the speed route. If Ofcom let them, they’ll be rolling out a new optical fibre network over the next five years. But that’s not all. The company also hopes to gain access to some of Sky’s best TV, most importantly Premiership football, which it will screen via BT Vision.

The company’s broadband TV venture is a giveaway of its business plan: get people signed up to broadband then make them pay for services that rely on a broadband connection. Genius. And it’s working; over 280,000 people have signed up since it launched.

With more broadband companies competing over fewer customers, it’s clear that those who survive the economic downturn will be the ones who adapt and offer something unique. And with fancy new features and price cuts on the cards there can only be one winner – you.

Broadband News Round-up: 15 August 2008

2008-08-15T09:35:00.004+01:00

It’s been a week of great news for broadband users.

First up was the report stating that despite the country being in a state of economic meltdown, the broadband market is holding up well, with almost 17 million people feeling the benefits of faster internet. Mobile broadband is on the rise too. Ofcom reports that the launch of marketing campaigns for mobile broadband devices has led to a surge in uptake of the services, with over half a million new connections being made this year.

Back at home, and research from market analysts Point Topic says that it now works out cheaper on average to pick up a broadband bundle than it does just to get broadband by itself. Which means that instead of splashing out a princely monthly sum on standalone broadband, you could be much better off if you look for a deal that offers you other entertainment or communication services, like telephone and TV, on top.

Speaking of television, it was announced this week that the surge in popularity of so-called ’TV over broadband’ services, where you use your broadband connection to catch up on programmes from the actual telly, hasn’t dented people’s desire to sit in front of the box. Viewing figures for both formats remain healthy, suggesting the two can happily co-exist.

With more of us using broadband to watch TV or download films, it’s a good job that broadband providers are working hard to bring us better speeds. Both Virgin Media and 3 announced plans this week to provide dizzying new speeds in the broadband and mobile broadband markets respectively. Which should take us even further ahead of the snail-paced Yanks.

Easily the best news this week is that despite the fact we’re using broadband more than ever before, we’re actually paying less for it. A report by Ofcom showed that an increase in the use of comparison sites like Compare Broadband UK, coupled with people’s determination to find the best deals and pick up money-saving broadband bundles, means Brits now have more money to fritter away on silly things like food and petrol.

The need for speed

2008-08-15T09:20:00.009+01:00

The UK is a nation of speed freaks when it comes to broadband. And with tens of thousands of people taking broadband speed tests on sites like Compare Broadband UK, it doesn’t look like our Lewis Hamilton-style love affair with velocity will end any time soon.

Consumer surveys routinely reveal the speediest broadband providers to be the most highly-rated by customers, suggesting that Brits look for a nippy broadband connection above all else when looking for a supplier.

Naturally, broadband providers have cottoned on to the fact that the British public is an impatient bunch and are practically climbing over each other to offer broadband customers the swiftest surfing experiences and fastest download speeds.

Virgin Media - true to form - took things to extremes the other day when it announced plans to look into providing broadband customers with download speeds of up to 200Mb in the next four years. Which means you could potentially download a song (but, please, make sure it’s not James Blunt) in less than the blink of an eye.

It’s not just home broadband that’s set to benefit, either. Mobile broadband provider 3 has also been banging on about speed recently. Indeed, as you read this, hundreds of their minions are working hard on doubling their network capacity to allow for speeds of around 2Mb. This may not sound like much, but in the sometimes frustratingly slow-paced world of mobile broadband it’s a veritable sprint.

And if you are stuck with slow broadband that’s getting you down, here’s something to cheer you up: the Americans have got it worse. A recent report revealed their broadband is the slowest on the planet, lagging behind not only tech-crazy places like Japan, but even backwaters like France, when it comes to broadband speeds (the average US user ‘enjoys’ speeds of just 2.3Mbps).

“We are the only industrialised nation without a national policy to promote universal, high-speed broadband access”, complained the Communications Workers of America. Hardly surprising - how can they be expected to focus on broadband with all those burger bars to build?

Scream if you want your broadband to go faster

2008-07-31T15:00:00.002+01:00

BT is offering a service to improve the speed of your broadband “or your money back” but the bad news is, it’s expensive.

Industry watchers who know about these things, reckon that the heavy £90 price tag makes it more worthwhile for customers to look at other ways to boost their broadband speeds.

The BT Broadband accelerator service pledges to improve speeds by at least 0.5Mbps (that’s megabits per second guys, not megabytes). As part of this pledge, it offers to investigate the reasons for a slow broadband connection. Following a broadband diagnostic, it might tweak the performance of your PC, adjust wiring to a socket or even the rewiring of your entire home.

Ian Fogg, an analyst with Jupiter research, said customers paying out for the BT accelerator could find they only get a decent improvement in their broadband speed where there is plenty of capacity.

“Their broadband speeds might go up, but only at certain times of the day”.
Apparently, BT tests the speed between the broadband home hub and the telephone exchange which ensures the test is accurate and the broadband speed hike remains stable.

But follow a few of these tips and you could save yourself £90 and still bump up your broadband speed.

For starters, find your master socket and plug your modem into it.
Use wireless broadband.

Give your computer a good clean – viruses slow it down
Keep electrical appliances away from your modem and telephonic wires – even things like vacuum cleaners – the magnetic field can make your broadband speed drop.

So if you want to get out of the broadband slow lane...and back onto the superhighway, you know what to do.

RedTen customers left dangling

2008-07-09T13:54:00.004+01:00

The latest twist in the RedTen broadband story is that RedTen customers will have their broadband cut off from the end of the month. NJP are the supplier who picked up where BT left off earlier in the year. BT disconnected RedTen broadband customers because they hadn’t been paid by RedTen. NJP then heroically took up the reins, supplying the broadband, but have since bowed out after three months too.

A company called FatCat communications have now appeared, apparently having bought some of RedTen’s assets. They are contacting RedTen broadband customers. However FatCat seems to be operating from the same address as the original company behind RedTen and suspiciously the domain name Fatcat is registered to the same address as Clode – the finance company behind RedTen. FatCat have told users they will be responsible for providing broadband from now on.

Many customers are now struggling to get their money back from their RedTen contract or tentatively signing up with the incumbent contractor FatCat. Feedback on FatCat – the clue is in the name – is not great. here’s a sting in the tale too. Apparently NJP services have actually cut off broadband services today, before the deadline, leaving users without any broadband access.

Users have been placed in a walled garden which means the only webpage they can access is an email with a copy of the message they had in the original email.

If you’re caught up in all this, your best bet is to contact JNP services for a MAC code so that you can transfer your broadband service to another broadband provider. It’s probably worth speaking to Citizen’s Advice Bureau or a solicitor if you have a PC, as well as broadband, from RedTen as your contract with Clode may still be enforceable and you might still need to keep on paying for it. You can get support from fellow sufferers at http://forums.moneysavingexpert.com

Put your home broadband to the speed test

2008-05-26T16:01:00.001+01:00

Are you getting the home broadband speed you think? The only way to find out is to run a broadband speed test to find out your actual broadband speed.

The truth is that the results of a home broadband speed test will probably show your broadband connection isn’t as fast as you think, which is why it’s a good idea to regularly put your home broadband through a broadband speed test and then see if there is a better broadband package for you. We have an internet speed test on our site which is quick and easy to use and will give you a very accurate guide to the broadband speed of your home broadband connection.

Broadband speed can be altered by how far you live from the telephone exchange and the amount of users can also alter the results of a broadband speed test.

But even when the information about what affects the broadband test of your home connection is taken into consideration, the fact remains that home broadband providers advertise speeds that are largely unachievable. When it comes to what you experience from your home broadband an internet broadband speed test will reveal just what broadband speeds you are really achieving.

Many companies may advertise home broadband speeds of up to 8Mbps or faster, but in reality, when a broadband speed test is used, the average home broadband speed is around 2.7Mbps, while some home broadband speed test results have indicated home broadband speeds as low as 0.09Mbps. The key to getting what you want is to make sure you choose a broadband provider that gives you a guaranteed minimum broadband speed which you can check with our broadband speed test.

So why not run a (ADSL) broadband speed test on your home broadband and see if it is as fast as you think it is – a broadband test will reveal all.

Broadband – are the cheapest deals the best?

2008-05-26T15:58:00.000+01:00

Looking for the cheapest broadband or cheap broadband deals? If you’re not tied into a broadband contract and want the cheapest broadband deal then now is the best time to find the cheap broadband package you want.

Home and mobile broadband providers are fighting it out to deliver cheap broadband and the cheapest broadband deals, and there are lots of excellent offers and low prices to be had when buying cheap broadband.

But are the cheapest broadband deals a false economy? Well, the cheap broadband options don’t always offer unlimited downloads, and cheap broadband also doesn’t provide the highest broadband connection speeds. Other things to look out for when it comes to cheap broadband packages are minimum contract terms, call deals and free equipment. These are all worth considering when searching for the cheapest broadband or signing up for a cheap broadband deal.

Several of the cheapest broadband packages also have low initial monthly costs which then increase, so you should always make sure the cheapest broadband deals remain good value in the long run. What appears to be the cheapest broadband may not remain so for long. But if you keep your wits about you when searching for cheap broadband deals, you should always find ways to enjoy the cheapest broadband.

Mobile broadband is more competitive and the cheap broadband deals don’t vary in price to such a large extent as the cheapest broadband packages for the home. The cheap broadband deals for mobile broadband have different download speeds – 7.2MB being the current fastest – as well as download limits. When looking at the cheap broadband deals and the cheapest broadband packages you should also consider the cost of the USB modem and any other incentives that are on offer.
Do your research and the best, and cheapest, broadband deal is just a mouse click away.

A broadband offer you can't refuse

2008-05-22T23:02:00.001+01:00

So, you want a broadband package and you know that you need to compare all of the broadband packages and deals out there – you even know where to start (right here on this broadband package comparison site) – but before you begin evaluating the prices, speeds, contract lengths and download limits of the broadband package providers and their products, have you considered the other aspects of their broadband package offers because if you haven’t then you probably should.

Take the various mobile broadband packages for example; if you currently sign up to Three’s mobile broadband package ‘Mobile Broadband Plus’ through Carphone Warehouse you get a free Acer Aspire 5315 laptop computer. Depending on the broadband package and provider you should also look for free and half price deals on the USB modem that comes with your broadband package.

Various home broadband packages also include distinctive free gifts from the different broadband package providers. AOL, for example, is currently offering anyone who subscribes to its Wireless Plus broadband package a free HP laptop with free wireless router and also from AOL is the opportunity to get your hands on a free PlayStation 3 when you sign up to the provider’s home broadband package through Carphone Warehouse.

When it comes to buying a broadband package and you want something in return for your custom it pays to check out the different broadband packages. You don’t need to sign all of your multi-media to get great offers on broadband packages, so don’t just settle for the service you want, get the broadband package gift you want as well.

Do you dongle?

2008-05-22T22:57:00.001+01:00

Broadband modems are known as many things; but it doesn’t matter whether you call it a USB modem, broadband dongle, or simply just a dongle, because broadband modems are definitely here to stay.

Broadband modems are set to be very big business and it is estimated that over 1 million people will each own a broadband dongle for accessing the internet over mobile broadband by the end of 2008. If you aren’t looking at broadband modems yet, you will be soon.

In fact, the popularity of using USB broadband modems has rocketed and there are now seven times more people using a USB modem to access data via mobile broadband since the initial launch of broadband modems in mid 2007. All you need is a PC as the dongle has its own software embedded, which loads when you plug the broadband dongle into the USB slot on either a desk top or laptop. This also means that your broadband modem is totally portable and is not ‘tied’ to one computer – you can simply plug in your dongle to any computer to get instant mobile broadband access.

There is a concern about how much traffic the mobile networks for broadband modems can actually handle given the rapid growth of broadband dongle users. However, the technology is now very robust and broadband modems are flying off the shelves and people are even choosing to use a broadband dongle over traditional fixed-line home broadband packages.

Broadband modems are so popular because mobile broadband gives you portable broadband and internet access with no wires. It is simple, quick and all done via small USB broadband modems.

Using a broadband modem to access mobile broadband means you don’t need a telephone line or to be in a Wi-Fi area to get online, you just need a USB modem to plug into your laptop or PC. The average speed of UK mobile broadband modems has been tested at 1.46Mbs, so you get access to fast mobile broadband, via a neat little USB broadband dongle and you can do it all while you are on the move; no wonder broadband modems are proving such a hit. Watch this space to see the market for broadband modems grow and get ready to see a broadband dongle on a laptop near you soon.

Find the best Mobile Broadband Deals
Find the best deals, compare mobile broadband providers and read more about the mobile internet and USB modems.