Rural broadband

I've just come back from a fantastic holiday cottage:

http://maps.google.co.uk/maps?f=q&source=s_q&hl=en&g...

I didn't take my laptop but I got to chatting with the owners who lived in the same block and took a look at their installation as a favour. They were syncing at 1056 (ooooh, bad luck ) but it was reliable and quite usable. They were fairly happy with it. It didn't support iPlayer but they manage to maintain their website ( http://www.cottageguide.co.uk/stable-cairnsmore/fram... ) and get email. Quite honestly - it's in the middle of [censored] nowhere and it has a (nearly) 1Mb/s connection. So where's this 'broken broadband Britain'?

What are people expecting - a 10Gb/s link?

Anyway I left them with links to Kitz and RobertoS' site and suggested they borrow someone's Thompson router. If they can just get another 100kb/s they should squeeze onto the 1Mb/s profile.

Edited by Andrue (Mon 30-Aug-10 17:30:12)

5.54 KM to the exchange according to samknows. That's straight line. It's a miracle it works!

In reply to a post by ukhardy07:

5.54 KM to the exchange according to samknows. That's straight line. It's a miracle it works!

Their router reported the infamous '63.5 db attenuation'. I deliberately left the laptop at home because I wanted a 'low-tech' holiday but I was amazed when they said there was broadband.

I mean, sure, there's places without it but if somewhere like that can get nigh-on 1Mb/s then BT is doing something right.

Nice edit . It wasn't there the first time I saw the post.

It really is pot luck if you can get broadband in the middle of nowhere. It's all about the line quality and if the exchange has been enabled (which now most are).

The problem is that there are far less isolated places that can't get broadband.

People expect the internet to just work, click and load; not click and wait for ages. Currently 1-2Mbps is fine for basic use but as soon as they want to watch HD you need 3.5~10Mbps (depending on codec and quality)

In reply to a post by Andrue:

So where's this 'broken broadband Britain'?

I was outside Forres on the A96 last week in a lovely B&B. The line was long enough when their broadband worked it was about 800kbps. The locals had mobile signal from all the networks, but all 2G only.

Until I switched on my iPad with 3 pay-as-you-go SIM installed, and it showed a full signal. I assumed it was roaming, and did a speed test. - 3.2mbps download

I think they were amazed.

Investment is happening in the regions.... results are starting to appear.

In reply to a post by jchamier:

In reply to a post by Andrue:

So where's this 'broken broadband Britain'?

I was outside Forres on the A96 last week in a lovely B&B. The line was long enough when their broadband worked it was about 800kbps. The locals had mobile signal from all the networks, but all 2G only.

Until I switched on my iPad with 3 pay-as-you-go SIM installed, and it showed a full signal. I assumed it was roaming, and did a speed test. - 3.2mbps download

I think they were amazed.

Investment is happening in the regions.... results are starting to appear.

Heh well that wasn't so clever there. I had to go half way down the drive to get a signal at all - either that or climb to the top of a hill. I got five bars at the summit of Cairnsmore of Fleet but 720 metres up is a hell of a way to go for a good signal. It wasn't even 3G

Edited by Andrue (Mon 30-Aug-10 20:09:16)

In reply to a post by RobertoS:

Nice edit . It wasn't there the first time I saw the post.

Credit where it's due. Your site is simple and efficient. It's ideal for referring people. Kitz is more for the geeks

I do feel a bit sorry for them, though. So close to a 1Mb profile

Maybe they will get 1152, which is all that is needed.

You also hit on the intended target reader, I wouldn't attempt to match Kitz.

It didn't start as an idea for publication, but as a text document repository of links and text to copy/paste. Of course I wasn't far into that before the light dawned .

I know of a 9km long line with a 97db attenuation and its syncs at over 1.4mbps. I was amazed =O