Obtaining mobile broadband to enhance broadband speed?

I'm an older person. My part of London has no fibre broadband. I work remotely and my ADSL wifi speed is inadequate for my work (VOIP calls and so on).

Present speeds are typically:
Download Mbps 16.21

Upload Mbps 0.70

Ping ms 32 70 99

To work, I need a minimum of 15 download and 10-15 upload.

I have wondered if perhaps mobile broadband (or a similar solution) might enhance my broadband speeds to the level I need. I will need it for only 20 hours weekly.
Of course, I use Ethernet and do not have Bluetooth engaged when working. I have made sure nothing is lowering my wifi speeds.

Am I barking up the wrong tree? (or just barking? LOL) I realise there would be a cost, but I do need to stay in work! I'd really appreciate guidance.

Edited by sallysw1 (Sun 15-Sep-24 20:39:54)

In reply to a post by sallysw1:

Of course, I use Ethernet and do not have Bluetooth engaged when working. I have made sure nothing is lowering my wifi speeds

Well done for using ethernet, but why are you telling us about wifi speeds? To clarify, your working computer is connected to your router with an actual ethernet cable?

As for your pings, what do you mean by:

Ping ms 32 70 99

Is this minimum 32ms average 70ms and max 99ms?

Who is your ISP? And what do you need to do on the internet apart from VOIP calls? Loads more questions to come, I suspect, but let's deal with those to start off with.

4G/5G is certainly capable of much better than what you get on ADSL, although they tend to focus on the download performance. I can get over 250Mbps down on 5G, but only <30Mbps up. Still, that is far higher than ADSL is even capable of, and it works fine for VoIP calls.

The issue here is that you don't really know if it will work until you test it! For example, Three have a decent 5G network in some locations; I can get speeds of several hundred Mbps, but people in some areas (including London) report that the Three network is heavily oversubscribed and so it is simply not a viable option for them. The availability of different networks in your area, the distance from their mast, obstructions between you and the mast, and how many other people you are sharing it with will all have an impact, and the only way to really figure this out it by trial and error.

Fortunately SIM cards with short term data packages can be obtained cheaply for testing, but 4G and 5G modems can be quite expensive to buy.

When you say there is no fibre, are you referring to VDSL (FTTC) or FTTP? If you do have VDSL available then that might be worth an upgrade over ADSL.

You could tether off a mobile phone as a starting point to try out different networks.

If you post a screenshot from broadbandchecker.btwholesale.com (with your address blanked off) it will answer quite a few of the questions that have been raised and might identify some other options.

Thank you for taking an interest and responding. I do appreciate it.

Sorry that I inadvertently typed wifi, not broadband. I was tired.

Yes, my working laptop is connected to the router by the yellow ethernet cable, using a USB-to-Ethernet adapter,

My ISP is Plusnet. They've apparently done all they can, having sent numerous engineers who have identified no way of fixing the problem. They've engaged with me over this for many months.

To my regret, I can't explain the PNGs. I just reproduced the speed assessment that I accessed online but I don't know what they mean or their relevance, if any. Plusnet said PNGs were irrelevant and they say my broadband speeds are what they'd expect with ADSL.

I will send another speed assessment with PNGs if that would help you.

I work as a market research interviewer, so I make calls to people who answer questions. I enter the data in my company's online questionnaire. I also access Skype to communicate with other agents. There has been a lot said by my employer about latency and other technical things that I admit I don't truly understand, but these things are apparently adversely affecting my work. The upshot is that I'm out of work if I can't fix this. That's why I hoped perhaps using mobile broadband might help.

Good wishes and thank you.

A lot to unpack here

In reply to a post by sallysw1:

Sorry that I inadvertently typed wifi, not broadband. I was tired.

Yes, my working laptop is connected to the router by the yellow ethernet cable, using a USB-to-Ethernet adapter,

Ethernet via USB can be quite variable, I believe. There are many different levels of USB and the highest will not overcome the limitations of a legacy ethernet adapter. My order of preference is

1. Ethernet
2. Wifi
3. ethernet over USB

So could you try wifi?

My ISP is Plusnet. They've apparently done all they can, having sent numerous engineers who have identified no way of fixing the problem. They've engaged with me over this for many months.

Aye right. ISP's only do so much.

To my regret, I can't explain the PNGs. I just reproduced the speed assessment that I accessed online but I don't know what they mean or their relevance, if any. Plusnet said PNGs were irrelevant and they say my broadband speeds are what they'd expect with ADSL.

I will send another speed assessment with PNGs if that would help you.

If I have interpreted your pings correctly, they are quite variable, which is indicative of too much traffic on the ISP's circuits, in which case the fix might be another ISP.

I work as a market research interviewer, so I make calls to people who answer questions. I enter the data in my company's online questionnaire.

Do the problems reproduce on normal web browsing?

I also access Skype to communicate with other agents. There has been a lot said by my employer about latency and other technical things that I admit I don't truly understand, but these things are apparently adversely affecting my work. The upshot is that I'm out of work if I can't fix this.

How do you make your phone calls? Old style public phone? Digital Voice? VOIP? Is your ADSL wired correctly in the house?

That's why I hoped perhaps using mobile broadband might help.

It might help. It might not. It is pot luck at the moment. As you can see there are lots of things to look at and if for example the problem is your USB adaptor or your USB, you might be no further forward.

At the moment, [potential] solutions on the table include

• Mobile broadband
• Fix your ADSL wiring
• Change to wifi and ditch the USB adaptor
• Change ISP

but without pinning down what the actual problem is, we don't know which solutions are going to help. We are not even sure that the problem is not with your employer's server connection. Are you up for a protracted bout of investigation?

I have read about the mobile phone option, but it looks daunting to someone inept/inexperienced like me.

I attempted (several times, using full address and postcode and so on) the Broadband Availability Checker. The "wheel" onscreen turned, but nothing happened. Flummoxed!

Looked online and it seems others have encountered this. Looked instead on alternative
https://www.openreach.com/fibre-broadband

which shows this:

Build planned between

now and Dec-2026

Ultrafast Full Fibre Broadband

Up to

1800 Mbps

download speed

Up to
120 Mbps
upload speed

Keep me updated
Learn more
Available now

Standard Broadband

Up to

24 Mbps

download speed

Up to
1 Mbps
upload speed

Does that help you with your assessment, or shall I do something else? I'm very grateful - thank you.

Yes, I will do ANYTHING to remain in work. This has trundled on for two years so far (with two different employers, who both said my calls were dropping). My work's good - the technology is what's causing the difficulty! Urghhh

What about A&A ? They still do ADSL and will also take on problems other ISP's have not, with a money back guarantee. They might be able to get more out of your ADSL line ?

https://www.aa.net.uk/broadband/why-choose-aaisp/#:~...

In reply to a post by sallysw1:

Yes, I will do ANYTHING to remain in work.

Then you could start by answering my questions in the post you are replying to ...

So could you try wifi?

Do the problems reproduce on normal web browsing?

How do you make your phone calls? Old style public phone? Digital Voice? VOIP? Is your ADSL wired correctly in the house?

Are you up for a protracted bout of investigation?