Search the Community

Faster broadband is on the way, and it won’t require network providers to overhaul their infrastructure. nbn, the largest wholesale broadband provider in Australia, used Nokia’s Lightspan MF fiber platform, to deliver 10G, 25G, 50G and 100G broadband speeds over its existing fiber network. Nokia’s Lightspan delivers next-generation Passive Optical Network (PON) at scale. PON is a type of fiber-optic network that combines point-to-multipoint fiber architecture with communications networking. The technology works by using a single fiber-optic connection that divides into many distinct fibers, allowing one line to serve multiple users. This is achieved through both active and passive splitters, hence the name. PON technology boosts the efficiency of a network because it reduces the number of active switching devices used. Furthermore, it requires less power and supports greater distances between users and their service providers. (Image credit: Nokia) A game-changer There are a number of different types of PON technologies, including Gigabit Passive Optical Network (GPON), Ethernet Passive Optical Network (EPON), and next-generation PON like XG-PON (10 Gigabit PON) and NG-PON2 (40 Gigabit PON). Nokia’s Lightspan supports a full range of PON options. Geert Heyninck, vice president of broadband networks at Nokia, said: "There is a huge opportunity for operators to leverage their existing fiber broadband networks to efficiently add advanced services which goes way beyond consumer services. Think enterprise, mobile backhaul, Smart City, industry 4.0. It’s important for service providers to have choices to match the right speed and cost points to meet the different use cases and market requirements they may have. As the industry’s first and only solution capable of supporting the full range of PON technologies from 10G to 25G, 50G, and even 100G, we can give operators the freedom and flexibility they need to meet their business needs while also helping to optimize network performance and reduce costs." The trial highlighted the ease with which operators can upgrade the 10G PON to a symmetrical 25G PON and subsequently to 50G PON or 100G, using identical passive and active fiber components. This network evolution could be game-changing in delivering an enhanced digital experience for users, but there’s currently no word on when we can expect it to become widely available. More from TechRadar Pro Japanese scientists close in on petabit-class submarine cable tech6G mobile networks could reach one terabit per secondRevolutionary Wi-Fi tech that can cover two miles hits key milestone View the full article

The FCC released a new report which sets the broadband benchmark from 100 Mbps download speed while emphasizing the slow internet deployment in villages and View the full article

Key announcements- A new building has been connected every 6 minutes since the project began - The majority of connected premises are in hard-to-reach locations - 32,400 more premises will soon be connected in Gloucestershire and Yorkshire - A further £70m will soon be invested Thanks to investment from the UK government, more than one million homes, businesses and public buildings in hard-to-reach and rural areas can now access the fastest internet speeds on the market. For more than a decade now, the UK government has been investing in the construction of ‘gigabit-capable’ networks across the country. The government's intervention here is particularly important, as these networks have been installed in areas that are traditionally too difficult for broadband suppliers to reach as part of their commercial plans. This means that, without government intervention, they'd be left behind. (Image credit: Shutterstock) By taking this long-term decision, the government believes that it's growing the local economy, creating jobs and empowering people in local communities. This is because, without access to these faster speeds, people in more isolated communities would be unable to run local businesses and even indulge in what many people see as basic activities, like watching shows on Netflix, shopping or banking online or participating in a work video call. So far the government's rollout has taken place across the UK, from hamlets surrounding Land’s End in Cornwall to a Royal Air Force radar station in the northern isles of Shetland. What has the government achieved so far? The latest data from Project Gigabit shows that 1,006,800 homes and businesses have been connected, or are now able to access, a better broadband connection. The project started in August 2012, meaning that one home, business or public building has been connected to the network every six minutes, on average. This means that, at present, the UK is building a gigabit-capable network much quicker than any other country in the EU. Not only is this network more reliable than the old copper one, but it's also much quicker. It provides gigabit-capable speeds, meaning that households can download a high-definition film in under one minute, attend work video calls without any buffering and shop online across several different devices at once. Of the one million premises that have been connected to the new network, 5,300 are public buildings - including schools, libraries, hospitals, police stations, council offices and more. In these buildings, the upgrades have helped to boost productivity, while also improving economic security and opportunity for everyone. In particular, the government believes that businesses in the affected areas are benefitting greatly. Government estimates suggest that these businesses have already increased turnover by £2.6 billion, as the improved tech allows them to bring in more orders. How much of the project remains? The 1,000,000 premises landmark is significant, but the government is nowhere near finished with the project. After all, it recently announced that more than £77 million worth of Project Gigabit contracts have just been signed. These contracts will connect around 32,400 rural premises across Gloucestershire, West and parts of North Yorkshire. Added to this, further support has also been announced through the £70 million Future Telecoms Programme and Very Hard to Reach Alpha Trials to boost satellite connectivity. At present, around 80% of the UK is covered by gigabit broadband, up from just 6% in 2019. Thanks to the current rate of progress and announced investments, the UK is on track to achieve 85% coverage by 2025. Project Gigabit FAQs What is Project Gigabit? Project Gigabit is a record £5 billion programme to ensure hard-to-reach areas are not left behind in the national upgrade to gigabit broadband. The project aims to level-up mostly rural and remote communities across the UK, as well as tackling pockets of poor connectivity in urban areas. Where has the government connected the premises? Most of the one million connected premises are spread across hard-to-reach areas of the UK, including 68,800 in Scotland, 108,800 in Wales and 118,900 in Northern Ireland. Over £1.1 billion has already been signed in Project Gigabit contracts to connect more than 700,000 premises in England, from Northumberland, Durham and Cumbria to Cornwall, Norfolk and Suffolk. Can my property receive gigabit-capable speeds? The easiest way to check what speed you're currently receiving is to run a broadband speed test. To see what speeds you're eligible to receive, visit the website of your chosen broadband provider and put your postcode into their checker. They'll then show you all of the packages that are available at your address. If you'd like to see the speeds available from all of the different providers at once, simply pop your postcode into the widget at the bottom of this page. Then, we'll show you all of the best and fastest packages available at your property. Can I apply for an upgrade through Project Gigabit? If you can't currently access gigabit-capable speeds but you'd like to receive a faster connection at your property, then you'll be pleased to hear that £210 million in funding is available to help people in eligible rural areas get immediate financial help. This scheme is accessible through broadband service providers that have registered to provide connections through the scheme. If your home or business is eligible, you can receive a voucher for up to £4,500 that will help cover the cost of installing gigabit-capable broadband in your area. You can check if you’re eligible for a voucher at your address on the Gigabit Broadband Voucher Scheme website. View the full article

If you use Plusnet broadband in the UK and have been struggling with your broadband connection today, you aren't alone – a "major" outage hit the network earlier this afternoon and is continuing to cause problems. According to Downdetector, the issues started at just after 4pm GMT and, at the time of writing, there have been over 30,000 reports of problems from Plusnet users. These are mostly related to "landline internet", with users reporting either "no signal" or "total blackout". Plusnet has now acknowledged the issue and gave us this statement: "Some of our customers are unable to use their broadband connection. We are working to get them back online as soon as possible. We’re very sorry for any inconvenience caused.” Downdetector (above) showed a peak of about 30,000 reports on Plusnet broadband outages, and the number remains high at the time of writing. (Image credit: Downdetector) According to some commenters on both Downdetector and X (formerly Twitter), the issues could be related to Plusnet's DNS server, which is effectively a phone book that turns domains or websites into IP addresses. This because some are finding that using a VPN circumvents the issues on their Plusnet broadband. Others on X have also found success by changing their router's DNS settings. You can read how to do this in our guide on how to change your DNS settings, but it's also possible to do this at a router level by logging into your Plusnet Hub router, going to its Advanced settings and then turning the 'Auto' DNS setting off. You should then be able to choose a different DNS, which may be a workaround. However, it's probably wise to wait until Plusnet expands on its initial statement and releases some further advice, if the issues persist and there's no imminent fix. Plusnet responds Plusnet has now officially responded with the statement above about its broadband issues, but it's also replied to some commenters on X who are experiencing a particularly blue version of Blue Monday. As you can see below, it states that it's "investigating a major service outage". In a separate comment, Plusnet's X support said: "We don't have an estimated fix time but are working hard to get this resolved quickly for you." Hi Tony, we're investigating a major service outage so we can't assist at present I'm afraid. Please bear with us and I'll check back in with you tomorrow to see if there's still an issue we need to sort out for you. - Adam - Plusnet SheffieldJanuary 15, 2024 See more While it's scant consolation to Plusnet users, it appears that several hundred BT broadband and TalkTalk users are also reporting broadband issues this afternoon – although nowhere near on the scale of Plusnet. We've requested comment from Plusnet about a timescale for a resolution and any further advice it has for users, and will update this page when we hear back. View the full article

I am a proud Three UK customer and have been a champion of their services for quite some time; after all, it offers the world’s cheapest unlimited data plan and I’ve got one (a so-called 5G broadband). Today however, I find myself using a backup broadband service in order to get work done (and write this article). Three has been down for nearly two hours, impacting not only phone calls and mobile data on its network and its MVNO partners but also - and more significantly - mobile broadband data used by thousands of small businesses, professionals and startups across the UK. If you have been impacted by this and are reading this once the dust has settled, it might be a good idea to look at how you can get a backup broadband package to mitigate any sudden loss in connectivity, delivering an emergency solution, regardless of whether you are a consumer or a business. For the first set of users, it can be as simple as having a simple phone with a loaded pay as you go (PAYG) SIM, which is commonly known as a glove box phone. Any SIM only deal would do. It may not be useful to receive calls but it may prove invaluable to make one. Bear in mind as well that you may need to keep it charged and loaded (just do it at the same time as you test your smoke alarm). Better late than never For businesses, there’s a wide variety of solutions available to ensure seamless connectivity regardless of the provider. Depending on your budget and how many minutes of downtime you can afford, it can be as simple as having a fixed broadband connection (I have one with Virgin Media) or a mobile broadband router connected to a different mobile network. Alternatively, if your smartphone supports two SIMs, you can use a cheap data only SIM and enable the hotspot feature on your device. More elaborate solutions include a bonding router where two or more broadband connections (wired or wireless) are joined together to create a big internet pipe. These are often used for load balancing as well which enables a more efficient use of your internet resources. Some UK networks like EE and Virgin Media have already started to roll out these “unbreakable” Wi-Fi which essentially pair a wireless connection to a wired one; expect this to be a major feature of any network going forward. Ask your Internet Service provider for what options are available to you as a consumer or business. You might also like Vodafone and Three announce UK mega-mergerBT confirms UK 3G switch off is coming soonThese are the best rugged smartphones View the full article