MILLIONS of Brits can now access ultrafast broadband as network access provider Openreach announces a major milestone in its huge upgrade plan.
The BT-owned firm says it’s now reached the halfway point in its target to bring Full Fibre to 25million premises by the end of 2026.
GettyBT and other internet providers will gain from the move[/caption]
And it’s now revealed the next 142 locations set for speedy broadband next.
Openreach’s infrastructure is used by many internet service providers across the UK, meaning households using the likes of BT, Sky and TalkTalk will gain from the boost.
However, these speed upgrades don’t tend to come free, so you’ll have to pay more for a faster package.
The £15billion infrastructure project has successfully made its way into 12.5million homes, businesses and public buildings, Openreach said.
Its end goal is to reach up to 30million premises with Full Fibre by the end of 2030.
Clive Selley, CEO of Openreach said: “Our build rate is still accelerating and it’ll take us half the time to reach our next 12.5million.
“But we won’t be stopping there. Ultimately, we’ll reach up to 30million premises by the end of the decade – unlocking a raft of economic and social benefits by supporting new models of commerce, healthcare and public services.”
Sir John Whittingdale, Minister for Data and Digital Infrastructure, commented: “This marks an incredibly significant milestone, providing millions more people across the UK with access to transformative gigabit-capable connectivity.
“We know how important fast, reliable broadband is for homes, businesses and our vital public services, and with the support of government action, the UK is currently building gigabit networks faster than any than any country in the EU.
“It’s vital the industry maintains its pace of delivery, and extends if further supported by our £5billion Project Gigabit, ensuring rural and hard to reach communities do not miss out.
“This marks another important step in our ambition for 85 per cent of properties to have access to Gigabit-capable connections by 2025 delivering a modern digital infrastructure to every corner of the UK.”
The next set of locations due for upgrade cover about 1.4million properties, including in some of the hardest to reach, most rural communities.
The locations are:
Portsmouth Central
Upton Park
Albert Dock
Crawley
Erdington
York
Nottingham Longbow
Leytonstone
South Harrow
Catford
Walthamstow
Bromley
Basford
Sydenham
Cosham
Perivale
Fallings Park
Downend
Birchwood
Portsmouth North
Coatbridge
Middlesbrough
Huntingdon
Beulah Hill
Beckenham
Fulham
Marine
East
Fleet
Liberton
Hatfield
Elstree
Lemington
Canvey Island
Greenford
Broadstone
Wisbech
Hainault
Clydebank
Beaumont
Burgess Hill
West Malling
Belstead
Rainham
Glenfield
Johnstone
Croftfoot
Chelsea
Cleethorpes
Edgware
Potters Bar
Mill Hill
Whitton
Gatley
Alexandria
Summertown
Bingley
Great Yarmouth
Vange
Narborough
Brookwood
Dumbarton
Hoyland
Chalfont Drive
West Wickham
Denton Burn (DNB)
Louth
Romsey
Yaxley
Uddingston
Peacehaven
Stanmore
Oadby
Duntocher
Kidlington
Rawmarsh
Bannockburn
Bushey Heath
North Edgware
Maltby
Ashby De La Zouch
Rectory
Carterton
Holytown
Barnby Dun
Clay Cross
Cowdenbeath
Boness
Ilkley
Toll Bar
Old Whittington
Snodland
Polegate
Sloane
Archers Court
Pocklington
Midcalder
Milngavie
Arkwright
Radlett
Denny
Amesbury
Sudbrooke Park
Ampthill
Bonnybridge
Thrybergh
Sutton Elms
Gorebridge
Brediland
Fairmilehead
Castle Donington
Radcliffe On Trent
Woodborough
Tidworth
Rothwell
Cotgrave
Belgravia
Kilbarchan
Wendover
Lochgelly
Studley
Hethersett
Durrington
Howden
Freeland
Dymchurch
Wilton
Brampton
Denham
North Cave
Leven
Ludgershall
Cleland
Wing
Gilberdyke
Winchburgh
Germoe
Bulford Camp
Hadlow
Bickington
Gotham
Salsburgh
Top tips on how to stay connected
Here are some tips from Ofcom on how to improve your Wi-Fi connection and get more out of it:
Use your landline or Wi-Fi calls:More people are making calls on their mobile network during the day, so you may find you get a more reliable connection using your landline or by turning on “wifi calling” in your settings.
Move your router clear of other devices: Keep your router as far away as possible from other devices, such as cordless phones, baby monitors, TVs and monitors, as they can all affect your Wi-Fi if they’re too close to your router. Also, place your router on a table or shelf rather than on the floor, and keep it switched on.
Lower the demands on your connection: The more devices attached to your wifi, the lower the speed you get. Devices like tablets and smartphones often work in the background, so try switching wifi reception off on these when you’re not using them.
Try wired rather than wireless:For the best broadband speeds, use an Ethernet cable to connect your computer directly to your router rather than using Wi-FI.
Plug your router directly into your main phone socket:Where possible, try not to use a telephone extension lead, as these can cause interference which could lower your speed.
Test the speed on your broadband line: You can run a speed test using Ofcom’s official mobile and broadband checker. If possible, carry out tests over a few days and see if there are any changes.
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