UK superfast broadband connections on the rise
The number of superfast broadband connections in the UK is rising fast, new data from Ofcom shows.
It was revealed that close to one in three UK connections are now classed as superfast, which is up from one in four in November 2013.
Ofcom stated that this growing take-up of superfast cable or fibre services means average UK broadband speeds increased by a fifth in the six months to November 2014.
Steve Unger, acting Ofcom chief executive, explained that millions of households and businesses all over the UK are now benefiting from faster speeds and more choice.
He said: "But there's still more to be done to ensure that everyone can share in those benefits. It's encouraging to see continued investment in infrastructure from broadband providers, supported by government funding, to bring faster broadband to harder to reach areas.
"By providing the best possible information, Ofcom can help people understand the broadband services available to them and what they can do to get the most from their broadband."
Northern Ireland recently confirmed it is to spend £17 million on upgrading its broadband infrastructure in a bid to ensure it can keep up with the rest of the UK on technology.
Enterprise minister Arlene Foster described the investment as "a further step in improving superfast broadband services across Northern Ireland" and announced that BT has been chosen to lead the delivery of the new broadband project.
Ofcom also revealed that faster cable and fibre services have lower availability in rural areas, while rural broadband speeds are typically significantly slower than those found in towns and cities, delivering only around one third of urban speeds on average.
However, Ofcom recorded no significant change in average speeds in suburban and rural areas because faster cable and fibre broadband services typically have lower availability in rural areas.
Businesses looking to move services into the cloud should evaluate the performance of their existing network and consider setting up a leased line or MPLS network.
