DIFFERENT TYPES OF BROADBAND

1. FULL FIBRE (FTTP)

This is the current "Gold Standard" of internet connectivity. FTTP stands for Fibre to the Premises. It uses strands of glass to transmit data as light signals all the way from the exchange directly into your home. It is immune to electromagnetic interference and offers the highest speeds.

In the UK, this is rolled out by Openreach (used by BT, Sky, TalkTalk) and alternative networks or "Altnets" like CityFibre and Hyperoptic. The current standard is GPON which shares capacity, but XGS-PON is rolling out now, capable of delivering symmetrical speeds of up to 10Gbps.

2. CABLE (VIRGIN MEDIA)

Historically the fastest option before Full Fibre arrived, this uses coaxial cables originally laid for TV services. In the UK, this is almost exclusively Virgin Media O2. The technology is known as HFC (Hybrid Fibre-Coaxial).

Fibre runs to a cabinet on your street, but the final leg to your house is a high grade copper coaxial cable. Using DOCSIS 3.1 technology, it can easily achieve download speeds over 1Gbps. However, upload speeds are typically lower than Full Fibre counterparts due to frequency limitations.

3. COPPER (FTTC / SoGEA)

This is the legacy "Superfast" broadband that most UK homes have used for the last decade. FTTC means Fibre to the Cabinet. Fibre runs to the green box on the street, but old copper telephone wires carry the signal the final distance to your home.

Speeds degrade with distance, usually topping out at 70Mbps. A modern variation called G.fast can boost this to 300Mbps over short distances. As the old telephone network is switched off, this is transitioning to SoGEA (Single Order Generic Ethernet Access), which is data only without a voice line.

TECH COMPARISON MATRIX

We have ranked the major connection types based on their capability. Click on a technology below to see its strengths and weaknesses.

4. WIRELESS (5G & 4G)

If you cannot get a cable to your house, wireless is the next best thing. This uses the same mobile network as your smartphone.

5G Home Broadband: In cities, this can rival fibre speeds, hitting 300-500Mbps. It is "plug and play" with no engineer visit required. However, the signal can fluctuate based on network congestion.

WISP (Fixed Wireless): In rural areas, a local company might beam a radio signal from a church spire or mast to a small dish on your roof. This requires "line of sight" but works where 5G fails.

5. SATELLITE (LEO VS GEO)

Space based internet has changed forever with the arrival of LEO (Low Earth Orbit) satellites like Starlink. Orbiting just 340 miles up, they offer low latency (~30ms) suitable for Zoom and gaming.

Traditional GEO (Geostationary) satellites sit 22,000 miles away. Signals take a long time to travel this distance, resulting in massive lag (600ms+). Avoid GEO unless it is the absolute last resort.

6. BUSINESS & DEDICATED LINES

For businesses, standard broadband isn't enough. They often use Leased Lines (DIA). This is a dedicated fibre connection just for that building. It comes with a 1:1 contention ratio (you don't share speed with neighbours) and strict Service Level Agreements (SLAs) to fix faults within hours.

Another option is Dark Fibre, where a business rents "unlit" glass strands and attaches their own equipment, allowing for infinite bandwidth scaling and total privacy.

INSTALLATION METHODS

How does the fibre actually get to you? It's all about construction.

PIA (Physical Infrastructure Access): Altnets can now run their cables through existing Openreach ducts and poles, speeding up deployment.

Micro-trenching: Instead of digging up the whole road, a narrow slot is cut into the pavement to lay cables. It's fast, but some councils dislike it.

UK VS USA TERMINOLOGY

If you read international tech sites, the terms can be confusing. Here is a quick translation guide:

Fiber vs Fibre: The US uses "Fiber". The UK uses "Fibre".

FTTC vs FTTN: What we call Fibre to the Cabinet (FTTC), the US often calls Fibre to the Node (FTTN).

Cable: In the US this refers to Xfinity/Spectrum. In the UK, "Cable" almost always means Virgin Media.

THE PSTN SWITCH OFF

By 2027, the old analogue telephone network (PSTN) in the UK will be completely switched off. This affects anyone still on legacy ADSL or using a landline plugged into the wall.

All internet will become "Digital Voice" or SoGEA. Your home phone will need to plug into the back of your router, not the wall socket. This is the biggest shake up in telecoms for 30 years.

EVOLUTION OF SPEED