More people in East Anglia say losing their broadband for a day is more frustrating than their fridge, boiler or car breaking down, new research by Essex-based County Broadband shows.
When asked which of a list of incidents would be most inconvenient, some 9% of those surveyed in the East of England said their broadband going down would be the most inconvenient over a 24-hour period, compared to 8% for the fridge not working, 5% for the loss of central heating, and 3% for the car failing to start, according to the survey*.
The loss of electricity (76%) was the most common inconvenience for those surveyed in the East of England.
It comes after the coronavirus lockdown highlighted the importance of fast, reliable broadband with the region attempting to work from home, carry out school remotely, or simply keep in touch with loved ones during the pandemic.
Lloyd Felton, CEO of County Broadband, based in Aldham near Colchester, said: “The fact that fridges, central heating and cars – food, warmth and travel – have been overtaken by simply staying online suggests how our primeval instincts might be rapidly changing in the 21st century, and no doubt exacerbated by the Covid-19 pandemic.
“From Zoom conferences and virtual work events, to 4K streaming and video gaming at home, we are not surprised by these findings which reveal just how vital fast and reliable broadband have become in our daily lives.
“These changing modern habits are set against the lockdown exposing East Anglia’s rural poor digital infrastructure and urgent need for new Hyperfast full-fibre networks.
“We’re playing our role in making our region a true flagbearer for world-class digital infrastructure by rolling out Hyperfast full-fibre broadband. We’ve catapulted thousands of residents and businesses overnight into the UK’s top 10% for digital connectivity and look forward to welcoming many thousands more to our growing network this year.”
Meanwhile, the study revealed 59% of those surveyed in East Anglia are often left frustrated by poor internet. Some 28% said they need better broadband now, with the figure rising to 67% predicting it will need to be better by 2023.
County Broadband’s Hyperfast full-fibre network is being built in over 50 rural and remote villages in Essex, Norfolk and Cambridgeshire, with plans to connect 20,000 premises by Christmas 2020 following a £46 million private investment from Aviva Investors.
Speeds up to 1,000 Mbps are available – 18 times faster than the UK average and 10 times faster than copper-based superfast broadband that dates back to the Victorian period.
Residents and businesses can find out if they’re in a village covered in the rollout by using our postcode checker here.
*Survey of 1,000 adults living in urban areas in England and 1,000 adults living in rural areas in England conducted by Opinium on behalf of County Broadband in May 2020
Enough full-fibre broadband cable to double wrap the moon or complete almost 70,000 laps of Colchester United FC’s ground is being laid to connect thousands of rural premises in north Essex to UK-leading internet speeds, specialist Hyperfast provider County Broadband based near Colchester has announced.
Almost 14,000 miles of the infrastructure, seen as vital to help kickstart post-Brexit and post-coronavirus local economies, is planned to be built in rural areas near Colchester, Braintree and Chelmsford by the end of 2020.
The work to build the future-ready networks is continuing during the lockdown as the government views broadband as an essential utility, with County Broadband following public health guidance.
Thousands of residents and business owners in over 50 villages have approved plans to have the new networks, backed by a £46million Aviva investment, built in their community after the rollout launched last year
The 13,986 miles of Hyperfast full-fibre cable is also enough to complete over 500 marathons or fly from Stansted Airport to Sydney.
The networks provide speeds of up to 1000mbps, almost 20 times faster than the UK average, and form part of Prime Minister Boris Johnson’s “infrastructure revolution” pledge for the entire UK to have access to gigabit speeds by 2025 to catch up with the rest of the world.
Lloyd Felton, chief executive of County Broadband, said: “We remain committed to laying almost 14,000 miles – double the moon’s circumference – of Hyperfast full-fibre broadband cables to thousands of rural and remote residents and businesses in north Essex who have been blighted by years of poor rural digital connectivity.
“The current mass trial of working from home, increased reliance on the internet for streaming TV and films, and access to online educational services amid the coronavirus lockdown is shining a unique light on the urgent need to banish old Victorian copper networks that are simply unfit for modern life.
“The engines of our local economies will need restarting over the coming months and we believe full-fibre broadband will play a vital role in helping businesses and residents to respond and adapt to the ‘new normal’ – from enabling high-quality video conferences to seamless home entertainment.
“We are all facing difficult and challenging times but we would like to reassure rural communities in Essex that we are here to support them. The highest standards of safety and community sensitivity are of paramount importance as we continue ‘business as usual’.”
Currently, only 10% of UK homes and businesses can access full-fibre broadband, compared with 71% in Spain and 89% in Portugal. The government is relying on privately funded infrastructure specialists like County Broadband to build gigabit-capable speeds to all UK premises by 2025.
County Broadband is laying 13,986 miles of Hyperfast full-fibre broadband across north Essex. This is enough full-fibre cable to…
Wrap the moon twice (double the circumference)
Run 68,207 laps of Colchester United’s football pitch
Fly from Stansted Airport to Sydney
Complete 533 marathons
Line up 1,875,690 double-decker buses
Residents and businesses can find out if they’re in a village covered in the rollout by using our postcode checker here.
County Broadband, a specialist rural full-fibre network and broadband provider, has announced 14 villages near Diss and Thetford have signed up to join its new Hyperfast full-fibre broadband network with a further 14 villages in south Norfolk on the cusp of securing the 1,000mbps connection.
Local councillors are now urging residents and business owners in the remaining 14 villages in the rollout’s first phase to rally together and support County Broadband with its proposals to build the new future-ready infrastructure to receive internet speeds 20 times faster than the UK average.
Thousands of residents and business owners in 52 villages across East Anglia have already given the green light to have the future-ready network built after last year’s rollout launch, backed by a £46million private investment by Aviva Investors. County Broadband has plans to start engaging with a further 60 villages across the region by the end of 2020.
The 14 villages that have signed up to County Broadband’s full-fibre network are: Aslacton, Bressingham, Forncett, Great Moulton, Needham, Starston, Wacton, Bunwell, Carleton Rode, Shelfanger, Tibenham, Pulham Market, Pulham St Mary and Winfarthing.
There is a minimum threshold of pre-order sign ups from residents and businesses in each village before projects are approved and the network build can begin. Schools and community halls will also receive a free connection and service.
Following the announcement, one of the first to order in the village: John Johnson-Allen, who lives in Great Moulton and is Chairman of the Parish Council, commented: “My fellow councillors and I all enthusiastically supported full-fibre broadband coming to the village. It is a fantastic opportunity which will benefit the whole community. As other local villages are also taking the wonderful opportunity which we have been given, nearby communities will also benefit from lightning fast speeds after years of average speeds of 20mbps.
“We are delighted that Great Moulton has reached the threshold and we are now looking forward to receiving the full benefits of full-fibre broadband. On a personal level, as a historian and author, the increased speeds will be a huge help in my research.”
It follows the government’s flagship pledge for the entire UK to have access to gigabit speeds by 2025 to catch up with the rest of the world and forms part of Prime Minister Boris Johnson’s “infrastructure revolution”.
Currently, only 10% of UK homes and businesses can access full-fibre broadband, compared with 71% in Spain and 89% in Portugal. The government is relying on privately funded infrastructure specialists like County Broadband to deliver the ambitious plans proposed for gigabit-capable speeds to all premises across the UK by 2025.
The network would be built and installed later this year and be available to all premises which pre-order a service. County Broadband is providing further information to residents and businesses in the villages including project updates, local village hall meetings and Q&A sessions.
Lloyd Felton, chief executive of County Broadband, said: “We are delighted to have welcomed over 130 villages across East Anglia to our network and are pleased to announce further rural communities in Norfolk in our roll-out plans. We call on councillors and residents to consider the benefits of our Hyperfast full-fibre network and sign up now.”
Full-fibre broadband provides lightning-fast speeds of up to 1,000 megabits per second (Mbps) through FTTP (fibre-to-the-premises) networks in which fibre optic cables are connected directly into properties and offices – even in difficult-to-reach rural areas. This means HD films and music can be downloaded in seconds and will support the growing number of devices in the home that rely on an internet connection.
FTTP speeds are up to 20 times faster than superfast broadband which is based on a FTTC (fibre-to-the-cabinet) infrastructure which, even though is promoted as fibre, uses slow copper cables to deliver the internet from green roadside cabinets to the home. Speeds typically halve over the first 600 metres of copper cable and continue to lose speed over distance. This restricts the speed capabilities of a broadband service to the home and connections can be unreliable at peak times.
Residents and businesses can find out if they’re in a village covered in the rollout by using our postcode checker here.
Thirteen villages in rural Essex on the cusp of securing UK-leading full-fibre broadband of up to 1,000mbps, 20 times faster than the UK average, have been revealed by specialist Hyperfast broadband provider County Broadband, based near Colchester.
Thousands of residents and business owners in 52 villages across East Anglia have already given the green light to have the future-ready network built after last year’s rollout launch, backed by a £46million private investment by Aviva Investors. County Broadband has plans to start engaging with a further 60 villages across the region by the end of 2020.
Local councillors are now urging residents and business owners in the remaining 13 villages in the rollout’s first phase to rally together and support County Broadband with its proposals. The villages are: Frating, Thorrington, Rosewood development (Myland), Langham, West Hanningfield (including part of South Hanningfield), Hempstead, Hazeleigh, Woodham Mortimer, Woodham Walter, Little Maplestead, Mundon, Purleigh and Helions Bumpstead.
There is a minimum threshold of pre-order sign ups from residents and businesses in each village before projects are approved and the network build can begin. Schools and community halls will also receive a free connection and service.
It follows the government’s flagship pledge for the entire UK to have access to gigabit speeds by 2025 to catch up with the rest of the world and forms part of Prime Minister Boris Johnson’s “infrastructure revolution”.
Currently, only 10% of UK homes and businesses can access full-fibre broadband, compared with 71% in Spain and 89% in Portugal. The government is relying on privately funded infrastructure specialists like County Broadband to deliver the ambitious plans proposed for gigabit-capable speeds to all premises across the UK by 2025.
David Burch, Director of Policy at Essex Chambers of Commerce, said “Having access to an efficient and fast broadband network is an absolute essential for success today and we congratulate County Broadband for the work they are doing to ensure that businesses across the East of England, and especially in Essex, will be able get just that.”
The network would be installed later this year and be available to all premises. County Broadband is providing further information to residents and businesses in the villages including project updates, local village hall meetings and Q&A sessions.
Lloyd Felton, chief executive of County Broadband, said: “We are delighted to have welcomed over 130 villages in Essex to our new network and call on the remaining rural communities to consider the benefits of our Hyperfast full-fibre network and seize the opportunity to get future-ready.”
Full-fibre broadband provides lightning-fast speeds of up to 1,000 megabits per second (mbps) through FTTP (fibre-to-the-premises) networks in which fibre optic cables are connected directly into properties and offices – even in difficult-to-reach rural areas. This means HD films and music can be downloaded in seconds and will support the growing number of devices in the home that rely on an internet connection.
FTTP speeds are up to 20 times faster than superfast broadband which is based on a FTTC (fibre-to-the-cabinet) infrastructure which, even though is promoted as fibre, uses slow copper cables to deliver the internet from green roadside cabinets to the home. Speeds typically halve over the first 600 metres of copper cable and continue to lose speed over distance. This restricts the speed capabilities of a broadband service to the home and connections can be unreliable at peak times.
Residents and businesses can find out if they’re in a village covered in the rollout by using our postcode checker here.
Following a £46million investment from Aviva Investors, Hyperfast broadband provider County Broadband has announced it is commencing the rollout of new full-fibre networks in South Cambridgeshire, creating new opportunities for underserviced communities and businesses.
In the latest major boost to Cambridgeshire’s growing digital economy, County Broadband initially plans to build the new gigabit-capable networks in nine villages in the south of the county with more set to be unveiled later this year.
The announcement follows an initial launch in Essex and Norfolk last year which has seen over 10,000 residents and business owners sign up to receive future-ready digital connectivity with construction well underway in 50 villages.
The rural communities would have some of the fastest internet speeds in the UK at up to 20 times the national average. It follows the government’s flagship pledge for the entire UK to have access to gigabit speeds by 2025 to catch up with the rest of the world and forms part of Prime Minister Boris Johnson’s “infrastructure revolution”.
Lloyd Felton, chief executive of County Broadband, said: “Whilst Cambridgeshire is already ahead of some parts of the country when it comes to full-fibre broadband, there is still a long way to go as many communities and businesses still rely on an outdated, copper-based infrastructure.
“Changing consumer habits and increased data reliance from the rise of online streaming, combined with an increasing number of services from health to education moving online means that future-ready internet connectivity is now an essential. The installation of Hyperfast full-fibre networks will provide a real boost to the regions’ economy and unlock new growth opportunities for businesses and attract new investment opportunities.”
According to the Centre for Economics and Business Research (CEBR), the deployment of full-fibre broadband would be worth £5.38bn to the East of England economy over the next five years.
Welcoming the announcement, Councillor Ian Bates, Chair of Cambridgeshire County Council’s Economy and Environment Committee which oversees the Connecting Cambridgeshire digital connectivity programme, said: “Cambridgeshire is a leading digital county and we know how important it is to have fast, reliable Internet access wherever you are.
“It’s vital for our businesses to be able to compete, for our communities to thrive, and for people to access council services online. We welcome County Broadband’s commitment to investing in gigabit-capable services for rural villages in Cambridgeshire, which supports our ambition to extend full fibre coverage across the county to deliver better connectivity. Our Enabling Digital Delivery team is helping to ensure the rollout progresses as quickly as possible.”
Currently, 8% of UK homes and businesses can access full-fibre broadband, compared with 89% in Portugal and 99% in South Korea. The government is relying on privately funded infrastructure specialists like County Broadband to accelerate the UK’s roll-out.
The villages included in the initial rollout now have the choice of pre-ordering the new network or staying with their current providers. At least 30% of residents and businesses need to commit to pre-ordering to give the green light to start construction in each village. The networks would be installed in late 2020 and be available to all premises.
Full-fibre broadband provides lightning-fast speeds of up to 1,000 megabits per second (Mbps) through FTTP (fibre-to-the-premises) networks in which fibre optic cables are connected directly into properties and offices – even in difficult-to-reach rural areas. This means HD films and music can be downloaded in seconds.
FTTP speeds are up to 20 times faster than superfast broadband which is based on a FTTC (fibre-to-the-cabinet) infrastructure which, even though is promoted as fibre, uses slow copper cables to deliver the internet from green roadside cabinets to the home. Speeds typically halve every 600 metres and connections can be unreliable in peak times.
Residents and businesses can find out if they’re in a village covered in the rollout by using our postcode checker here.
Internet users must not become complacent amid an increasing range of threats, according to rural Essex full-fibre specialists County Broadband, which has issued five steps to improve online security on Safer Internet Day (February 11).
Seven in 10 people think they will become a victim of cybercrime in the next two years while one third believe losing money or personal details online is now unavoidable, the UK Cyber Survey 2019 found. Over half a million fraud reports were made to Action Fraud between 2017 and 2019, from online shopping fraud to scammers posing as IT specialists to fix computers.
Cybersecurity also cost large firms an average of £22,700 per incident last year according to the government’s Cyber Security Breach Survey 2019.
Lloyd Felton, chief executive of County Broadband, which is building new Hyperfast full-fibre broadband networks in over 50 villages in Essex, said: “Safer Internet Day provides the perfect opportunity for all digital users, young and old, novices and experts, to review and improve their online security in the face of ever-increasing sophisticated threats.
“From installing the latest tools to help prevent identity theft and privacy breaches, to spotting the hallmarks of dirty tactics waged by savvy hackers, we cannot afford to get complacent in the perpetual tug-of-war to remain safe in the modern world of rapidly-evolving technology.
“We hope residents and businesses in Essex find our five quick steps helpful to strengthen their cyber-security in the ongoing battle to remain safe, vigilant and resilient online.”
5 Quick Tech Fixes to Improve Online Security
Password protection
Allen keys are great for IKEA projects but your passwords shouldn’t be treated like one. Having different passwords for all your accounts is now a necessity. If you’re breached once, it can’t be repeated. You can download a password manager to take the strain and keep safe (and not forgotten) all your passwords. And, don’t forget – your passwords must regularly change and have capital letters, symbols, numbers and nothing memorable.
Two-factor authentication
This popular approach adds a vital layer of protection to secure your accounts. The concept involves a master password or sign-in, followed by a one-off temporary code sent directly to the account holder. For example, some banks will only let customers sign in after sending an extra text message authentication that expires within a few minutes. Some services you access through smartphone apps are also now asking for fingerprint identification or iris scanning as the second gateway.
Clear your cache
Reducing your online footprint should be a regular routine, as your multi-device, synced-up browsing history could reveal sensitive personal information such as your home address. You could download an app which does this for you automatically in the background – a fit and forget approach suited for busy modern life – such as Cookie AutoDelete for Google Chrome.
Shopping
You may have saved £67 on that indoor drone you’ve always wanted but cancel any orders right now from shopping websites, particularly obscure outlets, with URLs ending in .net. These are very rarely used by reputable retailers and are classic calling cards of illegitimate organisations. Plus – don’t save financial information. Make the effort each time to type out your details, no matter how tempting it might be to save your 16 digits.
Banking
Find out now if you’re with one of the most, or least, secure banks in the country. Consumer watchdog Which? regularly keeps track of the league table, carried out by independent security experts. Your habits are important too – you shouldn’t be online banking via open public Wi-Fi networks or hotspots. These are insecure and prone to unencrypted data being seized upon by fraudsters. Use a trusted private connection or 4G/5G – both will be encrypted.
Bonus tips
Secure your browser. Consider adblocker apps and desktop plug-ins like HTTPS Everywhere.
Back-up your data. Consider external hard disks or cloud-based software to keep your important files out of reach of hackers. Hard disks can be goldmines for personal, sensitive data. Apps like BitLocker and FileVault provide automatic encryption
Operating system. Ensure automatic updates are enabled for your device.
Residents and businesses can find out if they’re in a village covered in the rollout by using our postcode checker here.
From installing the latest tools to help prevent identity theft and privacy breaches, to spotting the hallmarks of dirty tactics waged by savvy hackers, we cannot afford to get complacent in the perpetual tug-of-war to remain safe in the modern world of rapidly evolving technology.
Especially when handy guides such as this tell you how easy it is to bolster your defences. So, here are six quick steps you can take right now to help get cyber-secure in 2020.
Password protection
Allen keys are great for IKEA projects but your passwords shouldn’t be treated like one. Having different passwords for all your accounts is now a necessity. If you’re breached once, it can’t be repeated. Too much admin? Download a password manager to take the strain and keep safe (and not forgotten) all your passwords. It will find and encrypt all your passwords. You can also use your new best friend to auto-fill your username and passwords, leaving you with just one password to remember. And don’t forget – your passwords must regularly change and have capital letters, symbols, numbers and nothing memorable.
VPN shield
Get yourself a Virtual Private Network (VPN) to help provide a secure connection when you’re unsure of your public environment, like in a coffee shop. VPNs encrypt (scrambling a message or data to make it unintelligible to unauthorised users) and protect data exchanged over the network traffic and conceals your location. This doesn’t only provide a digital cloak of invisibility but can save you money too – if you’re a city-dweller and eyeing up holidays or insurance, you’re likely to be charged more. Most require paid subscriptions but transparent and reliable free VPNs are available, such as TunnelBear, Kaspersky and Avira, offering deals such as 500MB free a month.
Two-factor authentication
This increasingly popular approach adds a vital layer of protection to secure your accounts, going beyond the now simplistic approach of a one-layer username and password. The concept includes a master password or sign-in, followed by a one-off temporary code sent directly to the account holder. For example, some banks will only let customers sign in after sending an extra text message authentication that expires within a few minutes. Gmail, Evernote, and Dropbox have been early adopters. Some service you access through smartphone apps are also now asking for fingerprint identification or iris scanning as the second gateway. If this sounds unfamiliar, it’s time to check your apps.
Clear your cache
Deleting cookies shouldn’t just be a New Year’s resolution which lasts two weeks. Reducing your online footprint should be a regular routine, as your multi-device, synced-up browsing history could reveal sensitive personal information such as your home address. You could download an app which does this for you automatically in the background – a fit and forget approach suited for busy modern life – such as Cookie AutoDelete for Google Chrome.
Shopping
You may have saved £67 on that indoor drone you’ve always wanted but cancel any orders right now from shopping websites, particularly obscure outlets, with URLs ending in .net or .org. These are very rarely used by reputable retailers and are classic calling cards of illegitimate organisations. Plus – don’t save financial information. Make the effort each time to type out your details, no matter how tempting it might be to save your 16 digits for future.
Banking
Find out now if you’re with one of the most, or least, secure banks in the country. Consumer watchdog Which? regularly keeps track of the league table, carried out by independent security experts. Their 2019 list is here. Your habits are important too – you shouldn’t be online banking via open public wi-fi networks or hotspots. These are insecure and prone to unencrypted data being seized upon by fraudsters. Use a trusted private connection or 4G/5G – both will be encrypted.
Quickfire tips
Secure your browser. Consider adblocker mobile apps and desktop plug-ins like HTTPS Everywhere.
Back-up your data. Consider external hard disks or cloud-based software to keep your important files out of reach of hackers. Hard disks can be goldmines for personal, sensitive data. Apps like BitLocker and FileVault provide automatic encryption
Operating system. Ensure automatic updates are enabled for your device.
Get our high-spec router. When you sign-up to our Hyperfast full-fibre broadband, being rolled out in rural areas of East Anglia, you’ll get our high-performance fibre Gateway Router, which offers WiFi Scheduling, firewall protection and provides you with a Hyperfast, future-ready broadband connection. Don’t forget – we also offer business packages offering additional support such as a faster call-out time and a higher traffic priority.
Lloyd Felton, chief executive of County Broadband, which is building new Hyperfast full-fibre broadband networks in over 50 villages across rural East Anglia, added: “We hope residents and businesses find our five quick steps helpful to strengthen their cyber-security in the ongoing battle to remain safe, vigilant and resilient online.”
You can find out if they’re in a village covered in our Hyperfast full-fibre rollout by using our postcode checker here.
2019 has been an exciting year for County Broadband. Following access to a £46 million private investment from Aviva Investors to rollout future-ready Hyperfast full-fibre to rural premises in East Anglia, set against the backdrop of supportive flagship government pledges despite such turbulent political times, we’re now starting to connect hundreds of customers.
We’ve grown our business exponentially – by 500% in fact – to connect our network to rural residents and businesses amid strong demand. We’re offering free connections to schools and village halls, whilst we’ve discussed Augmented Reality and smart home tech.
As we head into the 2020s, the need for speed and the demand for data are rising at exponential rates, driven by socio-economic changes in how we work, communicate, secure our homes, provide healthcare and education, travel, store things, buy home entertainment, and more.
So here are four reasons why you need Hyperfast full-fibre in 2020…
Speedand Reliability
With speeds up to 1,000 megabits per second (Mbps), Hyperfast full fibre is 10 times faster than its ‘superfast’ rival, which starts at just 30Mbps.
If an Essex agriculture firm spends an hour downloading blueprints from Cloud storage, using Hyperfast broadband means it could take only five minutes. Imagine the productivity gains.
For a family-of-four all streaming 4K on-demand TV, like BT Sport or Netflix, speeds of 100-120Mbps will soon be required. Moreover, with smart home devices and gadgets rapidly evolving, similar speeds could help save at-risk residents.
Hyperfast full-fibre delivers on its promise. Superfast broadband providers have long faced justified criticism over the gulf between advertised speeds and what is actually delivered. In 2018, a Which? survey revealed consumers only receive around half the speeds for which they pay. 38Mbps customers received 19Mbps. Some on “up to 200Mbps” packages got 52Mbps. This leads to other problems, like sacrificing upload speeds to boost sluggish downloads. Hyperfast full-fibre networks are five times more reliable than superfast, Ofcom says, have low latency (the time it takes for data to be sent and received), and prevent infuriating internet slow-downs during peak periods.
World-Class Infrastructure
The crux of the matter. The nation’s superfast broadband rollout has been predicated on fragmented Fibre-to-the-Cabinet (FTTC) technology: part-fibre, part-copper.
Copper was designed to conduct heat and electricity, not for delivering a broadband connection. As a result, these FTTC networks are not able to provide broadband services fit for purpose, leaving people with an unreliable and frustratingly slow internet connection that cannot cope with our technology demands, let alone future advances!
It’s not fit for purpose. Hyperfast full-fibre is based on Fibre-To-The-Premises (FTTP) technology, in which fibre optic cables are laid directly to your home or business. But FTTP is only available to 10% of UK properties. It’s 89% in Portugal.
Home Entertainment
With next-generation 4K and 8K TV sets hitting the market and the on-demand streaming wars commencing, industry innovation and consumer demand shows no signs of abating in the home entertainment industry in 2020. The latest official figures* show the UK market grew by 10% in 2018 to reach £2.34 billion.
With over 1,400 hours of 4K content, there’s a wealth of shows and movies available to stream on Netflix, but only if you have a reliable connection of 25Mbps. This is simply out of reach for thousands of rural and hard-to-reach homes which aren’t connected to FTTP broadband and could even be beyond the capabilities of superfast households which have multiple devices regularly connected simultaneously.
Meanwhile, Amazon Prime Video 4K includes original shows like Modern Love and The Grand Tour, while it’s spreading to sports too, where advertisers are expected to take advantage of personalised interactions with viewers.
There will be both 4K and 8K production in place at the Tokyo 2020 Olympics, while BT Sport Ultimate is capable of offering 4K, HDR and Dolby Atmos across a range of devices and TV sets. BT also has the rights to Moto GP, Rugby Aviva Premiership and cricket’s Ashes, to broaden its sporting appeal.
Meanwhile, Samsung and LK are set to step up plans to introduce 8K TVs in 2020, and while native 4K content is not on the agenda, as we’ve argued before, traditional TV is losing the tug of war with the on-demand giants, with subscriptions increasing to cover almost half the UK population whilst traditional TV audiences continue to fall.
Business
From video conferencing to cloud storage, businesses are poised to unlock huge productivity and efficiency gains from Hyperfast full-fibre broadband this year. We know that many local businesses in East Anglia are currently being hampered by slow, unreliable connections, allowing competitors to gain the advantage.
But once they have connected to our future-ready network, they’ll be perfectly positioned to flourish. Video conferencing means less travel, helping companies and their clients to improve their carbon footprint.
If the employee lives in a village which has joined our network, they’ll be safe in the knowledge that working from home will not hamper their ability to share large files or miss out on Skype calls. Flexible and agile working are becoming more popular – and are better for the environment with less traffic on the roads.
Cloud storage and shared access will mean less hardware and maintenance costs, whilst Hyperfast broadband will provide the foundation to allow companies to facilitate and adopt these and other emerging technologies, such as artificial intelligence (AI), cybersecurity and automation software, including data entry and email marketing.
Final Thoughts
Only ‘Hyperfast Britain’ can deliver a future-ready broadband service, ready to compete on the world stage now and primed for future upgrades, challenges and innovations.
A key milestone in bringing UK-leading internet speeds to rural parts of East Anglia is being celebrated after 10,000 homes and businesses across Essex and Norfolk pledged to have full-fibre broadband installed in their village, Hyperfast broadband provider County Broadband has announced.
Residents and business owners in 130 villages in the Colchester, Braintree and Chelmsford areas of Essex, as well as 18 villages in the Diss and Thetford areas of Norfolk, are set to join the UK’s top 8% for digital connectivity with future-ready speeds of up to 1 Gigabit (1,000 Mbps). Currently, the average UK rural speed is just 28 Mbps*.
However, the Hyperfast full-fibre networks will only be built in each village if at least 30% of the local community agrees to take up the service. Schools and community halls are also being offered free connections.
Work is already under way to connect over 50 Essex villages to County Broadband’s Hyperfast full-fibre network, with Eight Ash Green, Dale Close and Stanway near Colchester expected to be connected in January.
Matthew Allum, landlord at The Cricketers pub in Eight Ash Green (left below), toasted the news: “Reliable internet connectivity is no longer seen as just a luxury as more of our customers expect to be able to get online when they visit our pub. This new full-fibre network is an exciting opportunity for us and means we can provide more services to the community, such as streaming sporting events, and ensures we can take advantage of new technologies over the coming years.”
Richard Hartley, from Carleton Rode near Attleborough in Norfolk (right), pledged to have the service installed after struggling with slow internet speeds: “Carleton Rode, like many areas in Norfolk, has historically been left behind when it comes to broadband and I hope our community can join together to secure this amazing new service so we can all benefit from it.”
County Broadband’s new networks are funded by a £46million private investment from Aviva Investors and the firm aims to provide connection access to 30,000 premises across the East of England by the end of 2020.
James Salmon, head of sales at County Broadband, said: “We’ve very excited to reach this important milestone and it’s clear there is a huge appetite for Hyperfast broadband speeds in rural Essex and across the region. We live in an increasingly data hungry world of ultra-high definition streaming and online services but current superfast connections have been a sticky-plaster solution.
“The newly elected government is pushing for all of us to have access to gigabit capable speeds and we share this ambition. We believe our new hyperfast full-fibre networks will have a significant impact on not just local residents but businesses, communities and the wider economy.”
Christmas is supposed to be a time of joy and celebration, however for some people this is not the case and the strains of making ends meet at this time of year can prove very stressful to those most in need. This is why local food banks are a lifeline for some people and used all year round, however Christmas proves to be their busiest time of year.
That is why we have partnered with Colchester Foodbank to offer people a different kind of fibre this Christmas, launching a Christmas fundraising campaign to fund vital food supplies for the local charity.
In the UK, more than 14 million people are living in poverty – including 4.5 million children*. Colchester Foodbank’s aim is to end hunger and poverty in the UK and at Christmas time they need our help more than ever.
Colchester Foodbank has helped 7,000 people in crisis last year by providing three-day, nutritionally balanced emergency food parcels to those who have been referred to in a crisis in local villages around Colchester.
To support the food bank, we teamed up with our suppliers to raise over £1,000 for the charity. This will either go towards the day-to-day running of the food bank, or a new building for them to use.
As well as this, we held a food collection where staff were incredibly generous and donated three large boxes of food, like tinned fruit, toiletries and Christmas treats to help people in need during the festive season.
Three employees also donated their time to help with packing emergency parcels for those most in need this Christmas.
The campaign was the idea of County Broadband communications executive Annabelle Gardiner, who said: “This is something I am very passionate about as the festive season can be a very difficult time for vulnerable people in our society.
“County Broadband is passionate about helping communities in any way they can, so partnering with Colchester Foodbank allows them to help people in crisis this Christmas.
“Thanks to the generosity of our staff, we were able to make a positive impact in the community, but to make an even bigger impact, we partnered with our suppliers and have donated £1,090 to the food bank.
“Myself, County Broadband and our suppliers all share the same passion for helping our communities, and by working together we are able help alleviate people’s worries and stress and make their lives a little easier this Christmas.”
The support has been welcomed by Colchester Foodbank which is facing increased pressure and demand this year to help all those in need.
Residents and businesses can find out if they’re in a village covered in the rollout by using our postcode checker here.
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