To think there should be some way of getting unlimited internet in a rural area?

[RumpetaRumpeta]

So, we have moved to a rural area where the broadband speeds are less than 0.3Mbps. We are using the same satellite internet provider that our predecessors used, which gives us a 40gb monthly allowance at great expense (£69.99 a month). The first month, we used this up within two weeks. OK, so we thought this was because we had made the mistake of thinking we could watch a few shows on BBC iPlayer. Obviously, we didn't have enough data for that! We were told by the provider to take advantage of their free download time between 12am and 6am, and download anything we wanted to watch.

Now, none of us actually care enough about TV to get up in the middle of the night to download it, so this month we decided to watch nothing. We used the internet for emails, a little bit of work-related research, some Facebook, and a bit of internet shopping. This time, we ran out of our data allowance in less than two weeks.

I rang up to see what was going on. Auto-update is turned off on all our computers, so that can't be guzzling data. The guy on the end of the line suggested that iCloud backups could be to blame. Fair enough, I hadn't realised that my MacBook could be the culprit.

The thing is, though... I don't really want to have to stop using iCloud as well as to stop streaming TV and films. I don't want to pay £70 a month just for the privilege of sending and receiving emails. I am really frustrated and I am wondering - has anyone else been in this situation, and what solution have you found? I'm thinking about using my mobile phone as a hotspot and getting a larger data package, but won't that just get eaten up really quickly as well?

Does anyone know of an option for unlimited internet in a rural area? I am tearing my hair out - I literally cannot do my (freelance, from home) job with this internet package! Arrggghhhhh! Help!!!! Am I being unreasonable to think that there must be something out there?!

Do you have free upload charges from midnight to 6am. if so, why not arrange a backup from your devices to the Cloud at 1-3am every night. Work off your hard drive rest of the time.

Most people only back up once a day, if that.

Poor Giffgaff service in my rural area. Vodafone all the way only one that works for sure.

Poorer services is why most folk don't live rurally.

We pay for superfast broadband (can't get fibre here) and our speeds are worse than yours
I am confused by this.

Most UK companies use the word "superfast" to refer to fibre, so I don't understand how you can have superfast non-fibre broadband.

It would be good to know.

I'll try Sky, but I suspect that I'll get the same answer
Sky broadband uses exactly the same cables as BT, so there is no reason why Sky should be any different.

We pay for superfast broadband (can't get fibre here) and our speeds are worse than yours
I have just checked on the BT website and as I thought it says We have two types of broadband: superfast fibre BT Infinity and standard BT Broadband

If I were you I would check that they aren't charging you for the superfast broadband while you are getting the standard broadband

I have nothing helpful to suggest. But just wanted to say that in the Falklands we pay around £80 per months for 12 gb of very slow internet! I hope knowing that others are worse off gives you some comfort ok logging off now so I have enough data to Skype my mum at Xmas!

If the infrastructure is not there then you simply cannot get it! Frustrating as it is. You need to be less than 1.5km away from the nearest BT cabinet.

If you have enough neighbours who are willing to chip in to pay for the set up costs then you might be in luck. BT say that any new infrastructure has to be viable as a business decision. Sucks!

Like another poster said, be careful when you're choosing a mobile package to use it as hotspot. Unlimited data only applies to you using your phone. Hotspot will have a limit. And yes it does get used up rather quickly.

Can you look into companies that run broadband through your aerial that connects via a local mast? My bosses BT was rubbish and he did this and it’s been much better but not that pricey a month.

persiancatlady we've been over this numerous times with BT and I'm still left confused by it. We pay for superfast broadband. It isn't fibre though. It does however give us more than if we were on the standard broadband.

Its called unlimited BT infinity

My family have just done this with b4rn,they had to dig all channels themselves for the cables and everyone in the village got it at the same time but it's amazing!

Feel your pain. We live rurally (well, actually 1.45 miles from the edge of a massive town, but apparently thays rural.)
Dream house, loved it, moved in...then shit, no bloody broadband.
Soo...
We use a mifi from ee. Its 50gb. We watch films, download films, watch YouTube, iplayer...I work using internet maybe 2hrs a night? So not loads but a bit. We've used it up about 3 times in over a year. Usually xmas, summer eyc when kids are off and being babysat by cebeebies on iplayer 2 year contract, but half price, so 30 quid a month. Then I have 16gb on my data on my phone, so I varely switch on wifi, DH has 4gb which is plenty for him.
Its 4g. We live on a hill so its a brilliant signal. No good for all the echo/alexa stuff but fine really. We need to renew in June and I've seen other deals cheaper already. Oh and we can take it with us, to Europe now too!

Our village would be classed as semi rural, and we only had the cables installed for fast broadband earlier this year.

Satellite broadband is unreliable and weather dependent, but some areas only offer that.

Its called unlimited BT infinity
Unlimited BT Infinity only comes down fibre-optic cables.

It does however give us more than if we were on the standard broadband
In the final year of my Computing degree I did a lot of research into broadband technologies and the UK situation. If I were in your shoes I would ask my neighbours what speeds they are getting on standard broadband because I don't see how you can get it faster than everybody else in your neighbourhood when it comes through normal phone lines.

Its called unlimited BT infinity
This is BT's own definition of BT Infinity -
"BT Infinity is our fibre optic broadband. It uses fibre optic technology to deliver superfast broadband speeds of up to 76Mb which lets you do more online, with everyone online together. This means there's no more battling for bandwidth, even in the busiest home"

I hate to think that you are paying for something that you aren't getting especially when these things cost a lot of money.

My parents are with Fleur - they specialise in rural areas. Unlimited internet. fleurtelecom.co.uk

Try this review site, OP.

What time of day are you trying to use BB? Because there are peak times, try using it after midnight and see if it's quicker. Friday eves and weekends are also peak times. Peak usage times can also occur when life events happen, like big news stories, bad weather, unexpected events,where everyone is looking at the same news at the same time.

Secondly the area where you live may already be running at its full capacity and your Internet provider may need to invest by adding in some more capacity. This costs the company and may take a couple of months or a couple of years. I don't think that they have to tell you if you are in a high capacity area. Suggest contacting them every time your speed is low, so that they can check the usage / capacity

The first line customer service staff may not have access to check the capacity, so your complaint if it is valid would need to reach staff that had access to interrogate the network correctly

I sort of think YWBU to move to this place without checking the broadband services available, especially if your work depends on it. Rural broadband services are notoriously bad, and satellite services are both expensive, as you've found, and not always that fast either. Check your postcode to see if there is a plan to extend fibre broadband to your area.

Is it only me or do others get fed hearing of moans from people who move to rural locations and then expect exactly the same services at the same price as those who live in urban areas. Move rural and you get less because it is more expensive to deliver just need to suck it up

I feel your pain - we are in exactly the same position - I have sky broadband at 0.5mbs at £5 a month and pay nearly £70 for a satellite link. There is no provider who can do better than our current sky package as the infrastructure isn't there. BT took millions of government money to put in rural high speed internet then just didnt do it - deciding that certain areas - eg anyone rural requiring long new cables - isn't a priority.

Unfortunately we have no mobile signal either

In your shoes I would contact your local council as everyone is supposed to be going to fast broadband eventually.

Well, maybe. But I would put your address in here OpenReach Fibre Broadband Checker and see what it says. For my house I get:

We're working with government and industry to explore ways to bring Superfast fibre to as many people as possible but don't have a plan for your area yet.

Not everyone lives in London or the SE - we pay our taxes and council tax and get a fraction of the services urban folk do. No gritting our roads, huge potholes, no streetlights, unreliable refuse collection, limited public transport.

There is supposed to be government funding to support rural connectivity, but it just isnt happening.