To buy a house without fibre broadband

[Covert19]

We’re considering a move out to the countryside. Pre lockdown, husband worked from home one day a week, using video conferencing a lot. Obviously the children are using internet for homeschool at the moment and I occasionally need to use FaceTime or Skype for my job (WFH).

The new house we have fallen for doesn’t have fibre broadband available. I can’t remember what the internet was like Pre-broadband. Are we mad to consider this move? Can you get fibre installed if you ask for it? Can you get non-fibre broadband and how? Who else lives with internet speeds of under 10mb and what is it like? Can you still watch Netflix and Iplayer if you don’t have fibre broadband?

Basically I am looking for reassurance that we will be able to manage in this amazing house despite its crap internet connection.

And I need things explained to me as if I'm your Nan- I have no technical understanding at all. I think a question like “can the internet come out of this socket on the wall?”, is a perfectly intelligent question. Please help me Mumsnetters! TIA

We've never had fibre and live in an urban Home County area. We watch Netflix only (we don't have a TV licence) and we both currently zoom at the exact same time WFH. Zero issues. We pay £18pm.

I just did a google speed test, the result was this:
Server: London
Your Internet speed is typical

Your Internet connection should be able to handle streaming an HD video. If multiple devices are streaming video at the same time, you may run into some congestion.

This is with issues as Openreach are currently digging outside for some reason.

Everything Bridget said.

I run a business, stream films etc absolutely fine from my rural non cable fibre.

We decided to avoid a house that didn't have fibre broadband band unfortunately it's the future - more and more things are going that way

We have literally been moved to BT fibre in the last week.

Until then it's been regular copper and I've worked successfully from home for about 5 years.
We were able to stream, zoom, etc.

Now and again I did use my iPhone as a 4G hotspot when I really needed a reliable zoom video link (my son's lockdown drum lessons), but apart from that it was fine.

I do live quite near the exchange and I know speed varies hugely within our rural village.

I wouldn't rule it out as a definite no, but you really need to find out how it is in the property you're interested in.

I live rurally (very as in mountainous) and amazingly i have fibre! No mains gas, no Mains sewage, no shop for 2.5 miles, no direct neighbours, shit mobile signal to make calls so dependant on my internet.

But i do find it expensive with BT but today i looked at SKY and they don’t offer fibre in my postcode so im stuck with BT. I couldn’t do without it.

Can you tell us which region you are living in@bargainhuntbore, that sounds like amazing fibre service to be so remote!