Broadband services

[Shmithecat2]

Does anyone live rurally (and I mean, rurally - no fibre, no neighbours etc) and managed to get a decent Internet service of some description? Sky can't do it because of BT Openreach issues, which means that BT can't do it either. We're not in a 5G area. I'm a bit stumped.

We ran satellite broadband for years - at home and a busy business at a different location. It is affected by weather, is not as cheap, but works and works OK the majority of time.

You can get good 4g tethering/home hotspot things, do check with providers such as Vodafone and 3. I have a colleague at present who's only option is this as they are in a woodland as well as rural.

Do check local options - Scotland has some very localised provision such as GigaLoch. Worth asking around, as some of these companies are very localised.

I pay £18 a month for unlimited 4g data (plus calls and texts but I never use them, I only got the deal for Internet use) the speeds are superb, easily as fast as fibre broadband costing near double.
Use an online 4g checker to see how reception looks in your area.

@Yants

I pay £18 a month for unlimited 4g data (plus calls and texts but I never use them, I only got the deal for Internet use) the speeds are superb, easily as fast as fibre broadband costing near double. Use an online 4g checker to see how reception looks in your area.

Which provider?

Smarty ( they use the three network) it's handy as it's no contract so if you don't find it any good you can instantly cancel.

I also a month free I think because I signed up via MSE and £18 cashback via quidco.

I use a 4g router but I'm guessing it would work just as well tethering to a mobile.

Do look at different broadband providers.

It ultimately depends on what your 4G reception is like if you are on old copper lines.

Doesn't matter who provides it and what speeds they advertise if you are at the end of an old copper line coming to the end of its life that is managed by Openreach.

If you have a good 4G reception then you have options (EE for example) where they use the 4G to boost what is coming in on the phone line.

Your other options are satellite (expensive and often unreliable), waiting for the copper switch off/ fibre roll out that is happening over the next few years or looking to see if others in the area with the same problem would like to join forces with you and put in community fibre (there is a few different companies do this)

The other option that may exist if you are rural is line of sight wifi. In the Shropshire Hills our internet comes this way. Small dish on the side of the house pointed at a mast on the top of a hill and from there it goes hilltop to hilltop.

Latency is better than satellite. No data limits (unlike much 4G) and reasonable speeds - we have 20Mbit down 5Mbit up for about £25 a month.

Line of sight Wi-Fi is popular in parts of Scotland where BT are still only offering 2mbs. Usual speeds are 40-60 mbs and if you are a host it’s discounted

CallFlow or 4G

Go to the ofcom mobile checker website and see what carriers have the best signal in your area.

I have no cable broadband. It comes via sky however not superfast. I have a back up via TP link with an EE sim. I can do what I need TV streaming a bit iffy so is my phone signal. It would be no good for anyone WFH.