Anyone fed up with dismal downloads and super-slow speeds might want to check their postcode. One UK Internet Service Provider (ISP) has just announced the launch of a new service, and it’s leaving all of its biggest rivals for dust. Community Fibre says it is now ready to unleash 5Gbps connectivity into homes, which means those lucky enough to have this firm’s tech in their street will be able to download Hollywood blockbusters in a matter of seconds.
To put this service into some perspective, 5Gbps is around 50 times faster than the UK average. Wth a standard 100Mbps service, an HD film would take around 6 minutes to download, but that time can be slashed to just 6 seconds when switching to Community Fibre’s 5Gbs plan.
It’s seriously impressive stuff, but there is a catch. This ISP isn’t nationwide and only offers its fast fibre cables in certain parts of the capital.
The latest stats show almost two million homes could access Community Fibre and, if you live in London, it’s worth checking your postcode here.
Commenting on the launch, Community Fibre CEO Graeme Oxby, said: “We were originally planning to release London’s fastest fibre broadband on April 1st, but didn’t want Londoners to think our unbelievable speeds were an early April Fools! Truth is, Community Fibre provides unbeatable speeds at the best prices all year round, and there’s certainly no joking around when it comes to that!”
If you live elsewhere, don’t panic. There are plenty of other local so-called AltNets that also offer speeds of up to 1Gbps. Names to watch out for include Hyperoptic, Gigaclear and CityFibre.
Popular providers such as BT, Virgin Media and EE also have internet access at over 1Gbps, so it’s worth shopping around for the best deals and fastest speeds.
One of the best ways to check your street is via Ofcom’s website, which reveals what providers are in your area and how fast their cables are.
Just one word of caution. Yes, we all want the fastest speeds, but the better the downloads, the more you will pay. A basic 70Mbps plan can cost as little as £25 per month. Start pushing things to 1Gbps, and that price will shoot up to around £40. Just make sure you really need those epic downloads before signing up.
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