Broadband

By regularly engaging with suppliers and central government, the Digital Infrastructure Programme Team help facilitate rollout of various plans in order to increase the commercial interest for suppliers and where possible help central government to establish where intervention programmes could prove most beneficial to enable more communities across the county to access improved digital infrastructure.

Since 2014 Superfast Broadband coverage has increased from 69% to 98% across Oxfordshire. During this period average Broadband speeds have risen from 16mb/s to 78 mb/s. 

In recent years, technology change has led to the introduction of Gigabit Capable Broadband across the UK. 

Image depicting the evolution of Broadband connectivity methods

 

There are currently four types of fixed broadband connectivity in the UK:

 

Gigabit Capable Broadband

  • Full Fibre / Fibre-to-the-Premise (FTTP) / Fibre to the Home (FTTH)
    • This form of connectivity provides a Fibre Optic Connection all the way from the telephone exchange to the end premise. FTTP is a 100% Fibre connection. 
    • This type of service offers connection speeds of up to 1Gbps as standard.
    • Some suppliers are already offering services up to 10Gbps and beyond.
    • Please note: The market is changing and more Internet Service Providers (ISPs) are starting to offer FTTP services. Check with your existing supplier to find out if they can provide FTTP services. If not, you may need to consider changing providers if you wish to access the increased speeds. Before making any changes please check your existing Broadband contract end date to avoid additional charges.
  • DOCSIS 3.1
    • Virgin media’s coax network.
    • DOCSIS 3.1 provides high-quality internet access over hybrid fibre coax (HFC) networks. With the 3.1 upgrade, Virgin Media’s cable network now offers download speeds of up to 1Gb/s (gigabits per second).
    • Find out more Gigabit Broadband | £0 Setup | August 2023 - Virgin Media.

 


Superfast Broadband

  • Fibre to the Cabinet (FTTC)
    • Fibre to the Cabinet is also known as Superfast Broadband or Fibre Enabled Broadband.
    • This form of connectivity provides a fibre optic connection from the exchange to the street cabinet and with the Copper line from the cabinet providing the final connection to the end premise.
    • This type of service offers connection speeds of up to 80mbp/s.
    • Please note: Many Internet Service Providers (ISPs) offer Superfast Broadband services. Check with your existing suppliers and check broadband comparison sites to find which packages are best for you. Before making any changes please check your existing Broadband contract end date to avoid additional charges.

 

Copper Broadband

  • Asymmetric Digital Subscriber Line (ADSL) – across the legacy Copper Access Network
    • Asymmetric Digital Subscriber Line (ADSL) Broadband is also known as the legacy Copper Access Network.
    • This form of connectivity uses frequencies on regular, copper telephone lines that aren’t taken up by voice calls.
    • This type of service offers connection speeds of up to 24Mbps, however upload speeds can be variable due to the condition of the wires, distance and any noise or interference on the telephone line.
    • Please note: From September 2023 new orders for ADSL services will not be taken by Internet Service Providers (ISPs). Due to the upcoming retirement of Analogue/Copper phone lines by the end of 2025, Openreach have implemented a Stop Sale date for Wholesale Line Rental products such as ADSL.

 

Image showing different types of broadband connections

Various commercial suppliers have network coverage within Oxfordshire and are working to expand their networks. To find out which services and Internet Service Providers (ISPs)are available within your area, please visit the supplier websites using the links below: