The BBC has bolstered its Ultra HD (4k) content on iPlayer with the introduction of a number of programmes, including ‘A Perfect Planet’ and ‘Dr Who’. While streaming services such as Netflix, Amazon Prime, Disney Plus and Apple TV+ have been providing a broad range of 4k content for some time now, it’s great to see the BBC ramping up its Ultra HD content. With the Olympics set to be broadcast and streamed in 4k this year, the rapid growth […] . Click here to read the full article.
Broadband
Review of the Ubiquiti UDM Pro – perfect for ultrafast broadband connections
Happy New Year! Following a downbeat 2020, which was completely dominated by the coronavirus pandemic with a little Brexit deal anxiety added in for good measure, the rollout of several vaccines brings much more hope for 2021. In one key regard, it’s going to be an excellent year where I live because ultrafast Fibre-to-the-Premises (FTTP) broadband is scheduled to arrive. This is a gamechanger for rural areas. I have been waiting for this moment for many years and I cannot quite […] . Click here to read the full article.
At Last, Sky Launches Movies in 4k Ultra HD HDR Format
Just in time for Christmas, Sky has provided viewers equipped with 4k TVs with an early Christmas. It has released a raft of 4k Ultra HD movies in High Dynamic Range (HDR) format. There’s an impressive choice of movies from the outset but I hope Sky will eventually upgrade all remaining HD titles to Ultra HD HDR format. To many viewers, HDR makes more of a difference than increasing resolution from HD (1920 x 1080 pixels) to Ultra HD (3840 […] . Click here to read the full article.
New 10 Gigabit Ethernet (10 GbE) Guide: speed up your home network by a factor of ten
Ethernet remains a much better way to connect devices than Wi-Fi. Speeds are greater and latency (time delay) is substantially lower. While Gigabit Ethernet (or 1000BASE-T) is the most widely deployed Ethernet standard in modern electronic devices currently on sale, it is possible to get better. 10 Gigabit Ethernet increases the transmission speed of Gigabit Ethernet by a factor of ten, delivering a speed of 10 Gbps (10,000 Mbps). My new guide helps you identify whether it’s worth upgrading to […] . Click here to read the full article.
Guide on Improving Video Conferencing to Get the Most from Zoom and Skype
The coronavirus pandemic has certainly increased the take-up and usage of video conferencing services such as Zoom and Skype. With many people working from home, it has been an invaluable tool to keep in touch with work colleagues and customers. Outside work, video conferencing has provided a lifeline to keep in touch with family and friends. Speaking to people, it seems that there is a lot of dissatisfaction with these platforms. Many people complain that they are plagued by poor-quality […] . Click here to read the full article.
FTTP Guide For Rural Communities Across the UK
To help communities across the UK to upgrade their broadband capabilities to Fibre-to-the-Premises (FTTP), I have written a new guide on my Increase Broadband Speed site. It can be viewed here: Guide for Rural Communities: How to Get Fibre-to-the-Premises (FTTP) Now! With the recent improvements in the Government’s Gigabit Broadband Voucher Scheme and the introduction of ‘top ups’ by local authorities, there’s never been a better time for communities to take proactive action to bring FTTP to their areas. There is […] . Click here to read the full article.
Fibre-to-the-Premises (FTTP) Coming to Spaldwick in Cambridgeshire as Part of Openreach Pilot
Our latest village broadband campaign – to bring leading-edge broadband capabilities in the form of Fibre-to-the-Premises (FTTP) to the rural village of Spaldwick in Cambridgeshire – has been successful. Gigabit Broadband, offering speeds up to 910 Mbps, will arrive in 2021! This is at a time when the Conservative’s election pledge to bring Gigabit Broadband to every home in the UK by 2025 has just been dropped. Without our proactive action, we would probably have had to wait another ten […] . Click here to read the full article.
Helping to Improve the UK’s Wi-Fi Speeds One Step at a Time
I cannot think of another area to Wi-Fi where performance claims exceed the reality experienced by broadband users by such an extent. With so many people connecting every device to Wi-Fi, inadequate Wi-Fi performance often masks the underlying (often excellent) performance of a broadband connection. I’ve just written a new Wi-Fi speed enhancement post on my Increase Broadband Speed site, which tackles one of the most popular questions asked on online forums: What is a Good Signal Level or Signal-to-Noise […] . Click here to read the full article.
How to Disable Wi-Fi with Sky Q to Use Ethernet Instead
One of my bugbears is the widespread overuse of Wi-Fi. While Wi-Fi is convenient, there’s generally a price to be paid in terms of performance. Wi-Fi is responsible for a substantial proportion of broadband problems. I strongly recommend that, when you have devices that do not move (such as a set-top box or TV), connect them with an Ethernet cable rather than via Wi-Fi. As well as improving performance, you will potentially free up Wi-Fi spectrum and capacity that can […] . Click here to read the full article.
Average Monthly Broadband Usage to Triple by 2025
Over the next five years, average home monthly Internet usage in the UK will triple from its 2019 level, surpassing 1 TB per month by 2025, as shown in my forecast shown above. This growth, which is in line with usage growth predicted for the USA, will be primarily driven by TV and video services delivered via superfast and ultrafast broadband networks. This traffic growth will have profound implications for many broadband users, which include: the need to upgrade to […] . Click here to read the full article.
BBC Resumes its iPlayer Ultra HD Trial
In an attempt to alleviate strain on broadband networks during the coronavirus pandemic, the BBC ceased its iPlayer Ultra HD trial. I’m delighted to report that the BBC has now recommenced the trial. The following series are currently offered: ‘His Dark Materials’, ‘Dracula’ and ‘Seven Worlds, One Planet’. Image quality looks fantastic. The images here are photographs I took directly of a Sony OLED screen. Compared with the overly-compressed images delivered on BBC One HD and BBC Two HD through […] . Click here to read the full article.
Disney Plus Increases UK Bit Rates to Match the USA
The great news is that Disney has substantially improved its bit rates to match its US streaming service and Disney Plus now looks and sounds much better in the UK. The images shown are photographs taken of a Sony 77-inch OLED TV. In general, the higher the bit rate used, the better the picture and sound quality achieved. You can read my full review on my Increase Broadband Speed site here: Disney Plus in the UK Finally Matches Bit Rates […] . Click here to read the full article.
Best Broadband Routers and Wi-Fi Access Points for 2020
I’ve been steaming ahead producing new content for my Increase Broadband Speed site. I’ve now revised my Which Broadband Modem Router Guide, which covers the key capabilities you need to maximise broadband speed. As I’m always asked to recommend equipment to buy, I’ve also produced two new ‘best buy’ guides: – Best Routers For 2020 – Best Wi-Fi Access Points For 2020. From my experience as a Broadband Champion, helping people with their broadband problems online and face-to-face, apart from […] . Click here to read the full article.