Broadband: Google’s common questions answered

Broadband is an essential service that has become part of everyday home and business life. It’s easy to forget that around 20 years ago few people had access to the internet, as it is embedded in so much of what we do. The arrival of Broadband changed how we communicate with each other and has improved how small businesses operate.

But where did Broadband come from? And have you got the best Broadband service for your business?  These are frequent questions asked of Google that we’ve got the answers for along with some others.

When was Broadband invented?

The internet was first introduced in the 90s through dial-up. This connection literally dialled in to a phone-line connection to allow users to access the internet and offered best speeds of up to 56Kbps. (As a comparison, our Fibre Broadband offers speeds of up to 76Mbps which is 76000Mbps^[1]. More on speed measurement below). Internet users could mainly only access text with this type of connection or had to wait hours for a download. Dial up also meant you had to choose between using your phone line and the internet.

Broadband was introduced in 2000 and not only allowed one line to be split into a phone line and internet service, it also gave a much faster connection which revolutionised the use of the internet. With current speeds of up to 17Mbps with ADSL^[1], there’s no more waiting for downloads. Users can watch videos, listen to music, send emails and much more with ease.

How is Broadband speed measured?

Broadband speed is measured in Megabits per second (Mbps) which essentially is the rate at which data is transferred via download or upload. The more Mbps you have, the faster your internet.

Users usually measure their Broadband speed from a speed test website, though this isn’t always a true reflection of the speed reaching your premises. As a provider, we measure our customer’s network speeds directly from the router as it cuts out any interference that might cause you to lose speed. If the speed at the source(/router) is as expected, it’s likely to be the environment that is affecting your speed. (See ‘Why does broadband speed fluctuate’ for ways to fix this.)

What Broadband do I need?

There are two main types of Broadband that are available from most providers: ADSL and Fibre.

ADSL Broadband runs through copper wires on the existing Openreach network. As most homes and businesses are already connected to this network it is a popular service as it is easy to switch to. This service is suitable for customers looking to use the internet for activities such as general browsing, using social media, file downloading and sending emails.

Fibre Broadband runs through the fibre optic cables that were installed in the 1980s. Our Fibre service also runs off the Openreach network. As these are newer cables, they can offer a faster connection with download speeds of up to 76Mbps. If your business relies on Broadband every day or if you’re looking to do things such as upload high-resolution photos and stream HD videos, Fibre could be the best choice for you – especially if your customers are using your WiFi too.

kinex offers Unlimited packages for both ADSL and Fibre Broadband packages.^[2.]

Are Broadband and WiFi the same thing?

In a word, no.

Broadband is the connection from the socket to the network which allows you to connect to the internet. You can use Broadband directly to connect to one static computer if you wish.

Wifi is the next stage of the connection, taking it from the socket to a device or multiple devices via a router. A WiFi network uses radio waves to transmit and receive information across a network in the same way mobile phones, televisions and radios do.

Why does Broadband speed fluctuate?

With most Broadband connections, the speed you receive at the socket should be fairly static and you shouldn’t notice any difference.

If you feel that your Broadband speed is fluctuating, it is more likely to be due to your WiFi service and the environment.

Things that can affect WiFi signal include:

Physical environment – Your WiFi signal may struggle to get through physical barriers, especially through materials such as concrete and metal which your internal walls are likely to be made from. The more obstructions that your signal has to pass through will make it weaker.

Router position – The general rule is that the higher up you can place your router, the better. This prevents the radio waves from being blocked by the floor. If you have your router far away from your devices this can also weaken the signal.

Other networks and electronics – Other Wifi networks (such as your neighbours’) can cause interference with your own along with other devices including baby monitors, speakers and microwaves. To combat this, you might want to upgrade to a dual-band router.

Number of devices – The more devices you have connected to a network, the more bandwith they use. Are there any devices that do not need to be on the WiFi that you could turn off?

So, think carefully about the position of your router, whether you’ve got the right router for you and whether all those devices need to be using the WiFi. A few simple changes could make all the difference.

Can I get Broadband without a landline?

You can use your mobile data as Broadband which is known as 4G Broadband. There are devices available that pick up your 4G signal and distribute it as a WiFi network.

This is not as reliable as a fixed line as the signal has to get through your building to your 4G mobile router to get to the end user. Whilst this does give you the flexibility of having broadband without having a landline or paying line rental, it can work out as much more expensive.

Will Broadband work without a microfilter?

If your master socket has two sockets, you do not need a microfilter at all as you have one socket for your Broadband signal and one for your voice signal.

If your master socket only has one socket, your Broadband service will work without a microfilter, but it has its drawbacks. A microfilter is needed so that you can use your Phone Line and Broadband service at the same time. The microfilter splits any telephone calls from the data signal for the Broadband so there’s no interference. If your microfilter wears out, you can use Broadband directly from the socket but this does mean you’ll have to sacrifice your phone line in most cases.

What is Fibre?

Fibre is an alternative Broadband service available from most suppliers (including us!) which offers faster speeds because it is built on fibre optic cables rather than copper wires used by traditional ADSL Broadband. Our Fibre service can offer download speeds of up to 76Mbps rather than 17Mbps from ADSL.^[1]

Though Fibre is often used by large businesses, Fibre can also be beneficial for the small business owner who relies on the internet to operate many devices such as a PDQ machine, computer, alarm systems and CCTV cameras.

Where will I find my Wifi credentials?

The WiFi name and password will usually be found on the base of your router. You’ll also tend to get a credit card shaped card in with your pack – keep this safe!

In most cases you will see the following terminology:

SSID: This is the name of your WiFi network.

Passkey/Password: Is the password you and your colleagues will need to join the network.

 

Looking to switch to Broadband provider who knows their stuff? Get in touch today.

 

 

The legal stuff

^[1] Based on 10% of our customers on the network achieving this speed or faster. The actual speed you will receive is subject to line distance from the principal connection point to your premises and line quality. Speeds vary significantly by location. External factors e.g. internet congestion and premises wiring also significantly affect speed. Fibre is subject to exchange availability.

^[2] kinex operates a fair usage policy for its Unlimited Broadband and Absolute Fibre. You will incur no additional charge or suspension of service as a consequence of exceeding any usage threshold. If kinex believe that your use of the service is adversely affecting the network (or any part of it) or other customers, then kinex may moderately regulate your usage.

 

World Water Week – What’s your Water Footprint?

World Water Week is an annual event run by Stockholm International Water Institute (SIWI) that is dedicated to transforming global water challenges. It’s taking place this year from 27^th-30^th August.

Speakers and attendees come together from all over the world for a programme of seminars, sessions, exhibitions and press conferences. Seminars this year will cover a broad range of water-related topics from ‘Working towards being water positive’ as presented by IKEA to ‘Driving water transformation through the power of diversity and inclusion’ by Xylem to ‘Is asparagus to blame? A value chain review’ by Alliance for Water Stewardship (just a couple of our favourites). With a strapline of ‘It is more than a moment. It is a movement…’ the event organisers believe that water is key to future prosperity and that together we can achieve a water wise world. 

For those people (like us) who can’t make it to Stockholm, we thought we’d take a closer look at one of the key themes that is up for discussion – water usage in food production.

There’s lots of advice out there on how to reduce your water usage at home and in your business – see save water, save money in your business as an example. But there is less focus on the water usage that occurs every day just through our food choices.

31 World Water Week 2019 sessions are dedicated to agriculture, which is accountable for 70% of freshwater withdrawals. This focus comes as food habits across the world are becoming more water intensive, with large parts of the world eating more meat and cheese that need lots of water for their production.

What’s your Water Footprint?

SIWI feel that the first step in changing these trends is to raise awareness through the concept of water footprints. A water footprint measures the amount of water used to produce each of the goods or services we use as a consumer or that we provide as businesses.

Most people think about how much water they use from the tap. This is roughly 140 litres a day after drinking, washing, taking a shower, etc. You might be surprised to learn though that a single person’s water footprint could be as much as 5000 litres a day. This usage looks at invisible water – the water that is used to produce our food and everyday items such as clothing.

Alan Shapiro explains this in a bit more detail in his Ted Talk below:

You can calculate your water footprint – both personal and business – on the Water Footprint Network here.

Water in the supply chain

Invisible water used in the supply chain makes up the majority of our individual water footprints. In a comparison from the Water Footprint Network, beef uses 15415 litres of water to produce, eggs use 3265 whereas vegetables only use 322!

Water usage also accounts for the water that is discharged and often pollutes freshwater supplies, which is often the case in the making of clothes.

So how is asparagus to blame when vegetables are less water intensive to produce? The World Water Week talk will look at the water consumption the increasing agriculture in Peru is using to allow them to export the vegetable to the European market. On average, vegetables use a lot less water to produce than meat, though not all of them – for example a single almond takes the equivalent of two toilet flushes to grow according to Alan Shapiro. They are also most commonly grown in California which often suffers from drought! The journey that food has to make before it ends up on our plate can also have a negative impact on the environment, and a drain on water.

Where to start when reducing your business water footprint

The food and drink federation is keen to promote water efficiency in its industry, highlighting: ‘All of us, whether at home or in the workplace, share a responsibility to use water efficiently and with due regard to the needs of others with whom we share this planet.’ in its ‘Every Last Drop – Why water matters’ campaign.

This forms part of its initiative Ambition 2025 and aims to promote careful management of water usage to ensure the long-term sustainability of the food and drink manufacturing sector.

Its key advice, which can be applied to any industry, is:

• Reduce the impact of water use along the supply chain – consider the water usage outside of your own business. How can you work with both suppliers and customers to encourage continuous improvement in their use of water?
• Manage water in your operations – introduce steps to reduce water in your business. Why not try putting up our water efficiency poster in your business as a starting point?
• Make water a boardroom priority – even if your ‘boardroom’ is just you! Consider how dependent your business and supply chain are on water and make plans to improve your business resilience.
• What every individual can do to save water – saving water at home is just as important as saving water in the workplace. Remember the motto: Reduce, Reuse, Recycle at all times.

Download the full guide here to see how you can apply their tips and advice to your business.

Other ways to reduce your water footprint

• Cut down your meat consumption – by making small changes to your eating habits you could save huge amounts of water. Alan Shapiro discovered that if he cut his meat eating habits down from once a day to once every two days he could cut his water footprint almost in half. Why not try Meat Free Monday to start with?
• Consider eating more locally sourced foods – take a closer look at the labels on your food next time you do a shop, or why not try a local fruit and veg market instead? The smaller the journey the food has had to make, the better. (And it’s likely they’ll use a lot less plastic packaging too which is always a good thing!)
• Become a Water Steward – the World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF) see businesses as key in supporting the sustainability of water and have developed a ‘water stewardship’ programme to help. Large corporations such as Coca-Cola have signed up, but there’s no reason why you can’t implement the good practice and lead the way for small businesses. Find out more about the framework here.

The consequences

According to WWF ‘practically all businesses depend on water – and they can no longer take this crucial resource for granted.’ By continuing to use water at the rate that we are today combined with climate change, the future of all businesses could be at risk. According to the Water Footprint Network:

“Until now, water has been treated as a free raw material. Today, companies are starting to realise that mismanagement of water can damage their brand, their credibility, their credit rating and their insurance costs.

Unless you know how much water you are using – and how much is available in the river basins in which you and your suppliers operate – it is impossible to know whether you are using it sustainably or whether your business could face water-related business risk.”

Not to mention the effect that running out of water could have on our everyday lives…http://https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PORXWiyQaNw

Top Tips to Troubleshoot your Business Broadband

At Unicom, we aim to make our customers’ lives easier by providing everything you need to run your business, so you can concentrate on running your business. One of our most popular services is our Business Broadband where we offer speeds of up to 76 Mbps ¹. We strive to provide a great service, though like any provider, we cannot prevent faults from occurring. We can, however, do our very best to help solve them as quickly as possible. If you experience any issues, as a starting point we’ve put together our Top 10 tips so you can troubleshoot your Business Broadband. 

 

• Turn off your router: Double check your router is turned on. Sometimes restarting may fix the issue. Wait a minute then turn back on. It can take up to 5 minutes for everything to come back online. Do not turn your router on and off repetitively though, once or twice a month is the maximum we would recommend (to allow our Dynamic Line Management to find the best stable speed for your line). If you are having to reset on a daily basis, give us a call. Quick fix: Try turning your client devices (laptops, mobiles, etc) off and on again too. 
• Check your cables: If they are disconnected, secure them and reconnect them. Check the lights on the router are on to ensure that the connections are being made. 
• Wider area problems: First, go to the Openreach local network checker and put in your business postcode. You will be able to see if there are any issues in your area and when it will be fixed.  
• Router position: Make sure your router is positioned in a location where the signal coverage will be the most effective, ideally in a central location. If your router is positioned close to windows it can make the signal weaker as the signal will be sent outside. Other items that could interfere with signal or weaken it are walls (especially thick concrete ones), doors, electrical equipment (i.e. microwaves), putting it inside a cupboard or behind the tv.  Handy hint: If you’re at your desk for most of your day, why not plug your computer directly into your router to enjoy maximum speeds? 
• Plug in: Try plugging your laptop or desktop directly into the router using a cable. If you can connect to the internet, you may be experiencing a wireless issue and we will need to look into your wireless settings. If not, you may have a router or line issue. 
• Check if your landline phone is working: Plug the handset into the same socket your router is plugged into. Check there’s a dial tone and try to make a call. If the line is toneless, there may be a fault on the line which could be the origin of the broadband issues. 
• Test the master socket: Your master socket is usually located at the point where the telephone lines enter your property. Test the socket by plugging a device (or even two) directly into the socket.  
• Check the microfilter: If you use the same socket for both your Phone Line and Broadband services, your microfilter is the small white box plugged into your phone socket. Ensure that the cables to the microfilter are connected properly. Also, if you’ve had the microfilter for a while, they tend to wear out so it might be time to get a new one.  
• Look after your router: Similar to the microfilter, routers can suffer from wear-and-tear leading to connection issues. If you’ve had the router for a long time – it might be time to upgrade your equipment. (We can help you with this). 
• Phone us: If you’re still experiencing issues and are unable to connect to the internet, give us a call and walk us through everything you’ve done. Our team will then be able to run some further diagnostic tests.  

 

The Legal Stuff 

¹The fastest speed available on Unicom’s Absolute Fibre Broadband. Based on 10% of our customers on the network achieving this speed or faster. The actual speed you will receive is subject to line distance from the principal connection point to your premises and line quality. Speeds vary significantly by location. External factors e.g. internet congestion and premises wiring also significantly affect speed.  

Customer Case Study: Absolute Hair

Here at Unicom, we love to hear from our long-standing customers so we jumped at the opportunity to catch up with Michael Kavanagh, Owner and Director of Absolute Hair, who has been with us since 2010.

Located just off the High Street in Urmston, Manchester, Absolute Hair has built up their customer base over the last 10 years through word of mouth and a 5* rating online. Michael Kavanagh first signed up to Unicom for Telecoms, and added Broadband in 2016. For him, there has been no reason to consider other suppliers.

‘The reason why we have chosen to stay with our phone line is the customer service has been great, I have been happy with the rates so there wasn’t a reason to change.’ Mr Kavanagh explains.

By adding Broadband to his package, they were then able to give their customers that little bit extra whilst they are in the salon. ‘We added Broadband because we had a lot of customers asking if we offered WiFi and the answer was always no. But now our customers can come in and do work whilst they are with us.’

‘I like working with Unicom because the customer service has been great over the years. If there ever have been any issues with the Telecoms or the Broadband, the team has been great.’

Whilst like no provider Unicom cannot prevent faults from happening, we can do our best to fix them as soon as possible and that has been Mr Kavanagh’s experience. ‘For example, we had an issue where the phone lines went down in the local area but Unicom had it sorted by the next day and also diverted the calls to my mobile so we didn’t miss any bookings.’

Despite other suppliers trying to win their custom, the Unicom and Absolute Hair partnership looks set to continue for many more years ‘I don’t ever feel I need to change or entertain any other companies.’ says Mr Kavanagh.

Watch the full case study video to hear it from Mr Kavanagh himself.