A 2020 Government publication showed that rural areas were four times more likely to be unable to access a decent broadband service than urban locations with a city and town.
If you have ever lived or worked in a rural area you may have experienced some Wi-Fi disruptions yourself. Whilst these may have caused some minor inconveniences if you only had to stay a few days. You can only begin to imagine how disruptive this would be if you were a permanent rural resident.
So what are the main reasons why rural broadband tends to be much slower than in urban locations?
1) Rural connections often solely rely on copper phone lines
Broadband speeds vary from household to household and it’s unfortunately rural homes whose entire connection often depends solely on a copper phone line.
The issue with copper telephone lines is that it is the oldest and slowest type of broadband connection. Older copper cables are more likely to break and need replacing.
Copper phone lines are also in plans to be completely phased out as the technology is outdated (dating back to as far as the Victorian era).
2) Smaller rural providers can’t afford to invest in the latest wireless broadband technologies
Even though fast reliable internet access is just as important for homes and businesses in remote areas, the rollout of fibre broadband in rural areas has been slower than in urban areas. This is because rural areas are considered more difficult and expensive to reach.
Although the government is investing billions of pounds in improving connectivity, if you live in a rural area, you may have noticed that your broadband speeds aren’t as fast as in urban areas.
We hate to see rural areas being the last to receive decent broadband, which is why it’s our mission to install and provide the latest broadband technologies in the rural areas left behind by many providers.
3) Rural premises are typically further away from FTTC cabinets
Even though rural connections might have fibre to the local cabinet (FTTC), it’s only part fibre and the rest is copper.
This means that the distance you are from the nearest cabinet will determine the reliability and speed of your broadband.
The further the distance from your nearest street cabinet and telephone exchange, the further your data has to travel to reach your home, leading to a slower performance.
How do we fix slow rural internet?
If you’re based in a rural area you may be able to find a provider that can offer you a fixed wireless access (FWA) connection (including us) if full fibre isn’t live in your area yet. Make sure to check that your Wi-Fi provider is able to offer you the latest technologies so that you never have to suffer with slow rural internet speeds.
Fixed wireless access connections don’t require laying down expensive fibre cables to provide last-mile connectivity. There are lower upfront costs and it’s more widely available, making it a perfect option for our rural customers.
Wi-FI really matters
A strong Wi-Fi connection is needed to prevent slow internet speeds, dropouts and internet disconnection.
Signs that there is an interference with your Wi-Fi signal include low signal strength even when standing close to your router, connection intermittently dropping, slow file transfers and an inability to pair Bluetooth and Wi-Fi devices.
Problem causes of Wi-Fi inference include:
- Physical barriers such as bricks, marble, concrete, metal and mirrors
- Frequency interference from other Wi-Fi devices and your neighbour’s Wi-Fi network
- Capacity such as the number of devices connected to your Wi-Fi
- Coverage which is the specific area’s your Wi-Fi signal can cover
You can test your wifi signal with a signal-testing tool. These tools can help you to find weak zones and dead spots in your home. If you find that there are sources of interference between your router and wireless devices, you may consider moving your router to where there is less interference.
House-wide Wi-Fi guaranteed
At Quickline we provide house-wide Wi-Fi guaranteed so that you never have to worry about weak zones or dead spots in your home.
It’s never been easier to access a strong and reliable internet connection – even in the most rural areas. Whether you need Wi-FI for your home, business or caravan our engineers can offer a Wi-Fi solution to suit your lifestyle.
Still unsure what connection you need? Chat with our friendly advisors on Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn and Instagram.
Did you know?
Decent broadband is a connection with a minimum download speed of 10Mbps.
Superfast broadband is typically defined as having download speeds of 30 Mbps.
Ultrafast broadband usually refers to a connection with download speeds of 300Mbps or more.
