What Is Rural Broadband?

Rural broadband refers to any type of broadband connection located in a rural area, rather than in a city or town. While there are plenty of benefits to living life off the beaten path, rural broadband speeds are not one of them.

Why Is Rural Broadband Slower Than Urban Broadband?

Regardless of the type of internet connection you have, the main problem with rural broadband is distance.

Most rural properties get home broadband via old telephone networks. The further your property from the nearest telephone exchange, the slower your connection will be. That’s because telephone networks use cable wiring and electronic signals, which get weaker over long distances.

Lots of these networks also still use very old infrastructure. It’s rarely cost-effective for broadband companies to lay new cables in very remote areas where only a few households will connect.

How Do I Get Faster Rural Internet?

If you can get it, full fibre broadband will give you the fastest rural internet speeds. We recommend choosing FTTP (fibre to the premises) though. This type of connection routes fibre optic cables directly into your home, giving you ultrafast internet.

The other type of fibre broadband (FTTC, or fibre to the cabinet) isn’t such a good option for rural properties. It routes fibre broadband into your nearest local cabinet but then uses the existing network from the cabinet to your home. So you still face the same slowdowns caused by distance and old infrastructure.

If you can’t get FTTP full-fibre broadband at your rural property, there are some other options for speeding up your connection:

• 4G — Some remote houses may have better access to the 4G or 5G network than they do to broadband. Most phone companies sell simple WiFi dongles you can use to connect all your devices wirelessly, or simply create a hotspot using your mobile.
• Satellite — If no other broadband options are working out for you, you can always use satellite. This type of internet connection is available everywhere since it uses satellites (all you need is a dish fitted to your property). The downside is that it can be expensive and it’s not as fast as fibre broadband.

Is Standard Broadband Better Than Fibre Broadband for Rural Areas?

As we said before, if you can get fibre broadband installed at your home, it’s better because it’s faster than standard broadband. You may face issues with accessibility, however. If your property is very remote, you might not be able to get fibre optics cables installed.

In that case, standard broadband can be better for rural areas. Since it uses the existing telephone network, most rural homes will already be connected. Just be prepared for slower speeds if you’re far away from the nearest telephone exchange.

How Do I Know If I Can Get Broadband in My Rural Area?

Firstly, check your current connection with our broadband speed test. If your speeds aren’t up to scratch, it might be time to upgrade your broadband package.

Here at Box Broadband, we’re able to connect you to ultrafast broadband in a range of locations across Surrey and Sussex — from Ashley to Yapton. Just use our postcode checker to find out if your home is covered.

How Do I Get a Rural Broadband Installation?

Ready to enjoy urban internet speeds at your rural home? Contact us today to find out how Box Broadband can help.