Samknows Broadband Report

Transcription

1 Samknows Broadband Report County of Suffolk This report describes the current broadband landscape for the county of Suffolk both in terms of general availability and choice, and in terms of predicted performance. Broken into a number of sections, the report follows this structure: ADSL Broadband Unbundling & Competition 2 4 Cable Coverage 5 Appendix Maps 6 Glossary 13 1 of 14 Samknows

2 ADSL Broadband The most common form of broadband available in the UK today is ADSL. British Telecom have deployed this first generation technology to almost all of their telephone exchanges across the UK, while a number of alternative providers have deployed a mixture of this and the newer ADSL2+ technology to a significant proportion of the UK. The original ADSL technology, also referred to as ADSLmax, offers up to 8 Mbps downloading speed and up to 800 Kbps uploading capacity. The newer ADSL2+ is capable of up to 24 Mbps downstream with some providers offering up to 2.5 Mbps upstream. However, the speed customers will actually experience depends heavily on the length and quality of their telephone line; Samknows work with Ofcom 1 demonstrated that the average broadband speed experienced by UK customers was 4.1 Mbps. The average predicted speed in Suffolk is over a little over 4 Mbps (4,254 kbps 5Mbps) but this masks regional variations within the county. While almost a quarter of the community may experience at least 6 Mbps, above the national average, 19% of homes are likely to fall below the proposed 2 Mbps Universal Service Commitment; of these approximately 3,120 postcode areas have no access to alternative solutions such as Virgin Media s cable network. 1 See 2 of 14 Samknows

3 While more detail on the USC can be found later in this report, the map below highlights the wider ADSL performance hotspots plotted to full postcode level and mapped using a Voronoi diagram (larger version in the Appendix). While ADSL is universally available across Suffolk, the areas of note are marked in red above; these are areas where the predicted download speed will be below 2 Mbps. The green areas are those where homes and business can expect at least 6Mbps download speed, while the amber areas depict the middle speed either side of the national average. It should be noted that this approach to mapping data tends to amplify connectivity issues as sparsely populated polygons where broadband speeds are more likely to be poor will appear larger. As reported in the previous chart, 19% of the postcodes fall in the red areas above. 3 of 14 Samknows

4 Unbundling & Competition Although many ISP s simply resell BT Wholesale s ADSLmax packages, there is a sizeable number of network operators who are unbundling BT s telephone exchanges to install their own equipment. Within Suffolk, there is a total of 129 BT telephone exchanges, and many LLU operators. The table in the appendix summarises where the main network operators are offering services in each telephone exchange. However, it s clear that the majority of the County s telephone exchanges contain well below the average number of LLU operators. Ofcom uses a classification system to determine their level of regulation of the broadband market; Classification 3 contains areas where at least three operators compete against BT Wholesale, and there is sufficient competition that Ofcom no longer regulates broadband in these areas. The vast majority of the ADSL broadband market in Suffolk is classified as Market 1 yet to experience deregulation. Of the 129 exchanges, only 11 have sufficient competition for Ofcom to fully deregulate the market, and a further seven exchanges are classed as Market 2 areas where there is some competition but insufficient for Ofcom to deem it a vibrant market. The remaining 111 exchanges contain no alternative provides to BT Wholesale. 4 of 14 Samknows

5 Cable Coverage There has been considerable consolidation in the cable TV market in recent years to the point where there are just two operators in the UK: Virgin Media is the main operator with coverage of about 50% of the UK with Smallworld Media offering services in a number of locations in the North of England and in parts of Scotland. Both companies are deploying DOCSIS 3.0 technology which supports up to 200 Mbps downstream, although both are currently offering up to 50 Mbps. Virgin have embarked on trials of 200 Mbps in Kent and are planning to deploy more widely. Cable coverage can be localised, so this report plots Virgin cable coverage at full postcode levelusing the same Voronoi method as the ADSLmax maps. The red areas in the inset map are those where Virgin cable services are available. Across the County, around one in eight (13%) of households are able to receive a service from Virgin Media considerably lower the UK average with the vast majority of the community outside Virgin areas. Coverage is tightly focussed around Ipswich, Newmarket, and Felixstow. 5 of 14 Samknows

6 Appendix Maps 6 of 14 Samknows

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10 Exchanges Be C&W Sky Orange CPW Ofcom Market Llu Count Average Speed Aldeburgh No No No No No 1 0 5, Bacton No No No No No 1 0 4, Badingham No No No No No 1 0 3, Barnby No No No No No 1 0 4, Barrow No No No No No 1 0 3, Beccles No No No Yes Yes 2 2 5, Belstead No Yes Yes No Yes 3 4 4, Beyton No No No No No 1 0 3, Bildeston No No No No No 1 0 3, Blundeston No No No No No 1 0 3, Blythburgh No No No No No 1 0 3, Botesdale No No No No No 1 0 4, Boxford No No No No No 1 0 3, Bramfield No No No No No 1 0 4, Brampton No No No No No 1 0 3, Brandon No No No No No 1 0 5, Bungay No No No No Yes 2 1 5, Bures No No No No No 1 1 4, Burnt Fen No No No No No 1 0 2, Bury St Edmunds No Yes No Yes Yes 3 5 4, Charsfield No No No No No 1 0 3, Cheveley No No No No No Chevington No No No No No 1 0 4, Clare No No No No No 1 0 4, Claydon No No No No No 1 0 4, Cockfield Green No No No No No 1 0 2, Coddenham No No No No No 1 0 4, Coney Weston No No No No No 1 0 4, Copdock No No No No No 1 0 5, Culford No No No No No 1 0 3, Debenham No No No No No 1 0 4, Dedham No No No No No 1 1 3, Dickleburgh No No No No No Diss No No No No No 1 0 3, Earl Soham No No No No No 1 0 3, East Bergholt No No No No No 1 0 5, Elmswell No No No No No 1 0 4, Elveden No No No No No 1 0 2, Eriswell No No No No No 1 0 5, Exning No No No No No 2 0 6, Eye No No No No No 1 0 4, Eyke No No No No No 1 0 3, Felixstowe No No Yes Yes Yes 3 5 4, Felixstowe Dock No No No No No 1 0 4, Fordham Cambs No No No No No 1 0 2, Foxhall No Yes Yes Yes Yes 3 5 4, Framlingham No No No No No 1 0 4, Fressingfield No No No No No 1 0 3, Postcode Count 10 of 14 Samknows

11 Exchanges Be C&W Sky Orange CPW Ofcom Market Llu Count Average Speed Fritton No No No No No 1 0 2,000 6 Garboldisham No No No No No 1 0 3, Glemsford No No No No No 1 0 4, Great Barton No No No No No 1 0 4, Great Wenham No No No No No 1 0 4, Grundisburgh No No No No No 1 0 4, Hadleigh Suffolk No No No No No 1 0 4, Halesworth No No No No No 1 0 5, Harleston No No No No No 1 0 3, Hartest No No No No No 1 0 3, Haverhill No No Yes Yes Yes 3 5 5, Hawkedon No No No No No 1 0 3, Helmingham No No No No No 1 0 2, Higham No No No No No 1 0 3, Hintlesham No No No No No 1 0 3, Holbrook No No No No No 1 0 3, Homersfield No No No No No 1 0 2,900 5 Honington No No No No No 1 0 4, Horringer No No No No No 1 0 3, Hoxne No No No No No 1 0 4, Hundon No No No No No 1 0 5, Ilketshall No No No No No 1 0 2, Ipswich No Yes Yes Yes Yes 3 5 5, Isleham No No No No No 1 0 2, Kentford No No No No No 1 0 2, Kesgrave No No No Yes Yes 2 3 4, Kessingland No No No No No 1 0 5, Kirton No No No No No 1 0 5, Lakenheath No No No No No 1 0 5, Lavenham No No No No No 1 0 3, Leiston No No No No No 1 0 5, Linstead No No No No No 1 0 2, Lowestoft No Yes Yes Yes Yes 3 6 3, Manningtree No No No No Yes 2 2 3, Mayfair Yes Yes Yes No Yes 3 7 6,500 1 Mellis No No No No No 1 0 3, Mendlesham No No No No No 1 0 3, Mildenhall Yes No No Yes Yes 2 4 3, Nacton No No No No No 1 0 4, Nayland No No No No No 1 0 3, Needham Market No No No No No 1 0 4, Newmarket Yes No Yes No Yes 3 3 5, Occold No No No No No 1 0 3, Offton No No No No No 1 0 2, Orford No No No No No 1 0 3, Ousden No No No No No 1 0 3, Pakenham No No No No No 1 0 3, Peasenhall No No No No No 1 0 5, Postcode Count 11 of 14 Samknows

12 Exchanges Be C&W Sky Orange CPW Ofcom Market Llu Count Average Speed Prickwillow No No No No No 1 0 1,000 2 Rattlesden No No No No No 1 0 3, Rendham No No No No No 1 0 4, Ridgewell No No No No No 1 0 3,056 9 Saint Cross No No No No No 1 0 2, Saxmundham No No No No No 1 0 4, Shotley No No No No No 1 0 4, Shottisham No No No No No 1 0 3, Sicklesmere No No No No No 1 0 3, Snape No No No No No 1 0 3, Southwold No No No No No 1 0 5, Stanton No No No No No 1 0 3, Stetchworth No No No No No Stonham No No No No No 1 0 3, Stowmarket No No Yes Yes Yes 3 5 3, Stradbroke No No No No No 1 0 3, Sudbury No No Yes Yes Yes 2 4 3, Thetford No No No Yes Yes 1 2 1, Thurlow No No No No No 1 0 4, Ubbeston No No No No No 1 0 3, Waldringfield No No No No No 1 0 4, Walsham Le Willows No No No No No 1 0 4, Wangford No No No No No 1 0 4, Westleton No No No No No 1 0 4, Whitton No No Yes No Yes 3 2 4, Wickhambrook No No No No No 1 0 3, Wickham Market No No No No No 1 0 3, Witnesham No No No No No 1 0 3, Woodbridge No No No No No 1 0 4, Woolverstone No No No No No 1 0 4, Worlingworth No No No No No 1 0 3, Wrentham No No No No No 1 0 4, Yoxford No No No No No 1 0 4, Postcode Count 12 of 14 Samknows

13 Glossary 21CN ADSL ADSL2+ CP DOCSIS 3.0 DSLAM FTTC FTTP IP ISP LLU LSOA Network Operator NGN PoP SDSL VDSL 21st Century Network. BT's replacement core network, which is being rolled out between 2007 and Asymmetric Digital Subscriber Line. This is the most common way in which broadband is delivered in the UK. Asymmetric Digital Subscriber Line, version 2+. A form of ADSL offering up to 24Mbps downloads, and up to 2.5Mbps upstream (for the Annex M version). Communications Provider. BT's terminology for their wholesale customers which are largely ISPs. Data Over Cable. A technology that allows broadband data signals to be transmitted over a cable TV network. Version 3.0 permits up to 200 Mbps but more typically 50 Mbps is deployed today Digital Subscriber Line Access Multiplexer. The device installed in telephone exchanges that terminates copper pairs to provide xdsl connections. Fibre To The Cabinet. The process by which fibre optic cables are laid from a central point to a street cabinet. Traditional copper connections then run from the street cabinet to the premises. Fibre To The Premises or sometimes FttH (home). Fibre optic cables delivering services directly to the premises from a local POP or telephone exchange. Internet Protocol. The most commonly used set of rules governing how information is sent over networks (not necessarily just the Internet). Internet Service Provider. A provider of internet access services. Local Loop Unbundling. The process of permitting alternative network operators to install their own equipment on a passive network. Numerous CP s provide alternative broadband services over the BT Openreach network in this way, and increasingly this approach is the default for the emerging fibre optic networks. Lower Super Output Area. A standardised geographical area defined by the Office of National Statistics (ONS) for reporting purposes. Network operators are organisations that own and operate their own networks. Not all ISP s are network operators as many rely on BT s infrastructure. Next Generation Network. The generic name given to a new breed to communications networks. The main example of which is FttP. Point of Presence. A site in which a communications provider hosts equipment for terminating connections. In BT s network this is the telephone exchange. Symmetric Digital Subscriber Line. A DSL service in which the upstream and downstream channels operate at the same speed. The fastest member of the xdsl family able to provide higher broadband speeds but over very short distances. This is the main technology used on FttC deployments, and is often considered as a bridge to true NGN s. 13 of 14 Samknows

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