After announcing the availability of its first fibre optic broadband connections for the consumer market, BT has said that its business arm will also be encouraging UK enterprises to switch to the high speed internet technology with a new package tailored to their specific requirements.

Although the business package will use the same fibre optic connections that will offer 40Mbps download speeds and 10Mbps upload speeds, businesses will be able to have their data traffic prioritised over home users during periods of peak use.

A fibre optic broadband connection will enable businesses to run advanced VoIP services and allow for video streaming and high quality conferencing. The growth of cloud computing for storage, backup and remote networking will also be facilitated by the new package.

The poor weather at the beginning of the year meant that many were stranded at home without any means of continuing to work, but with fibre optic broadband, businesses will be able to roll out a home working scheme as part of their continuity planning.

Nigel Stagg, Managing Director of BT’s business division, said that although over 50 per cent of businesses are currently enjoying the benefits of high speed broadband, BT is looking to expand its fibre networks so that every single enterprise and organisation in the UK has the opportunity to connect faster and do more.

When you compare business broadband packages you will now be able to take into account the four new BT bundles that make use of fibre optic technology. Simple Broadband’s Communication Manager Simon Gerrard said that “Upgrading to the latest broadband technology will be imperative for many businesses in the UK and BT’s new deals highlight just how far things have come and indeed how far they are set to go.”

A new survey by a leading UK broadband website has found that a significant number of consumers choose their mobile broadband deals based upon the added extras that are included. This means that less emphasis is being placed on the speed or the data allowance of a given package.

30 per cent of respondents to a survey said that inclusions such as free laptops or USB dongles were the most important factor that would help in determining which mobile broadband package was right for them.

More than 1000 people participated in the survey and it emerged that 25 per cent privileged the download speeds of a mobile broadband package above all else, whilst only 20 per cent were actually looking for the cheapest mobile broadband in UK networks’ line ups.

This survey shows that the free laptop deals are performing particularly strongly in the current market and for consumers this means that they are getting good prices as well as excellent added extras with the average package.

However, some experts believe that the news will vex mobile broadband providers in the UK, as competition in the domestic market has already resulted in the UK having cheaper mobile broadband tariffs than anywhere else in the EU. Consumers are used to getting freebies with their mobile contracts and the same expectation has been carried across to the mobile broadband industry.

Some providers have not taken to offering free laptops as keenly as others, but the growth in demand for such deals is clearly not going to slow down in the near future.

Simple Broadband’s Communications Manager Simon Gerrard added that “This survey shows that consumers in the UK are always on the hunt for a bargain and they realise that there are some great deals to be had on the mobile broadband market at the moment. We can only hope that this trend continues.”

It appears that the average UK broadband customer is now far more in tune with the technology that powers their internet connection and many are able to recite on demand the download speed they can achieve in their own homes.

As a result, experts believe that more people are also cottoning on to the benefits offered by super fast broadband connections.

Edd Dawson, who edits a leading UK broadband website, has spoken out about the increasing number of people taking broadband speed tests to assess the speed of their current connections. He believes that many more people are seeking deals based on the download speed alone.

Mr Dawson also revealed that broadband customers are extremely receptive to new information that can help them to speed up their current connection. With cheap cable broadband coming from BT and the competition that this will bring to the market, high speed connections are likely to become an even hotter topic in the future.

Mr Dawson said that the largest factor influencing the increased interest in faster download speeds was the growing availability of quality media content online. With the BBC’s iPlayer and other video streaming services including YouTube now offering broadcasts in high definition, a faster connection is becoming ever more desirable. Video chatting and VoIP voice calls also require a higher connection speed and houses with multiple users going online can ensure optimal performance by comparing providers based upon their download speeds.

With common ADSL broadband connections still languishing with average connection speeds of 4Mbps or lower, cheap cable broadband offering faster connections on a more consistent basis is becoming more attractive.

Mr Dawson has added his opinions to the discussion generated by BT’s announcement of its own 40Mbps fibre optic cable connections, which will be going live in the near future.

The current line up of BT broadband deals has just seen a super fast addition in the form of the first of its fibre-to-the-cabinet (FTTC) connections, offering up to 40Mbps download speeds and 10Mbps upload speeds.

After trials took place in London and Glasgow, BT has begun to roll out its new fibre optic technology that will still rely on copper telephone wiring for the last mile of provision, but will see fibre optic connections linking the cabinets servicing streets in the UK to the main broadband network.

By 2011 BT plans to make FTTC available to 4 million homes around the UK and the 40Mbps is a significant improvement over the current maximum download speed of 20Mbps that BT offers.

These new fibre optic BT broadband deals are set to cost from £19.99 a month with an 18 month contract, thus requiring longer commitment than other packages on offer. There will also be an installation fee, but BT is willing to waive this if you sign up for a more expensive and comprehensive monthly package.

BT has said that its new fibre services will provide better opportunities for houses with multiple internet users trying to get online simultaneously and will also offer faster downloads and higher quality video streaming.

The cheapest fibre broadband deal from BT will come with a 20GB monthly data allowance, although costlier packages will have unlimited downloads coupled with a fair use policy to watch out for.

BT will not be the only provider offering deals that use the FTTC technology, as it will be offered to third party wholesalers to resell, as is currently the case with ADSL broadband.

Simon Gerrard, Simple Broadband’s Communication Manager noted that “this will produce competition within the market that will ensure that consumers will be able to obtain the best possible deals on next-generation broadband connections”.

Although the availability of 3G networks is fairly high if you live in built up, heavily populated areas, being stranded in a so-called ‘not-spot’, where coverage is limited, is not uncommon. Thankfully a new technology is being introduced by Vodafone that will help to provide mobile broadband for those in dead zones.

For just £50 you can get yourself a new product called the Vodafone Sure Signal. This is a small box based on femtocell technology and it plugs directly into the back of your home broadband router.

Once you have the Sure Signal turned on, it will act as a miniature mobile base station, generating a short range 3G network which can be accessed by your mobile broadband enabled devices. It will also allow for better network coverage for voice calling and will ensure that you are always available.

The obvious issue with the technology is that it requires that you already have a home broadband connection provided by a landline. If this is the case, most people will already have Wi-Fi or Ethernet access to the internet, making the mobile broadband enhancements of the device a little redundant.

However, the femtocell technology will prove to be particularly useful for business and enterprise customers, as not only will it make mobile broadband available to them, but it will also provide mobile network coverage for phone calls and mobile browsing.

If you are a Vodafone customer and you have been unable to effectively compare wireless broadband prices and explore options including Vodafone in your area up until this point because there is inadequate 3G coverage in your area, then this will be an excellent product to pick up. And if you are not signed up to a Vodafone contract, but are thinking about switching loyalties, then now could be a great time to compare wireless broadband prices and get a better deal.

O2 is going to start offering home phone bundle deals to all current and new customers of its ADSL broadband packages in an attempt to capture a larger proportion of the home broadband market. This could look attractive since Tiscali broadband prices are set to rise now that TalkTalk has taken over the brand.

Beginning in March, O2 home broadband customers will be able to get a deal that adds the cost of a comprehensive home phone package to their monthly broadband bill.

O2 will be offering a selection of two different home phone tariffs, although there is nothing that you will not have seen before from other broadband providers. The basic package will offer unlimited calls to landline numbers in the UK during off-peak hours during the evening and weekend.

For a more comprehensive calling tariff, O2 broadband customers should choose the more expensive Anytime home phone package, which gives unlimited calls for UK landlines and 20 international destinations and to mobile numbers located in North America.

In a similar approach to the bolt-ons that it offers its broadband customers, O2 will be looking to offer additions to the home phone bundles, including the ability to divert, bar and block incoming calls. These low-cost services are designed to allow users to modify their package to suit their needs.

A spokesperson for O2 said that the company was creating the home phone packages for its broadband customers in order to build on its current brand beyond mobile and broadband into a complete array of communications services. This move is seen as the most important since O2 launched its home broadband service three years ago.

Simple Broadband’s Communication manager Simon Gerrard added that “with Tiscali being absorbed by TalkTalk and with Tiscali broadband prices increased for some of its former customers, the alternative offered by O2 could be an attractive money saving option.”

Although the home broadband market is always heavily competitive, it seems as though TalkTalk has just raised the bar in terms of value for money with its announcement that it will start providing a free broadband connection for new customers for the first year of their contract.

TalkTalk has been performing very well over the last year and it seems that its success has emboldened its management team and encouraged a push towards capturing even more of the market. The new package will slightly overshadow O2’s recent announcement that it will begin to offer home phone deals for its customers and could prove to be more attractive than some BT broadband options.

TalkTalk’s free broadband offer requires that you pay line rental, but not only will this allow for unlimited evening and weekend calls to UK landlines, but 8Mbps broadband will not cost you a penny extra for an entire year. You will need to commit for a minimum of 24 months and during the second half you will have to pay £6.99 a month for the broadband connection.

If you do the maths, it turns out that TalkTalk’s bundle will set you back under £200 a year, which is competitive for both home phone and broadband bundled in the same simple deal. But the main question many will ask is ‘Should I commit for 2 years?’

The broadband market it in a state of change and by 2012 a whole host of new technologies will have arrived, including faster fibre to the cabinet and LTE mobile broadband connections. This could leave you feeling left behind with an 8Mbps connection.

That said, there will usually be opportunities for people to upgrade their broadband package with their existing provider at any point during their minimum contracted period. This is particularly easy with TalkTalk or BT Broadband options, although do bear in mind that additional commitments may be required in tandem with the upgrade.

New information suggests that the current range of mobile broadband bundles that include a free laptop computer as part of the package could soon be improved when the latest laptop technology is added by mobile broadband providers.

At the moment there is a wide selection of technology on offer, with small netbooks with basic hardware sitting alongside full sized notebooks sporting dual core processors and multimedia capabilities. These deals, which are aimed at those looking to get online from scratch, are gaining popularity amongst mobile broadband customers from all walks of life.

However, at present, the majority of mobile broadband deals that include free laptops require the addition of a separate mobile broadband dongle which must be plugged into the laptop to access the internet. Once the new range of laptops is made available, this could all change.

Experts predict that mobile broadband providers will begin to offer free laptops which come with the 3G mobile broadband modem built into the body of the device, which eliminates the need for a separate mobile broadband dongle. This will be supported by other traditional connectivity options such as Wi-Fi and Bluetooth and will vary depending on the manufacturer and network you choose.

The inclusion of 3G connectivity with new laptops is seen by some as a sign that computer manufacturers are buying into the mobile broadband phenomenon and are anticipating continued growth within the industry that gives these new laptops a unique selling point.

If you are looking to compare wireless broadband prices in the next few months you could see a shift in the type of laptops that are being bundled with mobile broadband deals if these predictions are realised. Most providers are constantly updating their range of free laptops in order to remain competitive, so there is a high possibility of this occurring.

£18 million of investment is being allocated to help boost broadband speeds across Northern Ireland for home users and local businesses looking to make the most out of fast broadband connections. The Department of Finance and Personnel has been put in charge of distributing the public funds and it will be pumping most of the money into BT to ensure wider coverage and increased download speeds.

The Department for Enterprise, Trade and Investment allocated the significant funding last week and it is said to be part of a government initiative to bridge the investment gap between what the telecoms networks were going to spend and the level of funding that should ensure blanket broadband coverage in Northern Ireland.

The government aims to provide 85 per cent of homes and businesses with BT broadband deals operating at a higher speed and wider availability by the start of 2011 and the £18 million will go towards ensuring that this target is reached.

BT has been commissioned to carry out the necessary upgrades and extensions to the current networks and the good news for residents of Northern Ireland is that both urban and rural areas will be included in the upcoming developments.

Although the initial phase will be completed within the next twelve months in order to meet deadlines, the deal commits BT to continue the roll-out and support of the new network until 2015. BT will still be the owner of the infrastructure, but with the public funding it is committed to ensuring that broadband is made available in areas that it might have dismissed as not financially viable.

Simon Gerrard of Simple Broadband confirmed that “home broadband customers in Northern Ireland will really benefit from the high speed BT broadband deals that will become available once the funding is brought to bear and the work is completed.”

Homes and businesses in and around Oxford Road in Manchester could soon be able to connect to the internet at significantly higher speeds thanks to new plans to install a fibre optic broadband network.

The plans have been announced as part of an effort to instigate regeneration within the area and the organisation Corridor Manchester will be pushing through the installation with support from local businesses and individuals.

The organisation has sought the expertise of Geo Networks to carry out the construction of the fibre optic network and reports suggest that in order to connect the eastern region of the city the firm will make use of the MetroLink tunnels. This will be the first stage of what should hopefully be a relatively rapid process.

Corridor Manchester’s CEO Jack Potter said that broadband speeds were bound to increase in the local area once the work was completed. However, Mr Potter also said that he hoped local home and business users would be able to access an open network and that any limitations inherent in current broadband provision in the area.

The Salford Quays area of Manchester has already received a commitment from BT that will ensure the availability of fibre optic broadband for the MediaCityUK business park. It is hoped that by 2011 home users as well as local firms will be able to access fibre optic broadband on their premises with greatly enhanced BT broadband options.

Simple Broadband’s Simon Gerrard added “many more areas should expect similar schemes to arrive in the coming years, with urban dwellers set to be the first people to be able to take advantage of extended BT broadband options.” Along with the next generation of mobile broadband, fibre optic broadband is going to significantly help the UK to hit the target of universal broadband availability by 2012.