Openreach is Expanding Across Devon and Somerset (But Is it the Best Broadband Choice For You?) 

For years, fiber optics has been out of reach for millions of internet users across the United Kingdom, but that’s about to change. The gigabit-capable Full Fiber rollout is about to connect hard-to-reach rural areas in Devon and Somerset to broadband company Openreach.

Who’s Included in the Rollout?

About 600 premises in and around the Dulverton area of Exmoor will gain access to ultra-fast broadband, including surrounding communities of Sampton, Exton, Bridgetown, Exebridge, Bury, Brushford, Winsford, Morebath, Oakforfbridge, Oakford, Winsford, and Shillingford.

Before the rollout, Openreach was already delivering Full Fiber to over 2,000 premises in Devon and Somerset. As of the end of February 2022, more than 60 homes in the communities of South Devon, Combeinteignhead, and Lane End are already taking advantage of this service.

Should You Get Fiber Optics in Devon and Somerset? 

The implementation of faster internet speeds is a major positive to several rural communities, which are often forgotten about during the process of modernization. However, that doesn’t mean fiber optics is the right choice for everyone, and it isn’t because the service itself is costly.

Fiber optic internet speed ranges from 1-10 Gbps, which is 10 to 50 times faster than the 50-200 Mbps you’ll see with broadband. Fiber optic internet is also more reliable, which is a significant positive to rural towns that typically have spotty service at best.

Before opting into fiber optic internet, you should compare broadband prices and their benefits first. Depending on your internet usage, you may not need fiber optics right away.

The Case for Slower Broadband Packages

Don’t get us wrong, fiber optic internet is an impressive, revolutionary invention that will change the world as we know it. For example, medical services that use fiber optics can diagnose patients much faster, leading to an overall increase in health outcomes for the UK population.

However, the everyday single person or family household won’t need to upload hour-long videos at the speed of sound or download thousands of applications in under a minute. 

If you own a business in a rural community, you’ll need faster broadband speeds, but 100 Mbps download, and 10 Mbps upload speeds are more than enough. That doesn't mean you won’t need fiber optics in the future, but you’ll probably be able to wait until the service gets cheaper.

How to Know When You’ll Need Fiber Optics

While you will spend less money on a typical broadband package, there are still plenty of reasons why you would want to adopt fiber optics right away, including the following.

You’re Worried About Outages 

Traditional copper wiring is susceptible to damage from weather and old age, but fiber optics is sturdier. As we continue to rely more and more on technology, it’s important to adopt cables that are less likely to be damaged, especially in rural areas where repair initiatives take longer.

Your Family is Always Online

Families that work from home or stream frequently would benefit from fiber optics. With traditional broadband, you’ll notice a significant dip in speeds when multiple people are using the same connection. Fiber optics will stay at the same speed no matter what.

You Want to Future Proof

There isn't a technology better than fiber when it comes to bandwidth. That's because fiber bandwidth limits aren’t held back by cables but by fiber optic electronics. That means you’ll be able to utilize new types of fiber optic electronics as the architecture continues to improve.

You’re a Building Renovator

While it’s true that copper wiring is cheaper to install and maintain, the world is quickly switching to fiber optics. It’ll be much more expensive to install two types of infrastructure than one, so it makes good business sense to eat the cost. This scenario can also count as future-proofing.