Broadband (FAQs)

Here you can find the frequently asked questions concerning the Superfast broadband rollout in Milton Keynes.

What do fibre broadband, Basic broadband and Mbps mean?

Fibre broadband provides premises with access to internet speeds of 100Mbps and above.

Hybrid fibre broadband runs from a local street cabinet and provides access to internet speeds of 30Mbps and above. 

Basic broadband provides premises with access to internet speeds of 2Mbps and above.

Mbps (megabit per second) is a unit used to measure data transfer speeds in internet connections. The higher the Mbps, the faster you can browse the internet, download and upload.

What are download and upload speeds?

Download speeds are how quickly information transfers from the Internet to your computer (for example downloading a music file)

Upload speeds are how quickly information transfers from your computer to the Internet (for example uploading a photo)

What is fibre broadband and how fast is it?

The latest in broadband technology, fibre optic broadband provides super-fast speeds and increased reliability.

It is delivered via fibre optic cable, as opposed to copper telephone lines used by traditional ADSL broadband, in one of two ways

  • Hybrid Fibre (Fibre to the cabinet FTTC), which uses fibre optic cables throughout the network to the street cabinet and then copper wires from the cabinet to the home. Hybrid Fibre provides download speeds up to 80Mbps and upload speeds of up to 20Mbps, depending on the distance from the cabinet.
  • Full Fibre broadband uses fibre optic cables right up to the premises. Full Fibre provides download speeds of up to 1000Mpbs and upload speeds of up to 100Mbps, which are not affected by distance to the cabinet. This is sometimes referred to as Fibre to the premises (FTTP).

How do I find out what my current broadband speed is?

You can contact your internet service provider or visit the broadband speed test (you should not have to download computer programs to run the test). Speeds vary at different times so we recommend testing during peak and off-peak to get an accurate speed.

What broadband speeds can I expect?

Most premises connected to the new fibre broadband networks will be able to receive broadband (Speeds of 100Mbps and above). Some premises will still only be able to receive slower broadband speeds, various local and national government initiatives are aiming too reduce the number of premises affected.

Will everyone have fibre broadband?

Not under the current projects. Some geographically remote locations will not receive fibre broadband due to cost and/or technology. 

How do I order fibre broadband?

Once you've checked that Fibre broadband is available in your area, ordering fibre broadband is the same as ordering normal broadband.

Research the different internet service providers to choose the best package for you. You can find more information from ThinkBroadband. 

There may be less choice for FTTP areas, which are not as common. Please visit FTTP services in Milton Keynes for more information.

I’m in an enabled area but can’t get fibre broadband -why not?

This may be because:

  • your roadside cabinet has not been upgraded to fibre broadband
  • you are served by an exchange-only line that connects directly to the telephone exchange and not a roadside cabinet
  • the length of the copper line from your premises to your cabinet is too long
  • your area has not yet been enabled for full fibre.

What does installation involve and how long does it take?

You will receive a new router/modem to install yourself or with the help of an engineer. The installation will typically take two weeks, but varies per provider.

In most cases, your telephone and computer equipment will not require replacing.

What about the homes and businesses that will not be able to get fibre broadband?

Currently 99.4% of premises in Milton Keynes can receive at least superfast broadband (over 30Mbps)

We will continue developing projects and working with the Government and communities to further expand the reach of full fibre broadband.