HOUSEHOLDS with poor broadband speeds may finally be able to say goodbye to slow internet connections from next month.
The government has confirmed plans for vouchers worth £1,500 to fix slow speeds as part of its new £5billion Gigabit Broadband Scheme – here is how to apply.
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A voucher scheme was launched by the government in 2018 to help rural homes and businesses across the UK currently struggling with slow internet speeds.
More than 66,000 vouchers worth up to £127million have already been issued to households across the UK to tackle the problem.
Now new vouchers worth up to £1,500 for homes and £3,500 for businesses will be available from April 8.
Up to £210million will be made available to give people in eligible rural areas immediate financial help to get gigabit speeds.
Top tips on how to stay connected
BELOW are some tips from Ofcom on how to stay connected during the coronavirus crisis.
- Use your landline or wifi calls:More people are making calls on their mobile network during the day, so you may find you get a more reliable connection using your landline or by turning on “wifi calling” in your settings.
- Move your router clear of other devices: Keep your router as far away as possible from other devices, such as cordless phones, baby monitors, TVs and monitors, as they can all affect your wifi if they’re too close to your router. Also, place your router on a table or shelf rather than on the floor, and keep it switched on.
- Lower the demands on your connection: The more devices attached to your wifi, the lower the speed you get. Devices like tablets and smartphones often work in the background, so try switching wifi reception off on these when you’re not using them.
- Try wired rather than wireless:For the best broadband speeds, use an Ethernet cable to connect your computer directly to your router rather than using wifi.
- Plug your router directly into your main phone socket:Where possible, try not to use a telephone extension lead, as these can cause interference which could lower your speed.
- Test the speed on your broadband line: You can run a speed test using Ofcom’s official mobile and broadband checker. If possible, carry out tests over a few days and at different times of day.
- Get advice from your broadband provider: If your connection isn’t working as well as it should, you can find advice on your broadband provider’s website. If you need to contact them for help, keep in mind that because of coronavirus some companies have fewer people to help with your queries.
Culture Secretary Oliver Dowden said: “Project Gigabit is our national mission to plug in and power up every corner of the UK and get us gigafit for the future.
“That means no more battling over the bandwidth, more freedom to live and work anywhere in the country, and tens of thousands of new jobs created as we deliver a game-changing infrastructure upgrade.”
How to apply for the Gigabit Broadband Voucher Scheme?
The vouchers will be available to homes and businesses in rural locations where existing broadband speeds are below 100Mbps and where there are no plans to improve the network either privately or by the government.
To qualify, you also need to be part of a group project of two or more homes and/or businesses who will combine their vouchers, so you cannot do it just for your own home.
There will be an online postcode checker available on the Gigabit Broadband Voucher Scheme website once the scheme goes live on April 8, so people can check if their home or business is eligible.
The vouchers will only be available through a supplier that is registered with the scheme, which you can find out once it goes live.
The postcode search will list suppliers that are active in your area.
Your chosen supplier will be able to advise and support your eligibility and guide you through the process.
Once you find a registered supplier, you can apply through them and they will request a voucher.
If approved, your supplier will start working on the connection and once completed the government will check if the service is live and functioning.
As many as 510,000 homes and firms long plagued by poor broadband will get subsidies as part of Project Gigabit.
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The government are also in talks with Elon Musk about helping to fix broadband for remote areas by using his satellite network.
Internet regulator Ofcom has previously got tough on poor service from providers.
It ordered them to offer customers automatic refunds of up to £8 per day for problems with their service such as if slow speeds need to be fixed and aren’t resolved within two working days..
Virgin Media down – thousands of broadband customers struggle to use internet services
