Winter 2023

FEATURE
Local Broadband Report
In October, a report was published
on broadband in Cranbrook and
Sissinghurst. Written by Amy Jones with
statistics by Thomas Buck and published
by telecom market researchers Fair
Internet Report, it makes for interesting
reading. Statistically it seems that in terms of
broadband speeds the parish compares quite
well with similar-sized market towns in Kent.
However, with a median download speed of
48 Mbps (megabits per second), we come in at
12 per cent lower than Kent’s (55 Mbps) and
21 per cent lower than the UK median of 60
Mbps.
To make sense of these statistics and to be
able to choose the right broadband provider,
it is useful to consider what is important for
you: speed, reliability or customer service. For
example, for basic browsing and email, speeds
of 10–25 Mbps should be adequate. If you are
regularly streaming HD films then you will
require at least 25 Mbps. For gamers, around
50 Mbps will provide a lag-free service. For
those of you who work at home and need to
make video calls and so on then you should
“To make sense of these
statistics and to be able to
choose the right broadband
provider, it is useful to consider
what is important for you”
aim for 80 Mbps or higher. Remember, the
more devices you have connected, the higher
speed you will need. You should compare
prices, whether there are installation fees or
other costs, and contract lengths.
WHERE DO WE GO FROM HERE?
While both download and upload speeds seem
to vary, the fastest provider in the parish at
the moment is Call Flow Solutions with a
median speed of 157 Mbps, while the most
popular provider, BT, comes in second with
an average download speed of 115 Mbps.
Other providers with adequate speeds include
EE, Plusnet and Zen Internet. The slowest
providers include Talk Talk, Sky Broadband
and Vodafone.
Of course, internet technology is always
developing. Full-fibre broadband, which offers
the fastest and most reliable internet speeds,
is now available from providers that use
OpenReach, like BT and Sky, but is expensive.
However, if you are interested in this then
you might find an altnet provider (alternative
network), such as Trooli – which is available
in the area – offering competitive deals in
order to secure your business.
Reliable broadband has quickly become
essential for all our lives, not just for
entertainment but also education, business,
healthcare and keeping in touch with friends
and family. Since Covid the number of
people working from home has increased
dramatically further adding to the need for a
quality local broadband service. Although the
service here is ‘good’, it needs to be better.
You can read Amy Jones’s article in full at:
fairinternetreport.com/United-Kingdom/Kent/
Cranbrook-and-Sissinghurst
24 The Cake • Winter 2023