Where can I find the Best Internet in Norfolk?

Norfolk is a beautiful county located in the East of England. It is known for its stunning coastline, historic towns and villages, and picturesque countryside. With such a diverse landscape, it’s no surprise that Norfolk has become a popular destination for tourists and locals alike.

But with so many different internet providers out there, where can you find the best broadband in Norfolk? In this guide, we will explore the various options available and help you make an informed decision.

What is the Average Broadband Speeds in Norfolk?

Before we dive into the different internet providers in Norfolk, it’s important to understand the average broadband speeds in the area. According to thinkbroadband.com, the average broadband speed across all fixed-line broadband connections in Norfolk is 84.6Mbps. This is above the UK national average of 69.4Mbps download speeds. However, it’s worth noting that this average speed varies depending on your location. The city of Norwich has much faster average speeds than many rural areas in the county, where fibre optic broadband availability is much lower.

Superfast Broadband and Ultrafast Broadband Statistics for Norfolk (Download Speeds)

According to thinkbroadband.com, 97.22% of premises have access to superfast broadband. This seems encouraging, however, “superfast” according to their metric is only speeds above 24Mbps, which is largely insufficient for many purposes, especially for businesses or homes who are frequently streaming or downloading large files. According to the same report, 56.83% of premises have ultrafast broadband, which is defined as download speeds above 100Mbps.

This seems encouraging for such a rural area, however this report includes the city of Norwich where around half of all Norfolk’s inhabitants live. This means that customers in rural areas should generally not expect to have faster broadband than the national average. This is because rural properties are usually much further from their local street cabinet, meaning that the overall latency along the length of their fibre optic cable is much larger and therefore their speeds will be lower.

When it comes to upload speeds, the statistics for Norfolk are also unimpressive. According to NetworkSpy.co.uk, the median upload speed in Norfolk is 4.47Mbps, which is half that of the national average of 9.8Mbps.

Upload speeds play a crucial role in how we use the internet, especially in the era of digital transformation where remote work, online gaming, and video conferencing have become the norm. High upload speeds allow for quicker, more efficient data transmission when sending emails, uploading files to the cloud, or live streaming. They also greatly affect the quality of video calls, offering a smoother, lag-free experience during online meetings or virtual events. In essence, the higher the upload speed, the less time it takes to send information from your device to the internet, enhancing the overall online experience.

Will Norfolk’s Average Speed increase?

Furthermore, Government investments like the Better Broadband Subsidy Scheme have stopped in recent years, meaning that average download speeds in rural areas are there were feers that not to improve anytime soon.

However, there are campaigns from various organisations and residents to improve broadband services in the county. For example, Norfolk County Council has partnered with other local authorities for the Broadband Delivery UK (BDUK) project, which aims to bring superfast broadband to 95% of premises by the end of 2020. The council is also working with BT Openreach to deliver full fibre broadband in selected areas, providing speeds of up to 1Gbps.

What are the Best Broadband providers in Norfolk?

Next, let’s explore the different broadband providers available in Norfolk. The main players in the market are BT, Virgin Media, Sky and TalkTalk. All four offer various packages with different speeds and prices to cater to different needs and budgets. These options will be more than serviceable if you are living in a bigger urban area such as Norwich and Great Yarmouth and will most likely give you the fastest broadband possible. These large companies often have broadband deals on signup. This can mean offering you a deal where you pay a cheaper monthly cost, or that they package broadband with some sort of benefit such as a Netflix subscription or contracts for your mobile phones.

However, smaller local broadband providers such as SimRush and WiSpire also have a presence in Norfolk and will likely be your best bet if you’re living in a rural area. These locally owned businesses specialize in delivering the fastest speed possible to rural areas by using alternative technology to standard broadband, and can provide speeds that are far faster than a more mainstream broadband provider. WiSpire are partnered with the Church of England and have installed wireless transmitters in certain churches in rural areas, providing WiFi to locals. However, your actual speed can vary depending on how many people in the village are connected at one time, and is also dependent on you living in a village with a WiSpire transmitter nearby. In contrast, SimRush uses 4G technology to provide fast broadband exclusively to your premises. Their technology is a far harder grade than publicly available 4G routers, and due to the strength of their antenna, SimRush can likely secure you a superfast connection even in areas where you are unable to get any coverage on your mobile phone, and have delivered superfast broadband to some of the most remote locations in the UK such as the Brecon Beacons. Of these two broadband providers, SimRush has the highest customer satisfaction from online reviews.

Conclusion

In conclusion, while superfast and ultrafast broadband availability in Norfolk may seem promising on the surface, the reality is that these statistics are greatly influenced by urban areas such as Norwich. Rural properties in Norfolk still face challenges when it comes to getting faster broadband speeds due to their distance from street cabinets, which affects overall latency. However, there are options available for you you to find the best internet service possible if you’re in a remote area.