British Broadband Hotspots and Notspots

The Internet has become the next big thing or the most important aspect in all of our lives. Some even go so far as to swear that they can't even survive without it! Broadband connectivity is not just a service; it has become more of a necessity that millions across the world rely on for both commercial and personal needs. Thankfully, we can enjoy high speed broadband services in almost every part of the United Kingdom. We can often find several areas where we can gain wireless access to the Internet, using technologies such as Wi-Fi, at dirt cheap prices and sometimes even for no cost whatsoever. Such areas are called “Hotspots.” Hotspots can often be found in coffee shops, local watering holes and other public establishments. Often, local corporations provide free Wi-Fi hotspots for (Wi-Fi enabled) mobile phone and laptop users in that specific area.
There are several instances when we find ourselves in some areas where we find no connectivity at all. These no-connectivity areas are called “Notspots.” Notspots are those areas where services are supposed to be provided, but in reality, no such services exist. There may be many reasons for the lack of connectivity in these areas, such as lack of coverage, or signal loss due to obstructions, etc. Such no-service spots are scattered all over the country, and measures are being taken to eradicate them as soon as possible.


A Bit of History
O2 first set up over a thousand free hotspots in various locations across the country. Ever since then, many other service providers have opened up numerous broadband hotspots all over Great Britain. Recently, BT has made free Wi-Fi-based broadband connectivity in over half a million locations in London.
Underlying Technology
There are two service technologies at play in the hotspot divisions.

1. Wi-Fi (Wireless Fidelity) 
2. Mobile 3G Broadband

Some corporations and establishments provide wireless broadband access via Local Area Connections (LAN). In this type of service, a local hi-speed broadband Internet connection, via phone lines, is set up and connected to a wireless router. The router then provides Internet Access to all devices within its range. This kind of coverage is quite limited in terms of its geographical range (usually a few hundred yards). Broadband services provided by local coffee shops, restaurants and other similar public establishments make use of this technology quite often.
The other technology being used is the mobile broadband. With mobile phones becoming as common as summer rains, hi-speed data access and other broadband based services can be provided using the wide, well-connected mobile network systems that are already installed in different places across the nation. All the mobile service providers in Britain now provide 3G services that can be used to connect to the Internet. In this type of connection, the mobile towers have a major role to play. Network coverage depends on the proximity to mobile towers of the service providers. The obvious advantage here is the wide coverage areas – we can connect to the Internet from almost anywhere, as long as we have mobile coverage in the area. However, such services come at a price, and are usually not offered free of cost.
Geographical location plays a huge role in determining the true broadband speeds available in the area. Sometimes, speeds get drastically reduced even in covered regions, and can ruin the overall broadband experience for the user. There are, however, ways to determine the actual speed of the broadband network. The best way to check the speed of the service providers is to log on to a broadband speed test site.
Broadband speed checker sites, such as the one mentioned above, are pretty accurate with their results and provide details about the actual speeds available in the specific area. The website mentioned above goes one step further by suggesting better broadband connections (if available) in the area, if your speeds are not satisfactory.


Nathan Morgan has been an IT professional for 14 years.