Broadband in Oxford
Oxford is an idyllic, welcoming city that boasts one of the most famous and influential universities in the world. It enjoys a diverse economy, with different industries helping the city to thrive, and it’s also popular with tourists looking to enjoy some classic examples of English architecture through the ages.
Oxford has long embraced technological innovations, with a number of start-ups beginning life in the city, so it’s no surprise that fast broadband connectivity has been a priority.
Better Broadband for Oxfordshire
The ‘Better Broadband for Oxfordshire’ scheme is designed to connect more homes and businesses to high-speed fibre broadband. The aim is to connect more than 95% across the county, and the benefits to both residents and companies in the area are highlighted on the dedicated website Better Broadband for Oxfordshire.
More than 50,000 homes and businesses are now able to access fibre broadband thanks to the scheme, and the rollout will continue with the 95% target expected to be reached by 2017.
Speeds and availability
Thanks to the fibre rollout currently taking place, homes that are connected to the faster service should be able to get up to 80Mb broadband on the top packages. The network is open, so a number of providers can offer services on it, and availability is improving.
If you choose Virgin Media then speeds can be faster, as the network is different, and packages go as high as 152Mb.
Fibre availability in the centre, covering postcodes OX1, OX2 and OX4, is excellent, and the same can be said for areas further out, such as OX44. It can of course vary street to street, so a postcode check is the best way to find out for sure.
Broadband providers
The Better Broadband for Oxfordshire website has a comprehensive list of providers in the area, with most using the Openreach network. The list includes major providers like BT, Plusnet, TalkTalk and Sky, as well as smaller broadband operators like Eclipse and Zen Internet.
Virgin Media is also a popular provider of fibre broadband in the area, running on its own network.
The website separates out the providers into two categories, so you can see a list specifically for either home or business.
Summary
Oxford is excellent for fast broadband, with a choice of providers and superfast packages available. Even away from the city the coverage of fibre is good, and if you aren’t interested in superfast broadband, then ADSL provides a reliable service and is also widely available.
