Frequently Asked Questions
Still got some questions?
We’ve put together this handy little list of some of the most commonly asked questions.
Fibre broadband, as the name suggests, uses fibre optic cables to deliver internet to properties. These cables are made of glass or plastic and have the ability to transfer information at faster speeds than copper wires that are used in traditional broadband, known as Asymmetric Digital Subscriber Line (ADSL).
In the Isle of Man the fibre network provides a connection right into individual homes and businesses, providing a choice of broadband speeds, including a world-class one gigabits per second. This is known as Fibre to the Premises (FTTP) or a full fibre connection as opposed to Fibre to the Cabinet (FTTC) where fibre optic cables are connected as far as the main exchange (cabinet) in the area. Existing copper wires are then used to connect properties to the main exchange.
So, fibre broadband is the service provided to properties. The wireless connectivity between devices and the router within the home is referred to as WiFi. This is an important difference when it comes to troubleshooting speeds and performance. Poor WiFi does not necessarily mean a poor network performance and problems can often lie within the property.
To help understand terms often used by telecommunications operators and the industry we’ve provided a useful glossary of terms opposite.
With speeds up to four times faster than traditional copper-wired broadband, there are a range of broadband speeds to suit different budgets and lifestyle needs. Fibre optic cables have the ability to transmit data as fast as 1000 Megabits per second (mbps) versus 200 mbps that is available with traditional broadband.
While traditional copper services are more prone to faults (such as those brought on by inclement weather), this isn’t an issue for fibre-based services.
Switching to a significantly faster fibre-based broadband service is particularly useful for high bandwidth users e.g. if you stream online content from providers such as Netflix, BBC iPlayer etc., play online games, upload or download large files, make video calls or have a number of smart devices/users in your household.
With fibre broadband you can choose to keep or do away with your existing landline number as it is not required to connect your home to fibre. You can keep your landline number as an additional service if you prefer to.
Fibre broadband is vital for the Isle of Man’s economic and social prospects, and ensures the Island remains an attractive place to live and work. Fibre to the premises provides future-proof internet access that cannot be surpassed by other technologies.
Think Fibre is an awareness building campaign being run by the Department for Enterprise under the Isle of Man National Broadband Plan (NBP). As part of the NBP we have set an ambitious target of ensuring that more than 99% of premises on Island has access to fibre broadband by 2024. The roll-out is going as planned and over 67.7% of premises across the Island already have access to fibre broadband. Read more about the National Broadband Plan here.
The Department for Enterprise has been tasked with the responsibility of creating an awareness campaign for Isle of Man residents to explain the benefits of fibre broadband vs. standard broadband, and to clear any misconceptions that exist regarding speed, availability and value. Think Fibre is not a fibre broadband provider, and residents are encouraged to seek information about how to order fibre broadband by contacting their preferred service providers here.
Research shows that 92% of people who moved from copper to fibre broadband are happy with the service.
While costs for fibre may vary among service providers, it can typically cost the same as traditional broadband as it gives the option for customers to keep or let go of their landline. Service providers often offer bundle discounts for fibre and mobile phone connections such that the cost turns out to be the same with the added benefit of higher speeds and a more reliable connection than copper broadband.
Switch to fibre and enjoy the benefits of high-speed broadband technology in your home within a few days of ordering it from your service provider.
There are three simple steps to getting a fibre connection:
- Contact your service provider to order
- Agree an installation date
- Be at home on that day for the engineer to visit
For more details on expected times, view your fibre journey here.
We have created this handy guide to help you choose a broadband package that ticks all the boxes for you and your family. Remember research is key, and while researching keep these four factors in mind:
Price
Pick a budget and then start your search. You know what price will give you the best value and how much you are willing to spend on broadband/month.
Internet speeds
100 mbps is the minimum download speed you can get for Fibre broadband and for most people with light to medium usage, this should do the trick. If you have multiple devices connected at home with multiple users, go for 200 mbps for fewer battles over bandwidth. For serious gaming and heavy usage you can opt for 500 mbps or the best in class 1000 mbps or 1 Gigabit.
Faster speeds have a positive impact on downloads and the faster your internet, the more people you can have online at the same time.
Usage
If you have a full house, or perhaps you are keen on downloading music or films, then you could probably use up a lot of data. Maybe even gigabytes at a time! Think about what is the most common use of internet at your home. Is it browsing, streaming, gaming, working from home? Do you need to keep your landline or would you like to do away with it? Most service providers offer unlimited downloads so you don’t have to worry about maxing out on your monthly allowance.
Broadband bundles
Many providers can offer you a bundle, where you can sort out your landline and mobile services at the same time as getting a great broadband deal. It will often be cheaper and easier to do it this way and you could grab yourself a deal on a particular aspect of the package if you’re lucky.
One of the benefits of fibre broadband technology is that it does not use copper cables to transmit data. This means you no longer need a copper landline connection and once you switch to fibre you can disconnect this service and save your monthly line rental cost.
If, of course, you still wish to keep a landline connection, you can get a new handset whilst keeping your old landline number. This new handset uses Voice Over Internet Protocol (VOIP) technology that allows users to make and receive telephone calls using the internet. It provides crystal clear voice quality at a lower price than a copper landline. Speak to your service provider to find out more about VOIP packages.
If you check your post code on our Fibre broadband availability checker and get one the following results it means that the Fibre team will have to either survey your premises or ask you to complete some additional groundwork before you can get a connection.
- Fibre available now, Buried Cable Identified
- Fibre available now, MDU Cabling Required
- Fibre available now, Survey Required
- Fibre available now, Business Premises Survey
This result does not mean that you cannot get a fibre connection. It means that the team needs more information before they can get fibre to your premises and this is because the infrastructure supplying properties varies around the Island depending on several factors, including when properties were built and the location of the property. Please click on the topics below to read our guide on what to do if your property has been identified with an exception:
Bits per second, the rate in which data transmission speed is measured. Usually stated as Mbps (Mega-, or millions of bits per second) or Gbps (Giga, or thousands of millions of bits per second).
A generic term for Internet access service; as opposed to long forgotten narrowband dial-up services.
Digital Subscriber Line, the original broadband technology. There are a number of DSL variants including Asymmetrical (ADSL) and Very high speed (VDSL) that offer speeds up to 200Mbps.
Fibre to the Premises (homes and businesses), sometimes referred to as FTTH (fibre to the home), there is no difference between the two.
Fibre to the Cabinet, active broadband equipment in street cabinets with homes and businesses served by copper cables from those cabinets.
Wireless Fidelity, providing wireless connectivity from consumer devices to a router. WiFi and home networking issues can be incorrectly identified as receiving low speed broadband.
