Superfast, ultrafast or just plan fast: Broadband speeds explained (and how much to pay for them)

HOW fast is superfast? Or, for that matter, ultrafast or just plain very fast? All three terms are thrown around by broadband suppliers but the absence of a common vocabulary means you could end up with a slower internet connection than you expected.

As more of us sign up for so-called superfast deals, the speed to the average UK home is now 22 megabits per second - a three-fold increase in just a few years. But as the infrastructure improves, “superfast” is now one of the slower technologies out there.

The latest buzzword is hyperfast, sometimes called UFO, which delivers speeds of more than 900 Mbps, but currently only in York and a few other trial areas, and only then to buildings with suitable cabling.

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The cables in question are entirely fibre optic. That’s not the case with superfast, two tiers down, which relies on fibre cables only as far as the telephone cabinet on your street, and old-fashioned copper from there to your house. Superfast delivers up to 80 Mpbs, though BT plans to double that in the next couple of years. However, many cut-price deals cap the speed at 38 Mbps.

Confusingly, “high speed broadband” is in most cases the slowest service available, with speeds between eight and 20 Mbps.

It’s in the ultrafast market where the most interesting developments are to be found. Nestling between the experimental hyperfast band and the more common superfast service, ultrafast is, for those who can get it, the speediest and most practical broadband available today.

Virgin Media, which uses fibre and steel lines to deliver speeds of around 150 Mbps, is the most commonly available ultrafast service, but only if a Virgin cable goes past your house.

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If it doesn’t, it’s worth checking if your property is serviced by a newer company called Hyperoptic, which has been laying fibre to apartment buildings in many urban locations. As their name suggests, their service is capable of hyperfast speeds, but they also offer a 100 Mbps connection at a price easily comparable with many superfast deals.

A further ultrafast option is offered by Direct Save Telecom, who can supply speeds of up to 300 Mbps to certain new-build properties with the requisite wiring.

The many special offers currently available - typically half-price or even free service for an initial period - makes it hard to compare costs, but these are the monthly fees you should try to match, once your discount period is over and assuming you also rent your £16-a-month phone line from the same company.

• High speed (8-20 Mpbs) can be had for between £7-10 a month with unlimited use, from Plusnet, TenTel and others.

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• Superfast (38 or 80 Mpbs) If it’s available where you live, a 38 Mbps connection will give you the best trade-off between performance and value. Sky charges £10 for up to 25 gigabytes of use per month and Plusnet £5 more for unlimited use. Around £22 a month will remove the 38 Mbps speed cap.

• Ultrafast (100-plus Mpbs) Not universally available, but if you can get it, expect to pay £25 upwards from Direct Save, Virgin or Hyperoptic.

• Hyperfast or UFO (900-plus Mpbs) Still in the experimental phase, but TalkTalk says it will supply packages for just £22, with no need for monthly phone rental on top. If they can deliver, it will transform the market - but it’s some way down the line.