If you’re moving house, or going to stay somewhere and want to know if you can stay connected, then this new tool is for you.
It’s an interactive map that lets you check broadband speeds and mobile reception levels in an area.
Just head to the Ofcom Mobile and Broadband Checker, enter a postcode, and you’ll see the average download speeds, the availability of superfast broadband and the standard of 3G and 4G mobile coverage.
For anyone who works from home and is looking to move, it could be an invaluable tool. Businesses will also find it useful if they are looking to relocate.
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“The interactive map is part of our work to arm people and businesses with high-quality, accessible information, helping them make informed decisions about their communications services,” said Sharon White, chief executive of Ofcom.
Read more: How to speed up your internet
The broadband checker uses figures provided by the UK’s major internet service providers (ISPs) in June 2015, which are used to work out the average speed. The information for superfast and ultrafast broadband is based on figures from May 2015, and incorporates account data offered by five alternative network providers.
The UK broadband market is facing a shake up, after BT was ordered to open up its BT Openreach network to rival ISPs. Ofcom recently concluded that “Openreach still has an incentive to make decisions in the interests of BT, rather than BT’s competitors, which can lead to competition problems”.
In other words, broadband speeds should improve, and hopefully prices will come down. Which is a win win for us punters.
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Editorial independence
Editorial independence means being able to give an unbiased verdict about a product or company, with the avoidance of conflicts of interest. To ensure this is possible, every member of the editorial staff follows a clear code of conduct.
Professional conduct
We also expect our journalists to follow clear ethical standards in their work. Our staff members must strive for honesty and accuracy in everything they do. We follow the IPSO Editors’ code of practice to underpin these standards.
