 Whilst the government and BT promise faster and wider access to fast broadband, the technology available outstrips the speeds usable:
>> A study by comparison site Gocompare.com has found that only 14% of people in the UK have changed their broadband provider in the last year. This is despite the fact that switching providers is often beneficial as some deals are only offered to new customers. Lee Griffin of Gocompare commented that millions of customers could be paying more than necessary. Conversley, recent statistics from ISPreview.co.uk found that more than 60% of broadband users expect to switch in the coming year. With the New Year now upon us, ISP's have started to release details of their January sales. All the major providers have deals in place, with Virgin Media offering 2 free months on their fibre optic broadband and O2 also offering 2 free months on their standard package.
>> Skype has launched a high-def video calling system and has announced a partnership which will see the skype calling service integrated into HD television sets. The Skype 4.2 Beta for windows was released in December and according to Skype, requires an uninterrupted high-speed broadband connection of at least 1Mbps. Average upload speeds in the UK are just .467Mbps. LG and Panasonic have signed up to incorporate the technology into their television sets and will include HD webcams.
>> U2 frontman Bono has suggested that broadband providers should be doing more to tackle the problem of illegal filesharing. In a column for the New York Times he commented that improvements in broadband speeds is only likely to make the problem worse. He described the practise as "reverse Robin Hooding", as the large ISP's are directly profiting from the practise and the music industry is losing out. Meanwhile a French senator has also been commenting on the problem. Michel Thiolliere said to the BBC that people in France are to be sent an email warning them about their activity and those who ignore the warnings will be prosecuted. This is very similar to the solution which may be put into action in the UK.
>> Research from Broadband.co.uk has shown that average broadband speeds have increased by 22% in the last year. This represents an increase from 3.667Mbps to 4.478Mbps from the start of the year to the end. Providers with the best recorded speeds were BT, PlusNet and Virgin Media who backed up their speeds with special packages and deals for customers. O2 and Sky both saw their average speeds drop over the year. Edd Dawson of Broadband.co.uk commented that those providers who offer the best packages are also showing the best speed increases.
>> The Wall Street Journal has reported that homes built with chicken wire inside the walls may experience problems with their wi-fi signals. Apparently chicken wire acts as a type of Faraday cage, absorbing the signals. The reports states that the wire will absorb around 75% of the signals emitted by wi-fi and plain plasterboard with absorb 33%.
>> Electronics group Philips are conducting the worlds largest test of home diagnostic equipment using broadband. Chronically ill patients from Newham in London, Cornwall and Kent will be monitored from their homes using equipment linked to local hospitals and clinics, via the internet. Results such as blood oxygen levels are sent using a set top box and the patient can be contacted if there is cause for concern. The system is known as Telehealth or Telecare and is being hailed as the perfect way for the Government to cut health budgets, while still providing care. It enables people to live independently in their own homes and frees up resources.
>> The Government is considering new plans to make high speed broadband access a legal right to all UK citizens. There are already laws in place guaranteeing access to water and gas and this would place broadband in the same category of importance. The Government has promised 2Mbps to all households by 2012 and super-fast broadband to 90% of the country. Local Councils have said that these goals do not go far enough and want a commitment in law to faster speeds. Keith Mitchell of the Local Government Association has said that fast internet was essential to everyday life and was a necessity, not a luxury. The Government has said it will consider the proposals.
>> The number of wi-fi hotspots around the country looks set to increase as companies such as BT are looking to add more locations around the country. BT currently have 4000 public hotspots and has seen traffic double over the past year. The increase in usage of hotspots has been put down to the popularity of smart phones such as the iPhone. Providers have been encouraging users to log into wi-fi hotspots to deal with the drain on their own networks. BT has received enquiries from ISP's at an unprecedented level for access to their wi-fi, while new mobile networks are built to accommodate more traffic. Wi-fi hotspots can be installed for just £75 and incur a monthly running cost of only £20. Swindon recently took advantage of this low cost by making the entire town a free broadband access area. †
    
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