Full fibre broadband means you benefit from a super-fast, reliable internet connection, thanks to future-proof technology. You can say goodbye to unsustainable, old-fashioned copper cables in your network.

Until recently, having a ‘fibre’ connection could mean you’d be connected to a ‘part-fibre’ network with older copper or ‘cable’ connections in some areas.

However, after Ofcom discovered that 27% of customers don’t understand the terminology around full vs part-fibre broadband, they released new industry guidance. We’re here to unpack what this means, what to expect from your broadband provider, and why it’s important to have a full fibre broadband connection, as well as answering your questions:

• What does full fibre mean?

• Do you need a full fibre connection?

• How is full fibre installed?

• Full vs part-fibre connections: what’s the difference?

• The benefits of full fibre broadband

• How can I tell if my connection is full fibre?

What does full fibre mean?

A full fibre broadband connection means that a fibre-optic cable runs directly from your broadband provider to your home or business. This is also known as ‘Fibre-To-The-Premises’ (FTTP.) As fibre-optic cables can transmit data at the speed of light, this means you receive a connection that is fast, reliable, and future-proof. Only a network which delivers solely full fibre to the premises can claim to be full fibre.

While more than half of the UK has access to full fibre, you may need to wait for it to be installed in your area before you can enjoy the full benefits.

In fact, the UK government has pledged that full fibre will be available to 85% of the map by 2025, and nationwide by 2030. And with new fibre cables being installed all the time, it’s likely you’ll enjoy faster speeds (150+ Mbps) very soon! If you live in London, Surrey or Sussex, you can check if Community Fibre full fibre broadband is available in your area.

Essentially, full fibre broadband works in a much simpler way than part-fibre networks. Rather than being constantly rerouted through a mix of copper and fibre optic lines, the data you’re paying for goes from your provider and through the network at lightspeed. When it arrives at your home, it is rapidly sent out from your router’s WiFi signal to the device you’re using- whether that’s a laptop, phone, tablet or gaming system.

All homes and businesses on the Community Fibre network are guaranteed a full fibre connection using the latest technology, allowing us to make sure you receive the same speeds for both uploads and downloads. For providers using a part-fibre network, the outdated technology will prevent them from delivering symmetrical speeds - and some even deliberately prevent matching upload and download speeds. As our network is 100% full fibre, there is no outdated technology pulling speeds down.

With unbeatable speeds at unbeatable prices ranging from 150 Mbps to 3 Gbps, we offer Fibre-To-The-Premises solutions that fit the needs of your household.

Do you need a full fibre connection?

While part-fibre connections might seem like enough for your household right now, the demand for data is constantly growing. That’s why Ofcom is making it a priority for people to understand what they’re signing up for from their broadband provider.

While growing demand for efficient, high-speed broadband means eventually full fibre will be a must across the country, there are many everyday scenarios that benefit from the reliability it offers today, such as:

• Households with a love of streaming, e.g. live TV programs, gaming, or YouTube channels.

• Households with many devices connected to the WiFi at any given time. You might live in a busy household with lots of people, each with their own devices, or live alone with many devices connected at once. Bandwidth is shared across all the connected devices, making it necessary to have a larger bandwidth by opting for a higher speed broadband package.

• Remote workers — WFH jobs require a  connection you can rely on, even during high-traffic periods and lousy weather. Video conferencing is essential for most home workers to connect with colleagues. For video calls,  you don’t just need fast download speeds to see and hear your colleagues, you also need fast upload speeds so they can see and hear you.

• Students — More and more classes take place online, household Zoom calls have become a weekend tradition, and the pressure to submit coursework online is mounting. As a result, many people in higher education are looking for high-quality broadband to support their efforts. 

• Small business owners — if your business depends on the internet for online operations, admin, emails, meetings, and marketing, you’ll need 24/7 access to it all. And the faster your connection, the better.

How is full fibre installed?

If you do decide to make the switch to a full fibre connection, you can expect a straightforward installation process that usually takes up to two hours. Community Fibre engineers are available to install your connection Monday to Saturday from 8am and 5pm.

1. We arrive and determine the best route for internal cabling and your router.

2. We drill a small hole into a wall close to a door, balcony or window to feed the fibre optic cable into your home.

3. We install the necessary tech such as the modem and router, and we wall mount the fibre socket. We’ll also place any additional routers you might have ordered to maximise coverage throughout your home.

4. We’ll connect up to two of your devices, and perform a speed test through a fixed connection and WiFi to ensure everything is working as expected. 

5. We’ll make sure to provide you with your username and password so you can connect all your other devices, and then we’ll clean and tidy up after ourselves before leaving.

Full vs part-fibre connections: what’s the difference?

We’ve explained that part-fibre connections use a mix of cable, fibre and copper connections throughout their network, but how does this actually impact your broadband connection?

Part-fibre, or ‘Fibre-To-The-Cabinet’ (FTTC) broadband doesn’t travel at the speed of light through some portions of the network, which means your connection speeds are slower than you’d expect from full fibre. Copper connections are also impacted by the distance from your home to the local exchange, where your provider supplies the broadband, and signals can degrade over distance.

New guidance for broadband providers

The difference can be surprisingly confusing, especially because until recently some providers have claimed to offer a ‘fibre’ connection when in fact they are offering Fibre-To-The-Cabinet. Thankfully, Ofcom’s recent guidance means this deceptive language will be replaced with clarity. Under the new rules, providers must:

• Remove ambiguous language — ‘fibre’ on its own is not enough to clarify if a connection is part or full fibre, so this will now be clearly stated.

• Explain broadband technology in detail — this means your questions will be answered in an accessible way by your provider.

Simply put, part-fibre connections are generally slower and less reliable than full fibre broadband. 

The benefits of full fibre broadband

So, how is full fibre broadband better than its traditional part-copper counterpart? There are six main benefits:

1. High-speed connectivity

Faster broadband speeds are ideal for data-heavy activities like working from home, live streaming, gaming, and supporting multiple devices on the same connection at the same time.

For example, Community Fibre’s most popular 1 Gbps package has an average upload/download speed of 920 Mbps, which is considered ultrafast. Our fastest plan, 3 Gbps Premium delivers a full-fibre connection that is lightning fast, even if you’re live streaming on multiple devices, living in an area with high demand and high traffic periods, or if bad weather looms on the horizon.

2. Increased reliability

With a reliance on pure fibre optic cables instead of older technology, your network is less prone to signal degradation, so you can enjoy your connection regardless of weather or periods of high traffic. Community Fibre’s network is up and running 99.9% of the time, with no peak-time slowdowns.  

3. Low latency

Latency refers to the time delay between sending information (the input), and the information being received and having an effect (the output). It is typically measured in milliseconds (ms). For example, let’s say you are on a video call and there is a delay (or a lag) in the time it takes for your video and audio to reach the other person. Low latency is ‘good’ latency, while high latency is ‘poor’. Full fibre offers lower latency, to keep your online experience smooth and seamless. 

4. Future-proof sustainable technology

It’s important to use sustainable alternatives wherever possible to help contribute to a better future. And for broadband, full fibre is the green choice  that will keep everyone connected while limiting its environmental impact.

Full fibre broadband networks are built with high speed and high demand in mind. Signals travel at the speed of light, which means your connection won’t suffer from an expanding population (with greater demands for data), increasingly smart (and bandwidth-demanding) technology, or even virtual reality systems. Fibre optic cables used to transmit signals are energy-efficient, requiring 70% less energy than copper cables to deliver faster connections.

Additionally, the materials used for fibre optics cables are more sustainable than traditional copper. While copper cables are made from non-renewable copper which has to be mined, fibre cables use ultra-clear glass made from sand. Not only this, but fibre optic cables have a longer lifespan than copper. This longevity reduces the need for regular maintenance, replacements or upgrades — and cuts down on unnecessary waste.

5. More secure

Fibre-To-The-Premises connections typically include encrypted data transmission and are less susceptible to signal degradation. This means your connection will be both stable and private, with an additional layer of security between you and cybercriminals.

6. Increases property value

This isn’t just a theory — a study by the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport found that having full fibre broadband can add roughly £3,500 to a property’s value.

With more of the population working from home and increased dependency on a solid WiFi connection, more and more buyers are looking for homes already fitted with the luxury of full fibre broadband.

How can I tell if my connection is full fibre?

It can be difficult to understand if your broadband connection is full fibre or if you need to upgrade, especially if you’re renting or don’t know your building’s history.

Here are a few signs you can look for:

• Speed — full fibre connections typically offer ultrafast speeds and strong connections. We recommend looking for 300+ Mbps. In addition, you can take a free broadband speed test online fairly easily.

• An ONT should be present — this often looks like a white box with the fibre cable connected, and can be wall-mounted. 

If you’re still unsure, you can contact your provider to check what type of connection you have with them.

Start speedy browsing with Community Fibre

All Community Fibre broadband packages use sustainable full fibre and come with no set-up fees for engineer callouts, as well as a 60-day satisfaction guarantee. If you’re not happy with your broadband connection, neither are we — and you can leave with no exit fees.

If you’re interested in upgrading to full fibre broadband, check our availability here to see if we can help.