Don’t want to wait until 2033 for ultra-fast broadband?

23/07/2018 The Government has pledged that there should be ultra-fast, full-fibre broadband across the UK… by 2033.

In the meantime, we’re stuck with old copper wiring that leaves an overwhelming number of us with a connection that moves slower than an arthritic sloth.

If you’re fed up with streaming video that buffers for hours, here are a few tips to help you out if your slow service is leaving you disconnected.

Check your speed

There are loads of free apps that you can download that will allow you to check the actual speed of your broadband connection. The key thing to do is take a screenshot each time you check on your phone so you’ve got some evidence to back up your complaint.

Ask for options

Speak to your broadband provider (send them a tweet or get in touch online if you want to dodge the call centre), you could ask for something to boost the speed, get a reduction in your payments – or they may even have a fix.

Give your signal a boost

There are lots of things you can do to improve your broadband signal, from making sure your router is near the phone line, using cables not WiFi, upgrading your router and reducing the number of electrical items that might be giving off signals nearby. Even the humble old fish tank can cause problems if it’s got filters and other electrical items plugged in to it.

Getting techy

You can get booster boxes and cables from most electronic stores to help you with your signal problem. Your broadband provider will also provide these but ask any engineer who pops round and they’ll tell you to buy them from a different store or online as they’ll be much cheaper. Most of these boosters are designed to improve your WiFi signal around the house, but some also help improve your broadband speed. Check before you buy to make sure the goods do what you need them to.

Take it higher

Still not happy? Resolver can help you make a complaint, but it pays to set out your argument in simple terms. If you want out of the contract, provide proof of the poor service and the efforts you’ve made to sort it out. This is where those screenshots you’ve taken come in helpful. When making a broadband complaint, it pays to have evidence of the problems you’ve faced, dates when you contacted the business and when engineers came around. Though you have to give the broadband provider a fair shot at sorting out the problem, if they don’t take the opportunity to do so, you can take it further.

Broadband speed isn’t definitively guaranteed, but you can argue that you’re not getting the service you paid for it it’s constantly disrupted. If you feel you’ve been misled in to taking out a contract or the business simply can’t provide what they promised, don’t get mad – let them know.