iPlate therefore iAm: £10 device from BT that could save your broadband

BT Wholesale has been trialling a new device that could radically improve the speed of ADSL broadband connections, allow customers to finally enjoy speeds close to the advertised ‘up to’ limit.

Fixing an Interstitial Plate, or an iPlate, to the master telephone socket helps to improve connections by eliminating exterior interference. Broadband connections can be seriously affected by electronic ‘noise’ from basic household appliances with faulty power supplies. Bad power supplies from electrical equipment interferes with the so-called “Bell Wire” which runs throughout households, and creates noise on the line.

BT Wholesale proved how detrimental the effect of faulty power supplies can have on broadband connections, at a demo at its Gatwick HQ. A basic ADSL connection running at 3.8Mbps was throttled down to 700Kbps when a nearby fluorescent tube with a faulty power supply was switched on; when an iPlate was fitted to the master socket, the connection returned to its normal speed. The iPlate is installed by unscrewing the face plate in the master socket and slotting iPlate into place.

iPlates are expected to retail for a tenner, and BT have already conducted trials with 1,000 customers, so whilst they will be a self-install affair, but are also expected to become part of the regular installation feature for new customers. Ashley Pickering from BT Wholesale said “We’ve seen huge increases in speed,” stating that “on average, it makes one and a half megs of difference.”

iPlayer pushes unlimited usage to the limit

Despite numerous delays, technical hiccoughs, and the exclusion of Mac owners, the BBC’s online catch-up service, the iPlayer, has been a resounding hit with broadband punters, eager to watch Beeb programmes from the last seven days on their computer screens.

However, the rise of the iPlayer has been blamed for a sharp rise in online traffic, as much as 60 per cent, according to the UK’s top ISPs – the average download from the iPlayer weighs in at 300Mb. This has sparked fears that new traffic shaping policies will have to come into affect in order provide enough bandwidth for all customers. This could see users either having to cough up for extra bandwidth every month as downloads eat into their usage limits or, in the worst case scenario, be relegated to dial-up speeds once they exceed their limit – the same applies for Channel 4′s equally popular 4oD platform and the Sky Anytime download service.

Customers surfing on packages which come with a small usage limit, such as 1 or 2GB would find themselves up against the wall after just a handful of programmes. PlusNet customers can opt to pay out an extra 75p for an additional GB of usage with their Broadband Your Way packages. Virgin Media customers should not be affected, provided that they surf outside of peak times (4pm-9pm), which is pretty much when everyone is going to want to use it.

A report in the Sunday Times suggests that on average, an hour long Facebook session eats up 80MB of data, whereas the same amount of time on Myspace will set you back 400Mb.

New No Strings PAYG Broadband from AOL

AOL have just announced the launch of a new ‘no strings’ broadband service, which sees customers being able to enjoy up to 8Mbps speeds without being tied into a lengthy contract.

The new service, dubbed Wireless Flexi, allows customers to connect at the aforementioned max speed of 8Mbps, within a 10GB monthly usage limit for a monthly limit of £14.99 – the same wireless router that comes with all the AOL Wireless packages is also included. There is a set up fee of £49.99 for the service, but there is no specified contract length, and no cancellation fees, making Flexi perfect for students or anyone not living at an address for more than 18 months.

“Some customers dislike long-term contracts for their internet service in the same way they resist lengthy mobile phone contracts, so we have listened to them,” says AOL head of marketing Vishal Khakhar.

Those interested in signing up for a no strings broadband service should check out Wireless Flexi. The service is identical to the standard AOL Wireless product, so should you need broadband access for 18 months or longer, you should consider AOL’s other services.

Be expands UK ADSL2+ coverage

Be Broadband has announced the further rollout of its ADSL2+ network to cover 67% of the UK within the next four months – this represents a huge 50% increase in their exchange footprint and will give them the largest ADSL2+ footprint in the country and the second largest LLU network in the UK after TalkTalk. ADSL2+ is theoretically capable of speeds of 24Mbps, roughly ten times the national average speed.

Sam Crawford, founder of broadband resource Samknows.com said that “This is clearly great news for the discerning consumer. Be’s expansion into Northern Ireland and Wales will be particularly well received, as users there often have little choice between broadband providers.”

Be’s network, owned and utilised by O2 Broadband, will become available on another 2 million lines by the end of June 2008. O2 recently extended their discount for broadband to those on an O2 Prepay mobile contract – the discount had previously only been available to those on a monthly contract.

Any Colour You Like: The Black Hub Returns

Due to popular demand, the Darth Vader version of the BT Home Hub has returned from the shadows for a limited time. Customers who sign up for any of the BT Broadband packages online will be able to enjoy all the usual benefits of wireless networking – speeds of up to 8Mbps, unlimited usage on Option 3, free calls with BT Broadband Talk and the possibility of next-gen TV with BT Vision – and can surf in style with this sleek black little number.

The Black Hub stealthily slid into the market last July and rapidly sold out; the current run of goth Hubs will run out on the 19th of this month, and are only available to customers who order online.

Judging by the popularity of the initial run, we reckon that BT are onto something here, and that they should launch a range of different coloured routers, or at least licence someone to make clip-on covers. How about a claret and blue Hub for Villa fans?