HUNDREDS of homes in Carlisle have internet below the minimum standard for broadband speeds, new figures show.

Since March 2020, broadband providers have been required to meet a “universal service obligation”, meaning everyone has the legal right to a “decent, affordable” connection.

New data from Ofcom shows that there were 429 homes suffering from broadband below the minimum standard. 

The minimum standard is categorised as a download speed of at least 10mb/s and an upload speed of 1mb/s, for a maximum of £45 a month.

And if customers cannot access internet at this speed, they can ask their local network provider to set up a connection – although internet providers are excused if the cost to them is over £3,400.

It's worth considering that a 10mb/s connection is the minimum standard for being able to stream video and make face-to-face calls – a service that has become a vital lifeline to so many during the pandemic. 

Homes suffering from extremely slow speeds still made up a minority in Carlisle, accounting for fewer than 1 per cent of households in the area.

Across the UK, nearly 100,000 premises have connections that do not meet the universal service obligation, with 81,500 of them residential.

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