The prevalence of dialup internet connections has diminished gradually over time, coinciding with the growing popularity of broadband and fibre optic broadband. Broadband is seen as faster and more reliable, plus access has grown dramatically in urban and rural areas across the UK. As a sign of dialup’s descent towards irrelevance, one of the UK’s leading providers have cancelled its service.
Earlier this autumn, BT pulled the plug on provision of dialup internet. This move may trigger a rush by many of their rivals in getting rid of dialup internet once and for all, but there are a few concerns, namely for the thousands of customers who may be left without an internet connection to speak of. Those in remote, rural areas who cannot receive broadband were reliant on a dialup connection.
Left hanging
Those who have been left without any internet connection have few options available if they are to remain online. One is to look for another provider who can still provide dialup internet, a service which is proving increasingly rare. Another may be to wait until a broadband connection comes their way, but that could be years away. Alternatively, they could be forced to go without.
Setting up a broadband connection away from an urban centre or even a large village or market town can be hard to do. However, there could be an alternative that doesn’t require too much waiting around in the form of satellite broadband which requires little work when it comes to installation, which can be hampered if in a remote part of the country.
Trying something new
Sticking with dial-up when faster speeds are available doesn’t make sense according to Andrew Walwyn, CEO of EuropaSat. He said:
“We were surprised by the press reports of the numbers of households still persevering with dial-up internet when ‘quality of life’ in the modern world is so intrinsically linked to access to fast broadband.
“Satellite is the perfect fit for those people who were digitally disadvantaged, but the challenge for us is that we don’t know who or where they are. BT hasn’t seen fit to present the satellite alternative, although there are now tens of thousands of happy satellite broadband customers who were originally forced to rely on dial-up.
“We’re trying to get our message out to these people to come and try 20 Mb satellite broadband and to see how it can improve their world”, he added.
