London-focused UK broadband ISP CommunityFibre (CF) has today launched a new premium and guaranteed ‘Wi-Fi in Every Room‘ (mesh network) service. The operator’s multi-gigabit speed Fibre-to-the-Premises (FTTP) network currently covers 500,000 homes and aims to reach 2.2 million in the city by the end of 2024.
As you’d expect, the new service says it “guarantees WiFi coverage in remote areas of customers’ homes, for up to five bedrooms and 12 rooms in total across three floors, allowing customers to say goodbye to WiFi dead spots.” But you’ll only be able to get it alongside their faster packages from 150Mbps and above.
The mesh WiFi service, which is installed by the provider’s own engineers to help optimise its performance, will cost an additional £10 per month on their 24-month contracts (£9.95 set up fee on top for 12-month contracts). But you don’t have to take it if you don’t want it.
Graeme Oxby, CEO of Community Fibre, said:
“Londoners need reliable connectivity to undertake critical activities such as working and studying remotely, running small businesses, applying for jobs, as well as relaxing and streaming high-definition entertainment. The household demands on broadband today have increased, and people need a stable internet connection from anywhere in their home. It is unrealistic and unacceptable for households to be chained to inadequate range capabilities of their WiFi. Our WiFi in Every Room service overcomes barriers to poor connectivity throughout the home, so Londoners’ broadband will work harder for them at a price point which is accessible.”
The press release doesn’t include a lot of detail, but CommunityFibre’s website clarifies that “we’ll give you three months’ free broadband” and you won’t be charged for the add-on if they fail to deliver on the guarantee. The provider tends to use Linksys Velop range of mesh WiFi routers for their service, with sub-1000Mbps tiers getting WiFi 5 capable kit and 1000Mbps+ getting WiFi 6.
New customers typically pay from £22.50 per month on a 24-month term (£27.50 post-contract) for their unlimited 75Mbps (symmetric speed) package with free setup and a free router, which rises to just £49 per month (£54 post-contract) for their 920Mbps service. A faster 3Gbps package also exists for those with deeper pockets.
You could of course just by some extra mesh repeaters separately, but that would of course remove the benefit of an engineer install and ongoing support.
The problem with these services is that the minimum speed is really low, 10mbps for most for most of them (CommunityFibre, BT etc.) though some (Sky) go as low as 3mbps.
While 10mbps is usable its still very low and means that for most customers they are giving away money to the ISP while getting nothing in return since the included router will probably get more than 10mbps in every room.
They can’t do surveys of every home and take account of the RF environment. They have to draw the line somewhere.
People don’t have to buy it. It’s not compulsory. Presumably Average Joe that’ll buy this is having some heavy issues with their coverage to even contemplate this spend.
If you look at some of the ridiculous prices people have been paying bt, paying only 22.50 and an extra tenner for this is a totally bargain.
Alex
@MJ
“ You could of course just by some extra mesh repeaters separately”
Perhaps, should read:
“ You could of course just buy some extra mesh repeaters separately”?
Can you use your own router an d mesh network. My router is an ASUS86u.
Whereas in the old days the wifi was slower and stronger and needs were minimal, these days the faster wifi is weaker and needs (such as streaming video and gaming) are greater, so meshes are becoming more and more essential. Ubiquitous fast wifi is very rarely possible just from a router. Meshes are available from £60 for three, to a couple of thousand for three. Even the cheap ones we have tested have done the job. The more you pay the better they are, but for most people the meshes from cheaper end of the market are super.
Some people demand that their wireless is as close as possible to their wired experience. For them cheaper end kit doesn’t cut it. I’m sure you wouldn’t suggest cheap kit to people paying B4RN for symmetrical gigabit: they should be able to take full advantage of their great full fibre access and that involves some investment.
Massive expectation setting around selling whole home wireless. Ultrafast really shows up wireless unless it’s really good stuff.
my RT-AX89X with its 10G backhaul linked to X12 on 2nd floor AP gives complete whole home coverage at very good speeds. OK, I paid a pertty penny for this kit but in my defence it 10G / wifi 6 (not wifi 6e) so will serve my home needs for a good while to come. If i were to use the service outlined above in this article, i would be financially better off from Initial Costs i paid for the kit but would i get the type of signal/speeds im getting now out of my own devices.?