Broadband ISP Fast.co.uk has teamed up with Equiinet, which manufactures highly integrated voice and data communications devices, to provide a range of new Secure Connectivity Solutions for UK primary schools.

Fast.co.uk claims that its new service and the related bespoke security device (FastPilot) will cost from £120 per month and include broadband connectivity, Becta approved internet filtering, advanced firewall security and caching; optional services include internet activity reporting, data backup and VoIP services.



Equiinet points to recent research conducted by BESA last year, which shows that as many as 25% of primary schools have an internet connection offering speeds of less than 2Mbps and 45% have only 4Mbps or less. The report concluded that most home users are better served than the average primary school, which often have a reported 46 PCs all contending for very limited bandwidth.

The caching services in FastPilot could certainly improve this, although the only real way to boost physical performance is to upgrade the underlying telecoms infrastructure.