NI broadband customers could have best use of VoIP solutions

Broadband customers in Northern Ireland may have the best use of VoIP hardware as they have the fastest average connection speeds in the UK, a new report has revealed.

New figures from broadband industry regulator Ofcom show that of all the web users in the UK who are subscribed to a service with a speed of up to eight megabits per second (Mbps), customers in Northern Ireland enjoy the highest actual average speeds of 4.1Mbps, reports the BBC.

This speed is 0.2Mbps faster than the average connection available for customers subscribed to 8Mbps services throughout the rest of the UK and means Northern Ireland web users may have access to more efficient VoIP solutions and quicker downloads.

Denis Wolinski, Ofcom's Northern Ireland director, told the BBC: "It is very encouraging that some people here are enjoying the fastest broadband speeds in the UK, but we know that there are still parts of Northern Ireland, particularly rural areas, where speeds are much slower."

Wireless networks and satellite systems are among the various technologies being considered to address rural connectivity problems throughout the UK.