information about Broadband on the Isle of Coll

For the Visitor:-
Wireless broadband is available in several places on the island, so you should be able to keep up to date with your emails etc.. The Coll Hotel offers this service but please, which ever network you wish to use, ask prior to connecting. Coll Digital network is also available if you can find it !

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For the Residents:-
Due to the small size of the BT exchange and due to it's type (called Exchange Activate), Broadband on Coll is limited to just a few suppliers, unfortunately the more expensive ones. Currently only BTinternet (and business variants), Scotnet and AOL have managed to supply residents on Coll. (Please advise me if another supplier becomes available). Orange, Tiscali, Toucan, Virgin Media etc.. not only will not supply here, they technically cannot use our type of exchange.

Can you get Broadband?
A difficult question to answer and only by applying for broadband will you find out the real answer. However, as a generic comment, Coll is fortunate in that when the phone lines were laid many parts of the island had thicker than normal cables. Thicker cables equates to a lower signal loss over greater distances and many have good broadband connections 8 miles, and more, from the Arinagour exchange.

Speed. Don't be tempted to buy a broadband package other than the slowest speed (512Kb) or you will be paying a premium for a service that cannot be provided here. Our exchange on Coll has a maximum download speed of 512Kb so paying for a 1, 2, 4 or 8Mb connection will have no advantages. Even so, broadband at 512Kb is still fast enough for most and miles better than dial-up.

Microfilters. A microfilter is required (why) on every phone extension (that uses a phone) in the house. BT will sell you additional filters for £6.99 (each) but these are easily available from non_BT suppliers for less than £1 !!

Below is the usual setup for microfilters

A microfilter dangling from each phone extension can look quite ugly. An alternative is to purchase filtered faceplates (still cheaper than a BT microfilter) which can be wired in several configurations allowing further phone extensions to be either filtered or un-filtered.

A Solwise filtered faceplate ~ £6.50

Solwise website is full of broadband and wireless goodies

Lightning:-
Jan 2007 saw two viscous lightning storms that took out at least 10 ADSL modems, dial-up modems, network cards, a motherboard and even a PC power supply - AND many of these were through surge protectors. Jan and Feb of 2008 have been similar. Microfilters can also get fried during lightning strikes so it's a good idea to have a spare since a fried microfilter will stop broadband from working.

You are strongly advise to unplug ALL phone connections to
your computers/routers when lightning is about.

Going wireless offers real isolation for your PC from the phone system yet it doesn't mean you have to buy an expensive wireless modem/router. Instead there are relatively cheap wireless access points (especially on eBay) which connect to your current modem/router that will do the same job. Should your modem/router get zapped by lightning the replacement cost is far less than that of a latest edition wireless version. Additionally, the wireless access point can be positioned in a more suitable location to allow better coverage around the house, say in the attic space.

Wireless technology has become cheap and can quite easily be made to work over distances of 5km (line of sight only).

Common setups for broadband:-