Part-fibre broadband, also known as SOGEA (Single Order Generic Ethernet Access) or FTTC (Fibre to the Cabinet), uses fibre optic cables to the street cabinet and then copper cables from the cabinet to your home or office. It is generally available in locations where full fibre is not yet currently available. The speed and reliability of this type of connection isn’t quite as good as full fibre, but it still provides good performance for most households and businesses.

Copper broadband, or ADSL, relies on traditional copper phone lines carrying a signal from the exchange to your home or office. Copper broadband connections are slower and less reliable than part-fibre and full fibre connections, and as the PSTN (Public Switched Telephone Network) switch off approaches, they are also becoming increasingly rare.