Broadband Speed Test: How to Check If You’re Getting What You Pay For
If your broadband feels slower than advertised, a proper speed test is the first step to figuring out whether it’s a real issue — and here’s how to do it correctly. How to run an accurate test: What the results actually mean: When to be concerned: If your test results are consistently well below the […]
How to Prep Your Home Broadband for Christmas Streaming Traffic
Christmas brings more people, more devices, and more streaming into most homes at once — here’s how to make sure your broadband can keep up. Why the holidays strain home broadband: More household members home during the day, guests connecting extra devices, and a spike in evening streaming/gaming across the whole network can combine to […]
Best Broadband Deals for Students Moving in September
Student house shares have specific broadband needs — multiple housemates, shorter tenancies, and tight budgets. Here’s what actually matters when choosing a deal. Contract length: Standard broadband contracts (12-24 months) rarely line up neatly with a typical academic year or tenancy. Look for rolling or shorter-term options, or providers happy to align contract length with […]
UK-Based Support: Why It Matters When Your Broadband Goes Down
When your internet goes down, the quality of support you get can make the difference between a five-minute fix and a frustrating afternoon on hold. Common frustrations with outsourced support: Why UK-based support tends to perform better for broadband specifically: What good broadband support should look like: Merula’s approach: Real, UK-based support team who know […]
What Our Fair Pricing Guarantee Actually Means
Broadband price increases mid-contract have become common practice across the industry — often tied to inflation plus an additional percentage, applied automatically each year, even while you’re locked into a fixed-term deal. Why this catches people off guard: You sign up for a price, but 12 months later find your bill has increased — sometimes […]
Upload Speed vs Download Speed: Why It Matters for Zoom, Streaming & Gaming
Broadband ads lead with download speed — but upload speed quietly determines how smooth your video calls, gaming, and cloud work actually feel. Download speed is how fast data comes to your device — streaming Netflix, downloading files, loading webpages. Upload speed is how fast data leaves your device — sending emails with attachments, uploading […]
Broadband for Small Businesses Working from Home
Running a business from home puts different demands on your broadband than personal use — here’s what to prioritise. Reliability over raw speed. A dropped client call or failed upload mid-presentation costs more than a slightly slower download speed. Full fibre’s consistency at peak times matters more here than chasing the highest advertised number. Upload […]
Best Broadband Speeds for Remote Working and Video Calls
Remote work doesn’t need huge download speeds — it needs consistency and decent upload speed. Here’s what actually matters. Video calls (Zoom, Teams, Google Meet): Typically need only 3-5 Mbps upload per call, but stability matters more than raw speed — this is where full fibre’s consistent connection outperforms part-fibre or cable, especially during peak […]
Broadband for New Builds: What You Need to Know
New build homes are often marketed as “fibre ready” — but that doesn’t always mean broadband is instantly available the day you move in. Here’s what to check. “Fibre ready” vs “fibre installed”: Many new developments have ducting laid in preparation for fibre, but the actual fibre cable and connection may not be activated until […]
How Long Does It Take to Get Full Fibre Installed?
Most full fibre installations are completed within 5-10 working days of signing up, though timing depends on whether fibre already runs to your property. If fibre is already present at your address: Installation is often quicker, sometimes just requiring activation and a router setup — occasionally even without an engineer visit. If fibre needs to […]