Businesses and residents in the Castletown exchange area (numbers beginning '82') are to get faster broadband from the 1st May, due to Manx Telecom's introduction of ADSL2+, a new service which offers faster upstream and downstream speeds.

People opting for the new faster service will be able to benefit from potential downstream speeds of up to16 Megabits per second (the current service offers up to 8 Mbit/s) and potential upstream speeds up to 832Kbp/s (currently up to 256Kbp/s).
 
The ADSL2+ upgrade will not be automatically applied to existing broadband customers, they will have to opt in, and to benefit from the improved service must have an ADSL2+ compatible router, as broadband modems are not compatible.  

ADSL2+ is available to all broadband users in the Castletown area and anyone wishing to upgrade to the new service should contact their Internet Service Provider (ISP) for advice on options and applicable charges. 

'Following trials with local ISPs, this is a commercial pilot of the new broadband service,' says Manx Telecom’s wholesale and interconnect manager, Peter Callow, 'which will provide us with wider user feedback.  We have chosen to launch the new service in Castletown because it is a medium sized exchange area with enough broadband users for us to gauge effectively the take-up of the new ADSL2+ service. 

'The outcome of the pilot will determine how quickly we roll-out service to other parts of the Island.'
 
Manx Telecom stresses that broadband speeds are determined by many factors, including a customer's type of router and internal wiring, the number of other users of the broadband service and the Internet in general.

For these reasons, broadband speeds can never be guaranteed, however, given trial results Manx Telecom was confident that the majority of customers in the Castletown exchange area will experience faster upload and download speeds.

Further information on the roll-out of ADSL2+ service to other exchange areas will be updated on Manx Telecom's website.