The first quarter of 2015 has seen the average Internet download speed for the largest seven national home broadband ISPs in the United Kingdom crawl up from 24Mbps at the end of 2014 to 24.72Mbps now, while the average for the countrys primary Mobile Broadband operators reached 14.42Mbps (up from 11.71Mbps in Q4 2014).

As usual some providers, such as BT and Virgin Media in particular, tend to perform better for download performance because they have a higher number of subscribers taking superfast broadband connections and this affects the average.

Naturally Virgin Media continues to deliver the fastest download speeds (54.17Mbps) because theyre urban focused and their entry-level cable package is a 50Mbps service. By comparison the other big ISPs have to cater for rural areas with slower ADSL lines, as well as faster up to 80Mbps FTTC lines, which will hinder their performance.

But Virgins cable network isnt perfect and indeed their average upstream performance (6.63Mbps) isnt as strong as the up to 10-20Mbps capability of some FTTC lines, which allows BT, Zen Internet and PlusNet to all etch out a small lead over the cable operator.

Generally the big home broadband ISPs have all shown a gradual improvement over their score at the end of last year. Since then Virgin has announced a major network expansion to 17 million premises by 2020, plus a trial of DOCSIS 3.1 technology (here), and BT has pledged to roll-out G.fast speeds of 500Mbps to most homes over the next decade (here). On top of that the Governments Broadband Delivery UK programme is continuing to push faster connectivity into more areas, thus speeds should continue to improve.

The Fastest UK ISPs Average Download Speed (Megabits per second)

Average Speed = 24.72Mbps

The Fastest UK ISPs Average Upload Speed

Average Speed = 5.84Mbps

At this point we should say that the above ISPs arent the fastest home broadband operators and if we were to expand our list in order to include niche companies, which often only focus upon smaller or more specific areas, then wed immediately need to include true fibre optic (FTTH/P) operators like Hyperoptic and Gigaclear (there are others but most dont produce enough data to be included).

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The Top 7 Fastest National UK Home Broadband and Mobile ISPs Q1 2015

Installing Electrical Wiring in an Old Home
Bob meets up with electrician Barry Driscoll, who is wiring a third-floor subpanel. An electrical inspector reviews it for adequate size and proper location.

By: Bob Vila

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Installing Electrical Wiring in an Old Home - Video

Amherst fire fighters clean up following a house fire at 45730 North Ridge Road in Amherst Sunday afternoon. ANNA NORRIS/CHRONICLE

AMHERST Faulty front porch light electrical wiring is believed to have caused a fire that badly damaged a home at 45730 North Ridge Road, according to Assistant Fire Chief Jim Wilhelm.

No one was hurt in the fire called in at 12:36 p.m. Sunday, but five cats and three birds died. Homeowner Michael Tyson said he was home alone watching television about 12:35 p.m. when he saw a shadow by the front door.

I thought somebody was at the front door, he said. Then I saw the flames burning on the front porch.

Tyson said he called 911. By the end of the call, Tyson said his home, which he moved into in 2002, was filled with thick smoke. The 62-year-old retired Ford Motor Co. worker said he was forced to run out the back door.

I had to get out, Tyson said. Those flames were up to the top of my porch. I figured there was nothing I could do.

Wilhelm said Amherst firefighters, assisted by colleagues from Elyria Township, arrived at 12:42 p.m. The fire, which spread to the attic of the two-floor, wood-frame home, was contained about 1:15 p.m. and put out at 2:09 p.m.

Wilhelm said a sixth cat was resuscitated by firefighters and taken to a veterinarian. Tyson, who said he has homeowners insurance, said the American Red Cross Lake Erie chapter is assisting him and his wife with temporary housing.

Wilhelm estimated the fire caused about $125,000 in structural damage and $75,000 to belongings. The 1,600-square-foot home, which is valued at nearly $89,000, was built in 1900, according to the Lorain County Auditors website. Wilhelm said the homes balloon-frame construction, which makes flames shoot up into the top of homes during fires, made extinguishing the fire more difficult.

Contact Evan Goodenow at 329-7129 or egoodenow@chroniclet.com.

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Cause for Amherst house fire believed to be bad wiring

By Cui Guoqiang

In December 2014, Midea and Xiaomi Technology joined force to enter the smart home market. In the following month, a number of conventional household electrical appliance manufacturers have also revealed their intention to enter the market: Haier Group signed strategic cooperation agreement with Evergrande, Midea offered an olive branch to JD, Skyworth allied with Alibaba and Youku, and Hisense partnered with 11 online companies to enter the field...

Wang Jinliang, director of Midea Group's domestic market division, said that Midea has always focused on white electrical appliances, kitchen appliances, and small appliances, and is a traditional machinery manufacturer. "We need the help of professional internet software companies if we are to make breakthroughs in fields that we are not good at, such as the internet, cloud computing, and cloud services. The partnership with Xiaomi is an important measure for Midea's business expansion and strategic arrangement in the mobile internet era".

Changhong Group has also been introducing smart products. After the introduction of the CHiQ TV, the first smart TV that integrates the three networks in China, Meiling launched the CHiQ refrigerator that sports cloud image recognition technology, and a CHiQ air-conditioner that is equipped with human body condition sensing technology was also introduced later. Liu Tibin, general manager of Changhong Group, said that the "intelligence era" of white appliance will bring an end to the "functionality era"; Changhong will achieve full transformation ranging from product design to manufacturing, from marketing approaches to brand rebuilding, and from organization structure adjustment to information platform establishment.

"Changhong's TV would try to remember a user's preference, sense the user's emotion, and enable the user to choose programs to their likings; it can move a TV program from the large screen onto a small green within only click, making it possible to "watch video at any time and different places, of different types, and on multiple screens". Changhong's air-conditioner initiated customization, capable of meeting users' needs by means of various application scenarios rather than pure functions", said Liu Tibin.

After establishing partnership with Vanda Li Dongsheng, chairman of the board of TCL, said that: "TCL is now pushing ahead the "Double +" strategic transformation which features multimedia and telecommunication. The company has constructed an ecosystem of "components + terminals + content application + platform", stepping up efforts to enhance businesses like terminal content, application, platform, smart home, and cloud services. The strategic partnership would help the company to develop the capability to offer smart products and internet operation services from cloud to terminals".

In fact, Chinese companies are not the only ones that are rushing into the smart home furnishing field. Many foreign companies are also transitioning rapidly across the globe. In 2014, Google bought home automation company Nest Labs for US$ 3.2 billion; LG exhibited its smart home management system HomeChat; and Samsung launched the intelligent home platform SmartHome

Bai Siwei, vice president and secretary general of China Internet of Things Industry Association, believes that the current smart furnishing fad is a "chain effect" brought by mobile internet. In the past, consumption of smart home products remained in upscale villa areas, sold as part of decoration projects and smart home furnishing projects. Now, the consumer groups are apparently extending to ordinary consumers. With the rapid development of mobile internet and the appearance of new wireless technology, the smart home furnishing industry will see a period of opportunities for its development. Compared to conventional way, modern smart home furnishing incorporates many wireless transmission control technology, and as mobile internet and terminals become more popular, the modern way will largely replace conventional home furnishing that uses wiring extensively, making it more energy-saving, environment-friendly, and low-carbon, bringing outstanding user experience to users. In particular, with the promulgations of policies like the Development Plan of the Internet of Things during the Twelfth Five-year Plan, smart industries are explicitly named as the key areas of development in the future. The support and guidance of policies give companies great confidence, and many conventional home appliance companies are getting involved in this field.

"The advantage of home appliance companies lies in the intelligentialization of information household electrical appliances, and that of internet companies in platform-based operation and services; they are mutually complementary, and together can achieve the scale application, standardization, platform application, and connectivity of light and smart home furnishing", said Bai Siwei.

Bai Siwei believes that there are five major trends for the development of smart home furnishing in the future. Firstly, touch control will be a common control method for smart home, with an intelligent touch screen capable of controlling lighting, electrical appliances, curtains, security, monitor, and access at home. Secondly, mobile phone will be the most important mobile smart control terminal for smart home furnishing in the future. Via smart home apps or web approaches, a mobile phone will be able to monitor and control the interior of the house remotely, capable of opening door remotely, visitor image confirmation, and starting air-conditioner and warming equipments from afar. Thirdly, wireless control system and wire control system will integrate seamlessly; main line area will use wiring control system, and small areas will use wireless control system. Fourthly, a smart home will be a small version of the internet of things, with all objects in the house interconnected with one another. Fifthly, smart home system will connect to smart city system, smart building system, and smart community system seamlessly, and all smart home systems will certainly be compatible with the seamless control linkage of the bigger systems.

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Household appliance giants foray into smart homes

Being able to control your home's lights from your phone can be useful. Lights can be switched on or off from your bed, for example, or set to come on when you arrive home. Now, Switchmate is offering this functionality without the need for new fittings and wiring like, say, the WeMo Light Switch.

"Smart products are supposed to make our lives simpler, but their set-up alone is often needlessly complicated," says Switchmate founder Daniel Peng. "And for those of us who don't own property, those installation processes aren't just complicated, they're impossible."

Peng says that Switchmate aims to provide users with the convenience of a connected home without the hassle of a complicated installation process. The device is a cover that snaps onto an existing light switch magnetically. It is compatible with either US toggle or rocker switches and contains a motor that will flick the switch when activated.

Connected lightbulbs like the Philips Hue and Emberlight can offer a similar, simple means of achieving smart lighting functionality. They are, however, more expensive than standard bulbs and ultimately will still need to be replaced.

Once a Switchmate has been placed onto a light switch, users can tap the device to switch the light on or off, or they can control it using a companion Android or iOS app on their smartphone. Lights can be controlled without having to move over to the switch, can be scheduled to come on and off when users are on holiday and to come on when users are detected arriving home.

The device connects to the app via Bluetooth, meaning users must be nearby in order to control the device, schedule it to switch lights on or off at certain times or change its settings. An optional Logitech Harmony Hub can also be added that allows users to control the device from anywhere, with the company hoping to develop their own hub in the future.

Switchmate is coming to the end of a successful crowdfunding campaign on Indiegogo. At the time of writing, users can pledge from US$45 to receive a Switchmate device. Assuming all goes to plan with the campaign and roll-out, the devices are expected to start being shipped from December of this year.

The video below provides an introduction to Switchmate.

Sources: Switchmate, Indiegogo

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Switchmate gives smart light bulbs the flick

By Jack Pickell @pacmanjack

Boston.com Staff | 03.26.15 | 12:53 PM

It started out as a pretty normal Tuesday for Francois Charlotin Jr.

The Fall River-based electrician was called to inspect a home in the Boston suburb of Milton for a wiring issue. He arrived to see a simple-looking white house with some snow on the roof and plenty more melting on the lawn.

And then the day got interesting.

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Cutting into a ceiling while tracing a wire away from a light switch, he discovered that it led into a plastic jug filled with liquid.

I said, This doesnt look right, said Charlotin, 47. It went from being an electrical issue to something else.

He told the homeowner, who told police. The Boston Police bomb unit determined that the liquid was an accelerant rigged to ignite once a light switch was flipped.

The same switch Charlotin was checking on.

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Meet the Electrician Who Kept a Milton Home From Exploding

MILTON, Mass.

An electrician in Massachusetts came across a chilling discovery when inspecting a home that was for sale: the house was wired to explode.

The chief of police in Milton stated that the explosive device was designed to cause significant destruction after the previous tenants had moved out.

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It is those tenants that are suspected of setting up the device which would go off when a certain light switch, which was connected to a jug of accelerant, was turned on.

"The switch sets off a spark and the gas explodes, the police chief explains, whoever flipped the switch, once the power was back on, would have no idea they were doing it."

Thankfully, the power to the home had been shut off after the house hadnt passed inspection.

The bomb squad took several hours to disable the wiring that spanned multiple rooms.

The people who had set up the explosive device took care to try to hide the bomb, concealing it behind a newly plastered closet wall.

The previous tenants, who moved out last week, are also suspected of pouring concrete down the drains of the home.

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Electrician finds home wired to explode during inspection

Dirty Electricity on Digipan
Electricity in your home wiring isn #39;t pure AC! http://www.sciencewriter.net.

By: Stan Gibilisco

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Dirty Electricity on Digipan - Video

French Electrical - Auckland
http://www.frenchelectrical.co.nz 09 274 8082 25 Sir William Ave, East Tamaki, Auckland With a team of Electricians in Auckland, we specialize in residential and industrial/commercial electrical...

By: Ora HQ

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French Electrical - Auckland - Video

At least three decades of a Detroit family lived in the home. Now, after 40 years, leaks and cracks have caused major damage to the roof, walls, and even the foundation. But the family is banding together hoping you can lend a hand.

Oscar Edwards was born mentally disabled and the house is the only one he's ever known. For Faatima Evans, moving just isn't an option.

"It's all he knows. There is no where else my uncle has lived."

Evans says 66-year-old Oscar has the mental capacity of a child and depends on the comfort of his childhood home on Petoskey in Detroit. He grew up there and lived with his brothers at the home until last year when they passed away.

"When our uncles passed away, he refused to go. He wasn't leaving the house, period," Evans said.

While he may not want to leave the house, may not get a choice. Last summer's record rains caused major flooding throughout the house. It was so bad, Edwards' nephew and caretaker, Solomon Bryant, was concerned the state would remove Oscar.

"The first thing I thought about was my uncle," Solomon said. "I didn't want them to take him or anything like that. I want to take care of him."

As luck would have it, most of the damage was in Oscar's room; the one he had for almost his entire life. It's being gutted to the studs and now will have to be redone from the ceiling to the floor.

The damage was overwhelming. Evans finally got inside and found the roof was caved in and holes in the ceiling. But it wasn't all because of the flood. The home needed new plumbing and wiring plus the porch and stairs were too dangerous to walk on.

She knew she had to ask for help.

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Help for Uncle Oscar needed to stay in home of 40 years