HOMEOWNERS in Cumbria are being urged to check their broadband speeds as the industry regulator warns fairy lights and baby monitors could affect performance.
The watchdog estimated up to six million homes and offices could improve their broadband connection, saying wireless networks are often not set-up correctly or suffer "interference" from electronic goods including baby monitors and microwave ovens - and even festive fairy lights.
Ofcom has launched a free Wi-Fi Checker app, for smartphones and tablets, allows homeowners to test the quality of their internet signal and suggests ways to enhance it.
Ofcom also released research which found more than a quarter of homes in the UK have "superfast" broadband connection of more than 30MB per second - an increase to 7.5 million households from six million last year. But higher-speed broadband is available in fewer than two in five (37 per cent) homes in rural areas, the regulator found.
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules here