Setting up your internet as an adult social care provider
Choose your broadband connection, manage your contract and wifi security, and get ready for the digital phone switchover.
Introduction
You can connect to the internet using either:
- fixed-line broadband - a cable that runs from the street into your building, which allows you to connect through the internet wirelessly using wifi, or through a wire called an ethernet cable
- mobile broadband - this works by connecting to a mobile network with a SIM card, using a mobile device such as a smartphone, dongle or portable wifi hotspot
This guidance will help you to understand which type of connection you need and how to set up or improve your internet connection.
Decide which connection you need
If you provide residential care, you should ideally have a suitable fixed-line broadband. However, if a good fixed-line broadband connection is not available at your location, mobile broadband offers an alternative.
Mobile broadband may also be a useful back-up if you rely on fixed-line broadband. You may also need mobile broadband if you provide home care or other types of care across multiple locations.
Getting fixed-line broadband for care homes
Understand your broadband needs
We recommended that all care homes have fixed-line broadband with a download speed of at least 40 megabits per second (Mbps). Medium homes with between 10 and 50 beds may benefit from 100 to 300Mbps. Larger homes with 50 beds or more may benefit from a download speed of 300Mbps or more.
If you already have broadband, test your current speed. For example, by using an online speed checker from speedtest.
The exact speed you need depends on how many devices you need to connect and whether you need to hold video calls, or download large files.
What you can do at different speeds
| Speed | What you can do |
|---|---|
| Less than 40Mbps | Connect one device and hold one video call. Quality may be poor |
| 40 to 100Mbps | Connect one to 5 devices comfortably. Send large emails with attachments |
| 100 to 300Mbps | Connect 5 to 10 devices comfortably. Stream videos and video calls |
| Over 300Mbps | Connect more than 10 devices comfortably. Stream high definition (HD) videos and video calls |
Upgrading your broadband
Find out whether faster broadband is available at your postcode using Ofcom’s broadband checker. You can also see which networks are available.
Visit the network websites or use an online comparison tool to find out which providers you could use. Compare the:
- minimum and average speeds they provide
- whether you get unlimited data
- customer satisfaction scores
Your local authority may have negotiated special deals for care homes in your area. You can contact them to find out.
Getting the broadband speed you need
If you cannot get a connection with a download speed of at least 10Mbps, you have the legal right to request a broadband upgrade. Read advice on requesting a broadband upgrade from Ofcom.
If you need further support, contact your local authority.
You may also be eligible for the government’s Gigabit Broadband Voucher Scheme to get up to £4,500 towards the cost of installing ‘ultrafast’ broadband.
You could also consider mobile broadband. Most properties in the UK can now get good coverage from at least one operator.
If you cannot get suitable fixed-line broadband or mobile broadband, you could consider satellite broadband as a last resort. Satellite broadband speeds have improved in recent years, but this is a more expensive option.
Using mobile broadband
Deciding what mobile connection you need
The 2 main kinds of mobile broadband connection are:
- 4G, which is a fast connection, suitable for most care homes
- 5G, which is the fastest connection but has limited coverage
If you cannot get fixed-line broadband, we recommend getting at least a 4G mobile connection.
Find out what kind of connection you can get in your area using Ofcom’s mobile checker.
The ‘indoor coverage’ will show the quality of connection you can get inside your property.
Accessing mobile broadband
To access mobile broadband you could use a:
- mobile device or standalone device as a wifi ‘hotspot’, for light use
- 4G router for heavier use
- 5G router for a faster connection in areas where 5G is available
Using a mobile hotspot
You could use a smartphone or tablet with a SIM card as a hotspot to connect to the internet on another device.
You can also buy standalone devices (called ‘mobile wifi’ or ‘MiFi’) which perform the same function if it is more convenient to have a separate unit.
Managing your wifi connection
If you already have an internet connection but it’s unreliable, you may be able to improve it by changing the way your wifi router is set up.
Following this advice will not address wider internet connection issues not caused by the wifi set-up. These could be caused by your broadband speed, the mobile connection available in your local area, or other issues that require specialist IT support.
Setting up your wifi to get the best signal
Wifi signals are short range and cannot travel well through thick walls, so it’s important to set up your router correctly for the best results.
Set up your router in a central location if possible, away from furniture that could block the signal. This may be enough for small care homes, but larger homes may need wifi extenders, wifi mesh devices or commercial-grade solutions.
Extending your wifi coverage
If you need better wifi coverage, the right solution depends on the size of your site.
Smaller care home (one to 9 beds)
You could use a wifi extender such as a:
- wifi powerline extender - these are useful if you have one area of your site with poor coverage which connects to the same mains circuit as your router
- wifi repeater - these are a cheap and simple solution for amplifying your wifi signal to give it a better range, but need to be placed within range of an existing wifi signal
You will have to reconnect to the internet when moving out of range of the main router and into the area covered by the extender.
Small to medium sized care homes (10 to 30 beds)
You could use a wifi mesh device. These work in a similar way to wifi extenders but offer a better range. You will not need to disconnect and reconnect if you move out of range of one wifi unit and into another. Speak to your provider to find out if they have compatible mesh devices or if you need to upgrade.
Larger care homes (more than 30 beds)
If you need to connect multiple users across many rooms, a commercial-grade system may be the best option.
These work by using access points across the building, which are wired up to the main broadband connection using physical cables. You’ll need a professional IT supplier to install these.
Contact your local commissioner to find out if they have a recommended list of suppliers, or search for local options online.
Consider whether:
- you need a separate wifi network for staff, residents and visitors
- each wifi network should have its own separate broadband connection (so that the staff connection will not be affected by heavy resident or visitor use)
- you want an ongoing contract for maintenance and/or support
Keeping your wifi secure
It’s important to keep your wifi secure from unauthorised access.
The first step is to make sure users have to enter a password to connect to the network. Most routers already have passwords, but if not, read the router manual or speak to your internet provider to find out how to set up a password.
If setting up a new password, follow the National Cyber Security Centre guidance on creating strong passwords.
You should also:
- keep your router in a secure location to prevent anyone using the wifi protected set-up (WPS) button to reset the password or bypass password security
- get advice from an IT specialist about additional security for your network - you could ask about:
- disabling service set identifier (SSID) broadcast
- enabling media access control (MAC) to block unauthorised devices
- setting up firewalls
Managing your wifi network
To keep your wifi network working well, you need to carry out a few maintenance tasks. You could do these yourself or use an IT support company.
These tasks include:
- removing old devices and connecting new ones - devices no longer in use should be removed from the wifi network, and if ‘MAC filtering’ has been enabled, you will need to give permission for a new device to be added
- device troubleshooting - if your connection is slower than it should be, try:
- restarting the router
- refer to the troubleshooting section in the user manual
- contact your internet provider for advice
- carrying out regular speed tests - regularly reduced speeds may indicate you need a broadband connection with higher capacity
- occasionally updating firmware (the basic software instructions that control a hardware device) and operating systems (the software that provides the user functionality, such as Microsoft Windows) - the user manual should give instructions on how to do this
Using mobile hotspots is the most straightforward option if you need a light or occasional internet connection. However, it’s not recommended for connecting multiple devices or for regular video calls.
Using a 4G router
If you need a more reliable connection that is not dependent on your mobile phone or tablet’s battery life, you could use a 4G router.
This is similar to using a fixed-line router, but uses the mobile network to connect your router to the internet. It is generally less reliable than fixed-line broadband and the provider may put limits on the amount of data you can use.
The speed of 4G routers depends on the mobile network coverage in your area. Find out the likely signal strength at your location using Ofcom’s mobile checker.
Using a 5G router
5G is even faster than 4G, but it has less coverage in the UK. If you already have good indoor 5G in your location, it may be worth using a 5G router. Use Ofcom’s mobile checker to check 5G coverage where you are.
Choosing a mobile internet provider and contract
Visit the websites of the providers available in your area or use an online comparison tool to find mobile internet deals.
When considering deals, check:
- how much data the deals include - without unlimited data, you may be charged extra if you exceed your limit
- whether ‘unlimited’ truly means unlimited in the contract terms - some providers may cap speeds if you exceed a certain data limit
- upload and download speeds - this is the speed at which you can download information (for example, stream videos or download files) and upload or send information (for example, sending emails or uploading content to websites)
- contract lengths - shorter contracts can be more expensive, but this may better suit your needs
- whether providers offer free cancellation or money back if you do not get the connection you expect
Preparing for the digital phone switchover
The digital phone switchover is a nationwide move from analogue to digital phone lines.
This will affect you if you use phone lines, monitored alarm systems and other equipment that connects to the public telephone network as part of your care service.
The telecommunications industry is delivering the digital phone switchover in a phased approach up to the end of January 2027.
Find out more about the UK transition from analogue to digital landlines.
Understand if the digital phone switchover affects you
Systems and equipment which could be affected by the digital phone switchover include, but are not limited to:
- telecare devices (also known as warden call systems) - these set off an alarm when the person receiving care needs assistance, such as after a fall. They use analogue phone lines to trigger a response from the emergency services
- lift lines - these often rely on analogue telephone lines and may need replacing
- door entry systems - some buildings use analogue phone lines for their entry system
- security and burglar alarms
- fire alarms
- analogue phone lines - your phone line may have already migrated to a digital network
- fax machines
If you use any of these systems as part of your care service, you may need to upgrade or replace your equipment, as they may not function as intended on digital telephone lines.
Contacting your telephone and equipment providers
Prepare for the digital phone switchover as soon as possible, as it may take a long time to get and install new digital devices.
Start by identifying any analogue equipment and systems that may be connected to your telephone line.
You should discuss the digital phone switchover with your telephone provider to:
- understand when your telephone lines will be switched to digital (if you’re still using a landline analogue telephone system)
- alert them if you operate any kind of analogue equipment and in particular telecare in your care home or grouped housing
You should also discuss the digital phone switchover with your non-telephone system and/or equipment suppliers and check whether:
- their system will continue to work using digital phone lines
- their products rely on 2G mobile networks - 2G networks are expected to be switched off between now and 2033
- there are any additional opportunities to improve your systems as you move to digital, so you’re not getting a like-for-like purchase at a higher cost
Information on the digital switchover
Learn about the government’s Telecare National Action Plan: protecting telecare users throughout the digital phone switchover.
Explore the Local Government Association’s digital switchover hub.
Visit the Digital Phone Switchover website. This is hosted by the Digital Connectivity Forum - the government advisory body on telecommunications.