Homes and businesses in rural areas which struggle with poor broadband speeds could benefit from a new gadget, it has been revealed.

UK start-up Deltenna has unveiled its Wireless Broadband Enabler (WiBE) device, which is a self-installed router that finds a connection through mobile networks and then uses antenna technology to improve the signal.

It is hoped that the use of the plug-and-play system, which creates a 2Mb Wi-Fi hotspot for customers to access, will benefit both homeowners and companies based in the countryside.

Andrew Fox, Chief Executive Officer of Deltenna, said: "There are still millions of people throughout Europe and the US for whom fast broadband is a myth.

"The WiBE's range and throughput means broadband can more easily, and cost-effectively, be deployed in regions that don't have access to DSL."

Details of the new system have come after 3 confirmed the launch of its new "one-touch" MiFi device, which generates a mobile hotspot for up to five devices.