Broadband News

Eclipse Internet trials 40Mb broadband

Thursday, 19 November 2009

By Garnet Roach garnet@consumerchoices.co.uk

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Internet provider Eclipse Broadband (www.Eclipse.net.uk) has announced that it is trialling speeds of up to 40Mb over a new fibre optic network.

The superfast broadband trial uses BT Broadband's (www.BT.com) 21 Century Network, fibre to the cabinet (FTTC) technology to deliver download speeds at up to 40Mb and uploads as fast as 5Mb.

Clodagh Murphy, Eclipse director, said: “The 21CN will provide our customers with an advanced and more reliable online experience, equipping our network to handle future broadband advancements.

“We have made our customers aware of when the switchover will take place and aim to keep the disruption to their connection to an absolute minimum.”

FTTC uses fibre optic cables to connect telephone exchanges with streetside cabinets, while traditional copper wires deliver the broadband connection from there to the home.

Up to 60 Eclipse home and business customers are trialling the new technology - all of whom will be allowed to keep their fibre connection once the trial has been completed in December, the ISP has said.

Michael Phillips, Broadbandchoices.co.uk product director, said: “There are a number of fibre broadband trials currently taking place across the UK, representing exciting developments for the broadband market. However, customers don’t have to take part in one of these trials to experience superfast broadband - Virgin Media (www.Virginmedia.com) already offers speeds of up to 50Mb over its cable network and is trialling a massive 200Mb.”

Fibre allows far faster broadband speeds because of the higher amounts of data that it can carry. According to the Federal Communications Commission, the American equivalent of Ofcom, a single pair of fibre cables can cope with 2.5 million phone calls, compared to just six over a pair of traditional copper wires.

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