Broadband News

BT’s 100Mb broadband heading for 2.5 million homes

Friday 9 October 2009 By Seamour Rathore seamour@consumerchoices.co.uk

BT plans to roll-out super fast fibre broadband to 2.5 million homes with the promise of speeds of up to 1Gb in the future.

Telecoms giant BT (www.BT.com) is expanding the roll-out of its fibre optic broadband service to 2.5 million UK homes and businesses – doubling the number of homes which should get its fastest 100Mb service.

The project is the next step in the company’s plan to roll out a fibre optic service to 10 million homes by 2012.

BT has two levels of fibre optic service:

• Fibre to cabinet (FTTC) which provides speeds of up up to 40Mb
• Fibre to premises/home (FTTP) which provides speeds up up to 100Mb and possibly 1Gb in the future

Steve Robertson, chief executive office of Openreach which will provide the service to other telecoms providers as well as BT itself, said: “We are determined to bring world-leading broadband speeds to the UK homes and businesses.

“Service providers have asked us for more fibre to premises and so we have listened to them. We need to invest for the future so that customers can access the rich applications that will be popular in a few years time.”

BT is about to install fibre to premises in around 20,000 homes and businesses in Bradwell Abbey, Milton Keynes and Highams Park London by March 2010.

The trial is in existing homes rather than new-build properties and will help BT learn more about the performance of the technology, and the economics of rolling out fibre to homes in areas where copper services are already available.

Michael Phillips, Broadbandchoices.co.uk product director, said: “This is the third move by BT in as many months to highlight the speeding up and increased reach of its super fast broadband roll-out.

“BT has upped the ante and is fighting off competition from rival Virgin Media, that has already trialled 200Mb broadband in some areas. The competition in super fast broadband can only be good for the consumer and mean UK suppliers are on-track to provide homes and businesses with the quality of connection they need for the future.”

Compare broadband deals

Save up to £363* when you include TV and calls with your broadband

CLOSE [X]

*Enter your postcode to find the best broadband deals in your area. We value your privacy, please see our privacy policy.

Why we need your postcode