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One step closer to 100Mb
(01-10-07) - Street Access - a new service that could offer speeds of up to 100Mb to the street has gone live today.
Although it isn’t yet providing an end-user service, the Openreach technology does bring next generation broadband a little closer.
Street Access provides a fibre cable connection from the local BT (www.BT.com) exchange to a street cabinet - or even a lamp post - where ISPs can then deploy a wireless signal for example, to provider very high speed broadband.
Street Access offers 100Mb to the street for any provider willing to pay the costs - approximately £3,350 a year for a 2.5km cable link and an additional £4,750 for installation. This is expensive, and doesn’t include the cost of renting in the BT exchange, but spreading the rental cost across just 30 consumers works out at £9.50 a month (thinkbroadband.com)
Michael Phillips, BroadbandChoices.co.uk product director, said: “This could provide an attractive alternative to expensive SDSL lines for businesses and would work well in business parks and centres - especially if they’re close to the exchange.
“While this technology is still far from being a consumer product, it is a step in the right direction for those wanting a fibre network.
“One of the bigger problems for consumers is that once they pass a certain distance from the exchange speeds drop to unacceptable levels. While a service like this, or a full fibre-to-the-home network would solve this problem, the cost of reaching rural areas means that it’s just not going to happen. Even the Government’s plan for a next generation network is only aiming for 40 per cent coverage by 2012, so a solution for those living further from the exchange also needs to be found.”
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