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1MB on a 12km line? BT says you can BET on it
16 Sep 2009 | 08.42 Europe/London
BT is trialling technology it claims can deliver a stable 1Mb service over a 12km line. This, it claims, more than doubles the capabilities of copper which normally cannot support broadband on a line more than 5km from an exchange.
The Broadband Enabling Technology (BET) has already provided a stable 1Mb service to homes 12km away from their nearest exchange in Dingwall, Scotland. Now the technology is going to be rolled out to include 10 exchanges spread in Scotland, Wales, and the North East, East, South and South East of England. The necessary technology is currently being installed in these exchanges and should go live from September 30th.
BT is not sure whether this will have an impact on the price of broadband, claiming that this is an Openreach project for all broadband providers and so the market will have to wait to see if it is sold at a premium.
[caption id="attachment_697" align="alignnone" width="230" caption="BT Openreach"]
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What is BET?
The BET technology is designed around what BT calls ‘business class’ DSL technology, SHDSL which can not only provide a stable connection over long distances that traditional ADSL offered to consumers, it can also be paired. This means if a home were to have two lines, it could combine them to receive an up to 2Mb service.
John Small, Managing Director, Service Delivery, Openreach claims that the technology could play a major role in helping to deliver the up to 2Mb universal service obligation the Government announced earlier this year.
“We’re really excited about the potential of BET to extend broadband to the remaining not-spots,” he said.
“By rolling out BET, we can help customers and assist the Government to realise its aim for a universal 2Mb/s broadband service. We’re keen to work with local and regional authorities and other bodies with funding to discuss how the technology can be rolled out to their areas.”
The latter point may cause dismay for campaigners in not-spots as it would appear to suggest BT does not have aggressive plans to roll out the technology on its own but is rather seeking local authority partners and other bodies to co-fund BET in their areas.
The ten exchanges due to be live from September 30th are:
The Broadband Enabling Technology (BET) has already provided a stable 1Mb service to homes 12km away from their nearest exchange in Dingwall, Scotland. Now the technology is going to be rolled out to include 10 exchanges spread in Scotland, Wales, and the North East, East, South and South East of England. The necessary technology is currently being installed in these exchanges and should go live from September 30th.
BT is not sure whether this will have an impact on the price of broadband, claiming that this is an Openreach project for all broadband providers and so the market will have to wait to see if it is sold at a premium.
[caption id="attachment_697" align="alignnone" width="230" caption="BT Openreach"]
[/caption]What is BET?
The BET technology is designed around what BT calls ‘business class’ DSL technology, SHDSL which can not only provide a stable connection over long distances that traditional ADSL offered to consumers, it can also be paired. This means if a home were to have two lines, it could combine them to receive an up to 2Mb service.
John Small, Managing Director, Service Delivery, Openreach claims that the technology could play a major role in helping to deliver the up to 2Mb universal service obligation the Government announced earlier this year.
“We’re really excited about the potential of BET to extend broadband to the remaining not-spots,” he said.
“By rolling out BET, we can help customers and assist the Government to realise its aim for a universal 2Mb/s broadband service. We’re keen to work with local and regional authorities and other bodies with funding to discuss how the technology can be rolled out to their areas.”
The latter point may cause dismay for campaigners in not-spots as it would appear to suggest BT does not have aggressive plans to roll out the technology on its own but is rather seeking local authority partners and other bodies to co-fund BET in their areas.
The ten exchanges due to be live from September 30th are:
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| Exchange name | County | English Region/Country |
| Twyford | BERKSHIRE | South east england |
| Badsey | WORCESTERSHIRE | West midlands |
| LLANFYLLIN | POWYS | wales |
| Leyland | LANCASHIRE | NORTH WEST ENGLAND |
| PONTELAND | NORTHUMBERLAND | North east england |
| WIGTON | CUMBRIA | North west england |
| Horsham | WEST SUSSEX | SOUTH EAST ENGLANDuthSouthand |
| Wymondham | NORFOLK | East of england |
| *Inverness Culloden | scotland | |
| *Dingwall | scotland | |
Its all a con. see http://5tth.blogspot.com/2009/09/bt-and-big-lie.html
BT milking gov funds to provide an obsolete patch up solution to the copper when they could be building next gen with fibre for same cost. Disgraceful. There aren't enough copper wires in rural areas, so they will end up laying more. Most country properties are on DACs already, so no chance of bonding either. Its a dream, a con and a LIE. and RDAs and gov will fall for it cos BT can't half blag. A sad end to digitalbritain.
16 Sep 2009 | 09.15 Europe/London
Which part is a lie ? The technology doesn't work or what ? I can think of at least 50 properties that this would allow to get a broadband connection where they can't currently get one.
We know where to look for liars, don't we. The sort of people who say that "99.6% are connected to DSL enabled exchanges" is a lie are either liars themselves, psychologically disturbed, under the influence of some cult or just too thick to understand plain English.
18 Sep 2009 | 08.42 Europe/London