Broadband News
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Broadband fibre for two in three by 2015 and Fibrecity announces new 100Mb cities
14 May 2010 | 16.18 Europe/London
BT has announced it is to roll out fibre to two thirds of the country by the end of 2015 by stepping up its current fibre plans from a £1.5bn investment to £2.5bn.
Ian Livingstone, BT’s Chief Executive, announced the plans yesterday with the proviso that the increased spend will take place so long as the current favourable conditions remain – a reference to the company’s claim that Ofcom, under threat of closure or major reform from the Conservatives, has so far encouraged the operator’s fibre roll out plans.
The company also confirmed that the split between Fibre to the Home (FTTH) and the slower Fibre to the Cabinet (FTTC) connections will be rolled out an an improved proportion of 25:75. Connections taking fibre direct to a home had previously been envisaged to make up just 10% of fibre services. FTTH services are expected to offer speeds up to 100Mbp/s compared to 40Mbp/s for FTTC, which rely on a copper phone line to run the last leg of the journey from the street cabinet in to a property.
Fibre in the sewers
There is also potentially good news for residents of Derby, Halton (Cheshire), Nottingham, Plymouth and York. Fibrecity has announced it is to roll out an FTTH network in each of the city. The company already operates an FTTH network in Bournemouth, through which two ISPs currently offer services.
The company claims to also be considering networks in Belfast, Aberdeen, Ipswich, Bristol and Birmingham.
Fibrecity was previously known as H2O and specialises in running much of its network through sewer networks, although it says this may be changing as more conventional telecommunications ducts become available to the operator.
Should all its plans come to fruition, the company claim it will have made FTTH available to 1m homes by 2015.
Ian Livingstone, BT’s Chief Executive, announced the plans yesterday with the proviso that the increased spend will take place so long as the current favourable conditions remain – a reference to the company’s claim that Ofcom, under threat of closure or major reform from the Conservatives, has so far encouraged the operator’s fibre roll out plans.
The company also confirmed that the split between Fibre to the Home (FTTH) and the slower Fibre to the Cabinet (FTTC) connections will be rolled out an an improved proportion of 25:75. Connections taking fibre direct to a home had previously been envisaged to make up just 10% of fibre services. FTTH services are expected to offer speeds up to 100Mbp/s compared to 40Mbp/s for FTTC, which rely on a copper phone line to run the last leg of the journey from the street cabinet in to a property.
Fibre in the sewers
There is also potentially good news for residents of Derby, Halton (Cheshire), Nottingham, Plymouth and York. Fibrecity has announced it is to roll out an FTTH network in each of the city. The company already operates an FTTH network in Bournemouth, through which two ISPs currently offer services.
The company claims to also be considering networks in Belfast, Aberdeen, Ipswich, Bristol and Birmingham.
Fibrecity was previously known as H2O and specialises in running much of its network through sewer networks, although it says this may be changing as more conventional telecommunications ducts become available to the operator.
Should all its plans come to fruition, the company claim it will have made FTTH available to 1m homes by 2015.
progress, but not for the rurals, as usual the final third who still can't get 1st generation broadband get nothing. We don't have sewers, so even innovative companies can't help us either... good luck to Fibrecity though!
14 May 2010 | 17.29 Europe/London