Broadband

BT Wholesale have this morning announced the official results of their extended reach trials, which are being conducted in Milton Keynes, Fort William and Dingwall in Scotland.

The new limits see the removal of the 60dB line loss limit on the 512Kbps product completely. All lines will now be tested for availability, no matter what the line length or line loss. The availability of 1Mbps ADSL has also increased dramatically, with the limit being increased from 41dB to 60dB (which equates to around 6km line distance). The 42dB line loss limit on the 2Mbps service will remain unchanged.

The changes will be introduced on September 6th 2004, and you will be able to order from any service provider from that date onwards.

This is fantastic news for everyone who has previously been unable to receive broadband due to distance issues. In fact, it will mean that approximately 1 million more people can receive broadband ADSL. According to BT, by Summer 2005, this will mean that broadband coverage will match that of the terrestrial analogue TV channels.

Update: The Milton Keynes Broadband Action Group website have published a questions and answers document about the results. It is available here.

Tags: BT Wholesale