BT has
announcedthe locations where broadband
subscribers will be able to access the web at up to 40mbps over
fibre networks from "early 2010".
BT is already behind the likes of Virgin Media when it comes to
faster fibre broadband access, as Virgin is
already selling a 50mbps access package to some customers
across its cable areas.
Most BT broadband customers are currently offered only an "up
to" 8mbps service over traditional copper access networks.
BT says its local access broadband division Openreach will
deploy fibre to the cabinet (FTTC) technology at 29 exchanges
across the UK.
This will bring speeds of "up to" 40mbps and "potentially
60mbps" within reach of 500,000 homes and businesses, said BT.
Areas of Belfast, Cardiff, Edinburgh, Glasgow, London and
Greater Manchester will be among the first locations to benefit
from an initial deployment of the technology.
Although the majority of the locations are urban, two of them -
Calder Valley (near Halifax) and Taffs Well (near Cardiff) - are
not, and BT says it will be looking to learn lessons from deploying
fibre in rural and less crowded area.
BT says the next set of faster fibre locations - serving a
further one million homes and businesses - will be announced this
autumn.
Although Openreach will deploy the technology, it will be up to
communications providers (CPs) to develop services based on that
technology and to sell them to customers. Those communications
providers include BT divisions and their rivals.
BT has pledged to spend £1.5bn by 2012 to ensure that 40% of UK
homes and businesses - around 10 million premises - can access
fibre-based broadband services.
Steve Robertson, CEO of Openreach, said, "We have worked very
closely with industry and with local and regional authorities to
choose these sites, and I would like to thank everyone who has
worked with us to make this happen. We are in discussions with many
other authorities, so expect many similar announcements in the
months to come."
Openreach will deliver fibre to the cabinet (FTTC) services by
installing fibre between local exchanges and the street cabinets
that sit between those exchanges and the premises served by
them.
The fibre will increase the speeds available even though the
last link in the chain - from the street cabinet to the customer
premises - will remain copper.
Ebbsfleet in Kent already
has access to fibre to the premises (FTTP) technology supplied
by Openreach. Some customers there can get access speeds of up to
100mbps.: