Virgin Media says its network reaches half of all homes in the UK. The technology has a theoretical limit of 200Mbps downsteam speeds. BT's local access division Openreach will deploy fibre to the cabinet (FTTC) technology at 29 exchanges across the UK. This will bring speeds of up to 40Mb/s – and potentially 60Mb/s - within reach of 500,000 homes and businesses.
The roll out is the next stage in the UK's biggest ever investment programme in super-fast broadband. BT has pledged to spend £1.5 billion by 2012 to ensure that 40% of UK homes and businesses – some 10 million premises - can access fibre-based services. The UK already leads the way in terms of DSL broadband access and penetration and BT's plan will ensure the UK climbs the speed tables as well.
Openreach will deliver 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 transform the speeds available even though the last link in the chain – from the street cabinet to the premise – will remain copper. Openreach is aware there are some premises that will not be able to be served by this technology and so they are currently looking at alternative solutions for those.
Openreach already delivers the UK's fastest broadband speeds at Ebbsfleet in Kent where speeds of up to 100Mb are being used by customers. These speeds, using fibre to the premise (FTTP) technology, are substantially ahead of any other residential service in the UK. Copper-based broadband services – offering speeds of up to 24Mb/s - are also currently available to CPs from exchanges serving 40% of UK homes and business.
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