BT Trial Super Speed Broadband

BT have this week revealed further details of a high speed broadband trial that will make connection speeds of up to 100Mbps available to residential customers for the first time.

The revolutionary project will see fibre-based cable technology used to convey broadband signal in place of the copper wires that currently connect the majority of UK homes to the net. This will not only mean unimaginably fast internet access but also the potential to download music instantaneously, game in high definition and watch multiple HDTV channels simultaneously online.

Implemented by BT’s local access network, Openreach, the initial trial will be focused on a large-scale home and retail development in Ebbsfleet Valley, Kent and is planned to commence in August this year. This will be the first time residential properties will be given access to such fast broadband speeds, with most providers only offering connection speeds of up to 8Mbps at this time.

If this initial roll out is successful, BT plan to extend their use of fibre cable to other housing developments providing telecoms regulator Ofcom give the go ahead.

Chief Executive of Openreach, Steve Robertson comments: “This is our first deployment of fibre rather than copper to residential customers on a new build site. It will enable communication providers to gauge what demand exists for very high speed broadband, and to assess what commercial models may be appropriate in the future.”

While, there is potential for fibre technology to eventually be rolled out throughout the UK it’s unlikely to happen anytime soon. However, as some consolation BT have also announced that they are planning to increase the broadband speed available over copper cable in spring this year, enabling services of up to 24Mbps on adsl.