BT to offer 300mbps broadband by next year

As well as launching its up to 110Mbps Fibre to the Premises (FTTP) service this week (on a commercial basis)  BT Openreach also revealed the plan to use the same technology to provide up to 300mbps downstream by spring of next year to select areas before wider deployment, and approval from the relevant authorities to roughly double the speeds delivered by Fibre to the Cabinet (FTTC) broadband from 40mbps to 80mbps, this move is an attempt to provide two thirds of the UK with fibre based broadband at an estimated cost to the company of approximately £2.5 billion by the end of 2015.

Speaking today, Openreach chief executive Liv Garfield said: “Today is a significant step in the UK’s broadband journey. These developments will transform broadband speeds across the country and propel the UK up the broadband league tables.”

Communications Minister Ed Vaizey said: “These are significant announcements and good news for the UK. High-speed broadband is essential for economic growth, which is why we want the UK to have the best super-fast broadband in Europe by 2015.

“Improving the UK’s broadband infrastructure will help our high-tech, digital industries grow. It will ensure the UK is an attractive place to start-up and base the businesses of tomorrow.”

Garfield added: “All our fibre products are fit for the future and these developments show that to be the case. As always, we want to go further and faster and so our journey doesn’t end here. We can turn up the dial should there be demand and so we can look to the future with confidence.

“No-one is keener than us to extend these super-fast speeds to rural areas and so we will be bidding for public funds to help extend these services even further. The challenge is a tough one but by working with the public sector it is within our reach.”