BT Hopes to Fast-track Fiber Broadband
BT, a company well known for dragging its feet when it comes to deploying a super-fast broadband network for its consumers, this morning surprised everyone by saying that it will ramp up the deployment of its ultra-speedy network and have it ready by the London Olympics in 2012. Incidentally, the 2012 date was promised by BT when the company unveiled its fiber broadband plan in July 2008.
Just having it ready won’t mean that every Briton is going to have access to the network, which in theory promises to offer 100 Mbps connections. By 2012, BT would cover only 40 percent of homes, or roughly 4 million of the total 10 million BT has earmarked as potential customers. The UK government wants everyone to have a 2 Mbps connection by 2012.
Photos courtesy of BT.
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cool maybe london olympics will be streaming online.. they could have done it with p2p technology as was spoted online beiing opening shortly after ceremony
This is good news, though 2012 is still two years away and even then it’s only going to cover major metrolpolitan areas. Also, given that it’s BT, I can’t imagine the service will be cheap, though at least there is some fiber competition from Virgin Media to keep them honest.
Simon
I hope you get a fast connection that is fast enough to actually have a decent SKype video call :-) Now that would be pretty awesome virtual co-working.
This press release is a triumph of managing expectations. If you don’t promise very much, then people are pleased when you deliver slightly more than not very much. In fact, BT is just making good on its original pronouncement, which hardly counts as “fast track” if you ask me.
BT holds the keys to Britain’s broadband future – both the first mile and the middle mile – and it’s a shame that a weak press release like this gets posted with no analysis.