BT CEO sets out ultrafast broadband vision

[Ras]

From BT's press release - http://www.btplc.com/News...2A-40E4-A31F-04DFD5F84D09
 

 

“G.fast” to deliver speeds of up to 500Mbps to most homes
Premium fibre services of up to 1Gbps to be developed

BT CEO Gavin Patterson today set out the company’s ambition to transform the UK broadband landscape from superfast to ultrafast.

He revealed that BT plans to deliver much faster broadband for homes and small businesses via a widespread deployment of “G.fast”. This is an innovative technology that BT will test in two pilot locations starting this Summer.

G.fast will help BT deliver ultrafast speeds of up to 500Mbps to most of the UK within a decade. Deployment will start in 2016/17, subject to the pilots being successful.

Early tests show G.fast is capable of delivering a range of speeds depending on how close the technology is to a customer’s premises. BT expects to offer initial speeds of a few hundred megabits per second to millions of homes and businesses by 2020. Speeds will then increase to around 500Mbps as further industry standards are secured and new kit is developed.

“BT is a world leader when it comes to fibre innovation and we are excited about the next stage in our story,” Patterson said today. “We believe G.fast is the key to unlocking ultrafast speeds and we are prepared to upgrade large parts of our network should the pilots prove successful. That upgrade will depend however on there continuing to be a stable regulatory environment that supports investment.

“The UK is ahead of its major European neighbours when it comes to broadband and we need to stay ahead as customer demands evolve. G.fast will allow us to do that by building on the investment we have made in fibre to date. It will transform the UK broadband landscape from superfast to ultrafast in the quickest possible timeframe.”

The two pilots will start this Summer in Huntingdon, Cambridgeshire and Gosforth, Newcastle. Around 4,000 homes and businesses will be able to participate in the pilots which will explore what speeds can be delivered using G.fast at scale.

The pilots will build on recent tests at BT’s world renowned innovation centre at Adastral Park, Suffolk. These have shown that G.fast has the potential to deliver significant speed increases from existing and new fibre street cabinets as well as from other points closer to the customer. This is an important development as it means the technology can be deployed in a more efficient and rapid manner than previously thought.

BT is likely to deploy G.fast from various points in the network, with the pilots allowing it to assess various roll out options. It is also planning to develop a premium fibre broadband service for those residential and business customers who want even faster broadband, of up to 1Gbps.

BT is currently expanding the reach of its fibre network by working with the public sector across the UK. Its network already passes almost 22 million premises – around three quarters of the UK – and is open to all communications providers on an equal basis. Its expansion will help the UK to boast 95 per cent coverage for fibre broadband within the next few years.

The UK is already ahead of Germany, France, Italy and Spain when it comes to superfast broadband coverage and take-up ¹ , and BT’s plans will ensure the UK stays ahead and joins the ranks of world leaders such as Japan and South Korea.
 

 

[Master Disaster]

[YellowDragon]

And here we have politicians and ISP giants in the USA telling us that 25 bits per seconds is the absolute pinnacle of technology and that anything above is unnecessary and space age alien engineered technology.

 

AKA. PLZ deliver to my house

[Bsmith]

I bet the british are thinking something like:

"Hah let's show the bloody colonies that wanted independance they made a huge mistake and we are still superior to them."

But they say:

"Charles, mate wanna fancy a cup of tea to celebrate this wondefull achievment of technology, while we watch the colonies burst out in chaos and anarchy as in the old days?"

Charles:

"Whatson, my dear friend that is a splendid idea! Let me get my camera, I need to record this."

[brownninja97]

BT isnt as amazing as everyone seems to think, they just react how they should when pressure is thrust upon them. Google tried to get into the UK earlier last year cityfibre which has close relations with BT delays the project a few years, BT forced into a corner has to look like a better deal now. Alas faster speed is faster speed, i will not complain about that

[Gunjob]

Ahhhh BT internet. You'll get 1Gbps for about 25 minutes and they will cap you to 2Mbps due to it being out of "fair use" and during peak times. Basically what I'm telling you is BT is an awful company, I'm with BSkyB who while trying to block Google entering the market (what arseholes) at least they can deliver a consistent connection that actually is a unlimited connection without any fair use BS attached. When I had BT, I was ringing their customer support twice a month to get my connection uncapped and every time "oh that wasn't supposed to happen."

[jaggysnake57]

Ahhhh BT internet. You'll get 1Gbps for about 25 minutes and they will cap you to 2Mbps due to it being out of "fair use" and during peak times. Basically what I'm telling you is BT is an awful company, I'm with BSkyB who while trying to block Google entering the market (what arseholes) at least they can deliver a consistent connection that actually is a unlimited connection without any fair use BS attached. When I had BT, I was ringing their customer support twice a month to get my connection uncapped and every time "oh that wasn't supposed to happen."

bt are better than virgin ands skys fiber is way to exspensive. virgins caps are a joke from 100 down to 5.....seriously! sky on the other hand an extra £20 for 40mbs no thanks

[Gunjob]

bt are better than virgin ands skys fiber is way to exspensive. virgins caps are a joke from 100 down to 5.....seriously! sky on the other hand an extra £20 for 40mbs no thanks

Oh I totally agree, but Sky has at least delivered exactly what they said they would. Pricing is too high, but my choices around Morecambe are slim. 

[mikeeginger]

I will believe this when I see it

[jaggysnake57]

Oh I totally agree, but Sky has at least delivered exactly what they said they would. Pricing is too high, but my choices around Morecambe are slim. 

i have sky and for the most part there ok miles better that virgin. im stuck at the min though because im connected to the exchange i cant get bt or sky fibre  

[Gunjob]

i have sky and for the most part there ok miles better that virgin. im stuck at the min though because im connected to the exchange i cant get bt or sky fibre

Ahh our local exchange has been updated as well a FTTC pretty much for the whole town. Plusnet/BT/talktalk all offer 76Mbps, I get 45Mbps from Sky. But there network is better load balanced than the others. Everyone else I know with the 76Mbps connections doesn't get close or even a consistent speed. My guess is they all over sold. Sky told us they plan on offering 76Mbps but currently don't have the stuff to get it done. My guess is they want more space in the exchange before they start speeding it all up. 

 

Sky's been pretty okay in regards to service, I rang them up to see about my ping and they put me on a "Gamer line" as they called it. Brought me from 32ms UK server ping to a 11ms ping. 

[deviant88]

inb4 200pounds for 500mpbs net 

< rocking 500mpbs for <10 pounds 

[Toddwjp]

Bt are terrible, low data caps, fair use, throttling at peak times.

[Damikiller37]

Bt are terrible, low data caps, fair use, throttling at peak times.

Not on the Infinity plan. I get none of what you mentioned.

[Toddwjp]

Not on the Infinity plan. I get none of what you mentioned.

 

well last year when i was with them on infinity we did, it sucked. maybe they changed, lets hope they have.

[Damikiller37]

well last year when i was with them on infinity we did, it sucked. maybe they changed, lets hope they have.

Yeah I had it for over a year and so far not a single problem. Near to no outages (with exceptions of very rare once that happen for like 30 min late night). Download and upload speed is always at least 90% of what is being advertised. Never experienced any throttling either. Coming from TalkTalk, BT is a lot better but then again I had people say the exact opposite so I guess it depends on where you live.

[Toddwjp]

Yeah I had it for over a year and so far not a single problem. Near to no outages (with exceptions of very rare once that happen for like 30 min late night). Download and upload speed is always at least 90% of what is being advertised. Never experienced any throttling either. Coming from TalkTalk, BT is a lot better but then again I had people say the exact opposite so I guess it depends on where you live.

 

i think the issue were having in the uk with internet is that alot of the population doesn't see the need for it, and all the companies are obsessed with package deals with tv and phone.

[Damikiller37]

i think the issue were having in the uk with internet is that alot of the population doesn't see the need for it, and all the companies are obsessed with package deals with tv and phone.

Yeah considering that we pay about £40ish/month for the 76/20 Infinity plan + home phone which we never use compared to Plus.NET with the same plan but no home phone at something like £25ish/month it does seem like they are making a lot of money from those kind of plans and reminds me that I should probably switch to Plus.NET instead of paying for something we don't use

[sof006]

Woo Newcastle is included in the trials! I live in Newcastle

[Dude]

They better deploy this in South Yorkshire.

[JAKEBAB]

G.fast....... Have fun with FTTN lul