[ NNSquad ] Re: Brits get ready for 100 Mbps Internet access

[Derek Clarke <derek_c@cix.co.uk>]

Life isn't that rosy unfortunately. BT isn't a Governrnent monopoly but a commercial firm with Government regulation. They are forced to allow competitors certain access to their infrastructure, but it's still their infrastructure to install where they feel like it. So they too will only put the fastest services into the areas of high demand.

The BT 100Mbps requires fibre to the premises. This will only happen in new-build areas in a few very small areas of the country.

Most BT high speed coverage will be fibre to a cabinet, then use the existing copper to the premises. That will manage 40Mbps. 

However even this coverage will be restricted to those areas that BT can be bothered to lay fibre, as their existing network is wholly copper from telephone exchanges. I suspect a large amount of that fibre will be laid in the coverage areas of existing cable networks as BT want to compete with them, not fulfil some kind of public service!

 If you live very close to a telephone exchange you will be able to get 20-24Mbps when BT or a so-called LLU operator put the kit in for ADSL2+ operation, but most people won't live that close! We live 2 miles from the exchange and can get 1.5Mbps at best. LLU operators only tend to put their kit into high-density areas too, so there are many exchanges without such coverage.

As for the cable networks, well they only cover what they feel like too, my nearest cable cabinet is about eight miles away! 

The extra phone tax *may* be used to subsidise fibre, but more likely it will go on providing broadband access to those who currently live too far from a telephone exchange to get any sort of broadband.

 BT have announced that they are working on a technology that by mixing aspects of ADSL2+ and SHDSL will allow the currently supported range to be doubled, and they will get up to the Government target of 2Mbps (!) to everyone by bonding pairs of lines. So no doubt the happy souls to receive this service will get to pay two line rentals as well as needing specialist routers that have no bulk market so might be a tad on the expensive side. 

2009/10/10 Lauren Weinstein <lauren@vortex.com>

Brits get ready for 100 Mbps Internet access

http://bit.ly/Dq8bV  (BBC)

BT 100 Mbps will only be available in selected areas to start.  Many
other folks around the U.K. will have to make do with *only* 40 Mpbs.
Of course Virgin Media's cable network in the U.K. is running subs
at up to 50 Mbps (and they've got trials going up to 200 Mbps).

In the U.S., if the local ISP doesn't think they'll make enough green
by providing high speed data to a particular area -- they just don't
provide it.  Problem solved.

In the U.K., there will likely be a six pound per year tax on
fixed line telephones, which will be used to subsidize fiber
deployment in areas that BT and Virgin don't consider to
be "economically" suitable.

--Lauren--
NNSquad Moderator