UK to get 100mbps broadband boost

摘要

Anew national fibre optic network could fuel demand for bandwidth-hungry applications such as videoconferencing, VoIP and internet television, which struggle to run efficiently on existing copper-based broadband infrastructure. BT is investing ￡1.5bn in a fibre optic network that will deliver download speeds of 100mbps to UK broadband users. The move follows increasing competition, particularly from Virgin Media, which plans to introduce a 50mbps broadband service in September. BT aims to put 10 million homes on the fibre network by 2012. To control costs, the network will be built in two parts. One million new-build homes will receive the fibre network directly. For the remaining nine million residents BT plans to replace the copper cabling that connects kerb-side cabinets in streets to the local BT exchange with fibre optic cabling.