BT Gets Fibre Optic Broadband Go Ahead

BT has been given the go ahead for its new super-fast fibre optic broadband network.

The network will cover 10 million British homes and it is set to offer speeds up to 20 times faster than the current 2Mbps average, with up to 100Mbps possible.

The Observer reports:

“After intense negotiations over the past few weeks, Ofcom will propose a new set of rules on Tuesday that will include a change in the way that BT’s networks business Openreach operates so it can start delivering broadband speeds up to 20 times faster than the current average.”

The new fibre optic broadband network will be constructed by BT over the next three years at a cost of £1.5bn. It will be made available to BT’s rivals, with Ofcom’s new rules enabling BT to profit from this.

BT’s broadband rival, Virgin Media, are already offering 50Mbps broadband speeds to customers in parts of the UK. The company also plans to upgrade around 2.6 million customers from their current 2Mbps speeds to 10Mbps absolutely free.

It is certainly great news for consumers, with BT’s new fibre optic broadband network also sure to spark competition from LLU providers like the Carphone Warehouse owned TalkTalk.

Overall over the next few years the UK’s broadband industry is set to undergo a huge restructure in order to bring it up to the government’s targets.

As BT prepares its new super-fast network, many consumers are set to benefit from new super-fast broadband access and services.