BT to provide high-speed fibre optic broadband to two thirds of UK ahead of schedule

Lee Bell
October 31, 2011
2 Comments
BT faster

"Faster, damn you!"

Britain’s leading telecommunications provider, BT, has announced today that it will reach its goal of supplying two-thirds of the UK fibre optic broadband a year earlier than expected. That’s 2014, as opposed to 2015.

With London being the centre of the iGaming industry, it’s only right that its internet should be up to scratch and able to withstand the ever-increasing use of online gaming in the UK.

Though it will be hiring 520 engineers to speed up the process, BT should have got its arse in gear well before now. Its move to fibre optic cable broadband came a good time after some countries in Asia, like Singapore, where by 2012 will have an entire all-fibre optic network up and running and available to all.

Highlighting perfect how far behind the Brits are – the news comes after the UK was ranked 25th on a report that polled the countries with the fastest internet service.

Nevertheless, in a bid to get the UK on par with countries leading the way – the telecoms giant has said that it is bringing forward £300 million of investment to fund the accelerated roll-out, which has been supported by the government.

Ian Livingston, CEO of BT Group, said: “Our roll-out of fibre broadband is one of the fastest in the world and so it is great to be ahead of what was an already challenging schedule.

“The acceleration reflects the success of the programme to date and is testament to the hard work and innovation of our people. We are investing when others are merely talking about it.

“Thousands of our engineers are busy installing fibre broadband across the UK at an astonishing pace.

“The recruitment of an additional five hundred engineers will help us go even faster and ensure we are ready to help supply other areas should we win BDUK funds. We are proud that most of these jobs will be filled by ex-armed forces personnel.”

There are currently six million homes in the UK now with access to fibre broadband. BT are hoping to reach a target of ten million by 2012 and two thirds of the UK two years later.

But will this see the UK speed its way up the polls on the world fastest internet providers table? If this fibre optic operation was to happen immediately, then maybe. But no doubt by the time BT have sorted out the UK with speedier broadband, the 24 countries already quicker than the Brits will have also bumped their speeds up. BT was just too slow off the mark at rolling fibre out, and probably won’t ever be able to fully catch up with other countries. For example speed demon South Korea, that already provide fibre optic to two thirds of the population and is ranked the world’s fastest provider.

How do you feel about speedier internet? Do you feel like your internet is not up to speed? Or do you feel mobile broadband should come first when considering internet speed upgrades?

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Tags: Article, broadband, BT, fibre optic, iGaming, UK
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