BT's £1.5 billion investment in a super-fast fibre broadband network has been described as a "great start" but one that does not go far enough.

Michael Phillips, product director at BroadbandChoices.co.uk, said the government should take responsibility for investing in a next generation network because individual internet service providers cannot sustain the cost.

BT said its investment will connect ten million homes in 40 per cent of the UK by 2012. Top speeds of up to 100 mbps will be available, with the potential for speeds of more than 1,000 mbps in the future.

Mr Phillips said broadband is an infrastructure that is no different to the Crossrail project, which is costing £15 billion. This is also the amount needed for a nationwide fibre network.

"Crossrail is a project which is only going to have an impact on the south east of the UK, whereas putting fibre optic cable into the whole of the UK will have an impact for everybody," he asserted.

According to the Broadband Stakeholders Group, Britain could reap significant economic benefits from the widespread deployment of fibre optic broadband.



Wednesday, 23rd July 2008

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