Green Light For Super-Fast Broadband Across The UK

05/03/09

BT has received the green light to begin its rollout of super-fast broadband.
Ofcom has delivered its long-awaited ruling which offers BT more flexibility in the way it delivers fibre networks.
BT made clear it only wanted to make the move if regulator Ofcom allowed a fair return on that investment.
The regulator said that its ruling was a "pivotal" one for the development of broadband which it said would "be crucial" to the economy.
Three phases
"Our message today is clear: there are no regulatory barriers in the way of investment in super-fast broadband," said Ofcom chief executive Ed Richards.
"We want to promote investment to support the widespread adoption of superfast broadband but we want to balance that with the need for competition," said Mr Richards.
He said that the plans outlined in this "first phase" would provide the current conditions for investment in fibre.
Phase Two would look at how to reach the areas not covered by this market-led approach, and phase three would consider the evolution to even faster technologies.
See what applications work at different speeds
Moves have already begun to upgrade the UK's existing broadband networks to fibre.
Virgin Media has committed to upgrading its cable network to 50Mbps (megabits per second) - which will cover around half the population of the UK - by the middle of this year.

Via: BBC news