UK cities leading 'next-gen broadband'

Getting connected Oxford, Cambridge, Brighton and Sheffield are following hot on the heels of Birmingham in BT's 21st Century Network (21CN) next-generation broadband enablement programme.

BT recently announced that these cities are in the forefront of the development of BT's world-leading 'next-generation broadband' communications for homes and businesses.

All BT's lines in Oxford and Brighton, and 90 per cent in Cambridge and Sheffield, will be enabled for next-generation broadband by the end of March. Nearly four in five lines in the Birmingham city area were enabled by the start of this year.

New equipment installed by BT will allow tens of thousands of lines in each city to be upgraded as part of BT's multi-billion pound 21CN investment across the UK.

Sian Baldwin, BT Wholesale's director of broadband and content services, said: "Many homes and businesses will benefit from faster broadband, with speeds of up to 20Mb/s possible for more UK broadband users - more than double the maximum speeds currently available."

"Communications providers will be able to customise their products to more closely meet the needs of their customers. These next-generation services will play a major role in helping the local, regional and national economies - certainly a benefit in these difficult times."

These cities will become the first major communities in the UK to achieve this level of next-generation broadband coverage. It will take time for communications service providers to introduce end user products taking full advantage of this major investment and BT Wholesale is working to assist their progress.

Exchanges serving 40 per cent of the UK's homes and businesses are expected to be enabled for 21CN next-generation broadband by the end of March 2009.