BT Openreach, the telco’s local access network division, has announced two new sites for operational pilots of fibre to the cabinet (FTTC). The exchanges in Muswell Hill, London and Whitchurch, South Glamorgan will connect 15,000 customer premises to broadband speeds of up to 40Mbps from summer 2009.
The new pilots follow the planned technical trial in the Foxhall exchange area of Kesgrave, Suffolk, and the launch of fibre to the premises product at Ebbsfleet Valley in Kent earlier this year.
Rival Virgin Media is expected to commence the rollout of a 50Mbps product before the end of 2008, though both operators are behind the 100Mbps plus headline speeds being quoted by operators in continental Europe.