British fixed line incumbent BT is to test G.Fast technology in the Welsh city of Swansea, according to Tech Week Europe. With the telco set to provide around 100 premises in Swansea with broadband connectivity capable of providing downlink speeds of up to 500Mbps, these trials will follow on from previously announced large scale pilots which are to be carried out in Huntingdon, Cambridgeshire and Gosforth, Newcastle later this summer. It is understood that in the trials BT is specifically seeking to examine how G.Fast can serve multi-dwelling units such as apartment blocks and business premises, while also looking at the economic impact of such services on small and medium businesses. In addition, the report notes that BT is also planning to establish a new test lab at the BT Tower in Swansea, providing academics, start-ups and other communications providers a place to trial G.Fast-based applications and technology.
Mike Galvin, managing director of service, strategy and operations at BT, was cited as saying of the plans: ‘Wales is an excellent location to trial cutting-edge new broadband technologies … This partnership further enables BT to deploy and validate the next generation of multi-media business and consumer communications capabilities … Our technical trial will allow us to evaluate the best way of delivering ultrafast speeds to flats and business premises nationwide.’
