BT and Huawei have touted new fibre-to-the-premise (FTTP) network technology that could boost back-haul speeds to as high as 40Gbps using pre-existing infrastructure, promising greatly enhanced services for end users.
The two companies said that trials on connections between the University of Suffolk, Ipswich Exchange and BT’s R&D centre at Adastral Park had delivered speeds of 10Gbps and 40Gbps.
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They did this using the same fibre technology that is currently being rolled out across the UK.
A single fibre connection can usually provide a speed of 2.5Gbps. This is then shared between customers in a given area, to offer speeds as high as 330Mbps.
However, the firms were able to run 2.5Gbps, 10Gbps and 40Gbps connections simultaneously with the new technology, opening up the potential for far higher end user speeds.
BT Openreach chief executive Clive Selley claimed that the tests proved that the fibre infrastructure being installed by BT across the country is suitably future proofed for home and business use.
“The trial proves that not only is our FTTP network fit for the future, but with the right equipment in the customer’s home and at the exchange we can tailor speeds to suit their individual requirements,” he said.
“So whether you’re a small business specialising in graphic design or a keen gamer using UHD and virtual reality, we’ll make sure your communications provider can offer you the speeds and value for money services that you need.”
BT added that the improvements put the company on target to make ultrafast broadband speeds available to 12 million homes and businesses by 2020.
The breakthrough comes as fibre networks are increasing around the UK. Pure-play provider CityFibre is working on rollouts in several UK cities outside London, while Virgin Media just announced plans to add another 360,000 properties in Scotland to its fibre network.