Fibrecity is a small business with the courage to try to bring genuine fibre to the home (FTTH) broadband connections to the nations’ homes, via the sewer system.
This theoretically allows speeds of 1,000 Mb/sec upwards and downwards, which is far greater than even Virgin Media can offer with its new fibre to the cabinet (FTTC) roll out this year. This is because fibre to the cabinet (FTTC) relies on copper or coaxial cable for the last few yards of the connection, from the street cabinet to your home.
Fibrecity are initially offering speeds of 100 Mb/sec with a choice of TV channels and additional services for on line games. But don’t get too excited, as it will be only available in a grand total of 30 homes in England in Bournemouth at the end of March, with a few to follow in Dundee in Scotland!
Fibrecity will use the trial homes to demonstrate the broader capabilities of an ultrafast broadband connection of 100 Mb/sec, including “internet TV, home automation, and remote home security” – though the details of services such as “home automation” are still a little sketchy.
Fibrecity announced today that a campaign to sign up residents and businesses to connect to the new ultra fast FTTH network has been underway in Bournemouth since September and has already achieved a 40 per cent take up in the first phase roll out area.
Although small potatoes today, Fibrecity has relatively big plans and hopes to connect a total of 160,000 homes by the end of 2010. Work starts on the first Scottish “Fibrecity” in Dundee this summer.
Elfed Thomas, CEO, H2O Networks Group, Fibrecity’s parent company, said: “This is an exciting development for Fibrecity. Since its launch last year, the initiative has progressed according to plan and is on schedule to be completed by 2010. We are in a very strong position and are having positive discussions with a number of key content providers and that can provide wholesale access to Fibrecity customers.”
Fibre to the home (FTTH) is notoriously expensive and many industry commentators say that it is just not economic in the UK. But Fibrecity think they have improved the economics with the patented FS System which allows engineers to lay fibre optic cable in the sewer network up to 90% faster and with far less disruption than is caused by major road digging.
Fibrecity have not released the cost of the new service.
For advice on more widely available superfast broadband services, visit Simplifydigital. or call 0800 466 1047.