Openreach: Full Fibre FTTP network available to 10 million premises in the UK
Openreach says its Full Fibre fiber to the premises (FTTP) network is now available to 10 million homes, businesses, and public service organizations. The BT independent subsidiary responsible for access network deployment and operation says it reached the milestone via an FTTP deployment in Ketton, Rutland, in the East Midlands of England.
Openreach says it remains in the midst of a £15 billion ($18.43 billion) infrastructure deployment initiative. The premises connected so far include 9000 medical facilities and more than 13,500 educational facilities. The FTTP network also reaches more than 3 million premises in the most rural parts of the kingdom and a similar amount in areas identified by the UK Government as a priority for leveling up. FTTP also is available in the top 25 areas identified by the Social Mobility Commission as least socially mobile. Such premises number 409,000, according to Openreach.
“Today marks a significant milestone in our transformation of the UK’s broadband. Not only will access to Full Fibre technology improve the speed and reliability of the internet connections used by people, businesses, and public services, it also provides us with the infrastructure we need to meet the demands of an increasingly digital world. With this upgrade, we can improve the lives of people in the UK, offering economic opportunities, alleviating social challenges, and creating the foundation for life-changing technology,” commented Clive Selley, CEO of Openreach.
“Now we’re focused on the next phase of our build. Our engineers are building rapidly across the country, and we already have plans in place that will see Full Fibre broadband reach over 25 million premises. We’re excited for the future that Full Fibre will create for everybody across the UK,” Selley added.
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Stephen Hardy | Editorial Director and Associate Publisher, Lightwave
Stephen Hardy is editorial director and associate publisher of Lightwave and Broadband Technology Report, part of the Lighting & Technology Group at Endeavor Business Media. Stephen is responsible for establishing and executing editorial strategy across the both brands’ websites, email newsletters, events, and other information products. He has covered the fiber-optics space for more than 20 years, and communications and technology for more than 35 years. During his tenure, Lightwave has received awards from Folio: and the American Society of Business Press Editors (ASBPE) for editorial excellence. Prior to joining Lightwave in 1997, Stephen worked for Telecommunications magazine and the Journal of Electronic Defense.
Stephen has moderated panels at numerous events, including the Optica Executive Forum, ECOC, and SCTE Cable-Tec Expo. He also is program director for the Lightwave Innovation Reviews and the Diamond Technology Reviews.
He has written numerous articles in all aspects of optical communications and fiber-optic networks, including fiber to the home (FTTH), PON, optical components, DWDM, fiber cables, packet optical transport, optical transceivers, lasers, fiber optic testing, and more.
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