Openreach, BT's local access network business unit, says it will offer gigabit broadband services over its wholesale fiber-to-the-premises (FTTP) network. The network, available to both BT and competing communications services providers, passes more than 327,000 homes and businesses in the UK. Openreach says that number should double over the next year as it rolls out more fiber-optic cable and reach up to 2 million premises by the end of 2020.
The gigabit broadband service is one of two new packages Openreach will offer on December 6, 2016, that are faster than the current 330-Mbps top tier. The new options include up to 500 Mbps downstream/165 Mbps upstream and the 1-Gbps downstream/220 Mbps upstream product. The latter offering will cost £80.00 per calendar month (wholesale). Openreach says it expects most of the demand for these new options to come from small and medium businesses.
Openreach announced trials of gigabit broadband via FTTP this past March (see "Openreach plans new FTTP, G.fast trials"). The BT arm also offers a dedicated 10 Gigabit Ethernet product for business customers.
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