SuffolkOnline.net

A further 98 exchange areas has been announced as part of the £2.5bn fibre roll-out by Openreach. The press release suggests a mixture of full fibre (FTTH) and partial fibre (FTTC) solutions, but there is at this time no indication of which areas will get the future-proof full fibre solution.

The 98 exchanges represent some 800,000 homes and businesses, but the suggestion from the press release is that there are still more announcements to be made as BT approaches its 2014 target of passing two thirds of UK premises.

The caveat that needs emphasising is that within each exchange area there will be some premises not served, or individual cabinets that do not meet the economic case for enabling with fibre broadband. The best way to track progress beyond physically spotting the upgrade work in your area, is to use the BT Wholesale availability checker using your telephone number.Openreach has its own superfast website, but it does not give cabinet level feedback to consumers.

Openreach when it originally announced its fibre programme, talked of around 10 to 15% of the UK getting FTTP as part of the roll-out, and while we know of areas which appear to have the fibre tubing installed, there are delays in the full fibre (FTTP) products being available. With the July 2nd launch date for FTTP rapidly approaching, hopefully this will change, and Openreach address those areas which have been patiently waiting.