Initially, the company’s target was the end of 2012 but is now confident that it can get the network deployed to 40 per cent of the population [...]]]> BT has brought forward its target to get 10 million homes in the UK connected to a next-generation access (NGA) super fast broadband network to the summer of 2012.

Initially, the company’s target was the end of 2012 but is now confident that it can get the network deployed to 40 per cent of the population before the London Olympic games begin.

Ian Livingston, BT’s chief executive, said: “The programme is ahead of schedule. Given the progress we’re making, four million homes will have access to fibre by the end of next year.

“2012 will be an important year for the UK, given the Olympics, and so I’m keen we provide ten million homes with access to fibre by the time the games begin,” he continued.

However, plans to roll out NGA to the rest of the population are still surrounded by doubt and mystery – BT has said that there is “no economic case” for extending the network beyond 10 million homes at the present.

But Chancellor Alistair Darling has said that the Labour government wants 90 per cent of the population, about 25 million homes, to be connected to an NGA network by 2017.

These plans, which haven’t been fully outlined, would presumably depend a great deal on private investors being found and Labour winning next year’s general election.

BT is also celebrating hitting the five million customer mark. Chip-shop worker Elizabeth Patterson of East Kilbride, Glasgow, will win a trip to Vancouver to see the winter Olympics.

“Broadband has the ability to transform people’s lives and the fact that we are still showing strong take-up when there are more than 14 million ADSL broadband customers in the UK is testament to the unique benefits of being connected,” said managing director of BT’s consumer division, John Petter.

The top 10 fixed broadband providers only saw an average of less than 1.4 million net additions per quarter, compared to 1.9 million per quarter [...]]]> According to a new anysts  SNL Kagen report on Western European broadband, mounting recessionary and competion pressures contributed to a significant drop in subscriber net-additions during the first half of 2009.

The top 10 fixed broadband providers only saw an average of less than 1.4 million net additions per quarter, compared to 1.9 million per quarter during 2007/2008

On an absolute scale, Deutsche Telecom (DT) added more broadband subscribers from Q4 2006 to Q2 2009 than any other ISP in the region, accounting for 22% of all top 10 operator net additions, or 4.1 million. France’s Iliad and SFR were the fastest growing operators during that period, each with a compound quarterly growth rate (CQGR) of 6.7%. Germany’s Vodafone and DT followed with a CQGR of 5.2% and 4.7%, respectively.

“While the rest of the region is still trying to stabilize following the global financial crisis, stronger macro-economic fundamentals and consumer confidence have allowed German and French telcos to achieve the fastest 10-quarter subscriber growth rates as well as maintain some of the highest growth rates in the first half of 2009,” said SNL Kagan senior analyst Ben Reneker.

of the many special reports that SNL Kagan publishes each year, available via the SNL Kagan Unlimited Information Service. For more information on SNL Kagan Unlimited, contact Sales at 866.296.3743; SNLKaganSales(at)snl(dot)com.

He defended   the 50p-per-month broadband tax, which the Tories  have already said they’ll scrap if they win next year..

Carter compared the so-called [...]]]> Lord Carter, the author of the report Digital Britain who resigned from the Government this summer, also made a return to the House to defend the report that led to the Digital Economy Bill.

He defended   the 50p-per-month broadband tax, which the Tories  have already said they’ll scrap if they win next year..

Carter compared the so-called Broadband tax to the television licence. “As a country we are still broadly willing, with some notable objectors, to spend £142.50 per household per annum, with appropriate exemptions for certain households, in a hypothecated tax called the licence fee to provide us with high quality public service British content,” he said.

“It seems a credible proposition that we should be more than willing to invest £6 per household per annum, with appropriate exemptions for certain households, to facilitate and accelerate our infrastructure upgrade.”

Figures released by the OECDput the UK 21st in the table of 30 countries ranked by consumer Internet access speeds. The top ten included Japan’s 1Gb/s, Finland’s 110Mb/s, and the 100Mb/s offered by Finland, [...]]]> A new report on worldwide Internet speeds has the UK near the bottom, because to a lack of government investment in fibre-based broadband.

Figures released by the OECDput the UK 21st in the table of 30 countries ranked by consumer Internet access speeds.
The top ten included Japan’s 1Gb/s, Finland’s 110Mb/s, and the 100Mb/s offered by Finland, Sweden, Korea, Iceland, France, and Denmark. The UK is even beaten to the post by the the Netherland’s 60Mb/s, and the 50Mb/s available to residents of the United States and Spain.

The OECD said
government investment in broadband technologies is sorely required – with benefits being felt in electricity, health, education, and transportation sectors should funds be allocated to broadband development. The OECD’s Taylor Reynolds believes that “if you cut 1 percent off the costs of education, electricity, health and transportation you would more than pay for a fibre network” and each sector would gain far more than it would lose.
The UK government will have to take serious action to improve matters. With the UK 21st out of 30 in terms of raw speed – and a not much better 13th out of 30 in terms of overall penetration.

There  seems to be some sort of ideological impediment to the UK government investing in the infrastructure. The UK is much more orientated to trying to get private investment.

Long Term Evolution technology, also known as 4G, is theoretically capable of providing browsing speeds of up to 150 megabits per second over the mobile phone data network, [...]]]> A number of O2 mobile broadband users in Slough have been given LTE dongles to test out the new high-speed mobile network, seen as the successor to 3G.

Long Term Evolution technology, also known as 4G, is theoretically capable of providing browsing speeds of up to 150 megabits per second over the mobile phone data network, compared to the maximum speeds of about 7.2 megabits per second currently available in the UK for mobile broadband access.
“We are pleased to collaborate with Huawei [which made the dongle] on this LTE trial,” said Derek McManus, chief technology officer at O2. “It will allow us to better understand this emerging technology and prepare us in offering our customers next-generation mobile broadband services in the future.”
The Government recently  pledged universal broadband access for all by 2012, at speeds of at least two megabits per second. Moble broadband i seen as a cheap way of doing this.
The 4G technology has already been successfully trialled in Scandinavia,two 4G networks have been completed in  Oslo and Stockholm. Swedes and Norwegians could be logging on to the LTE network as early as next year using a laptop and dongle. Britain does not want to fall behind in this race.

However he technology uses the 800Mhz spectrum, a similar range to that used by set-top boxes and other TV equipment which means that it has the portential to interfere with TV pictures.

With a thrown in for good measure is pulls data down from the internet at up to twice the speed of its previous 3.6Mbps USB stick, meaning BBC iPlayer will rollwith ease, wherever you are as long [...]]]> Virgin Media’s just launched a new mobile broadband dongle that ups the speed to 7.2Mbps youtubing on the go.

With a thrown in for good measure is pulls data down from the internet at up to twice the speed of its previous 3.6Mbps USB stick, meaning BBC iPlayer will rollwith ease, wherever you are as long as  assuming you’ve got a decent signal.

Virgin Media today announce the launch of its new high-speed 7.2Mb mobile broadband USB modem. The the success of its 3.6Mb mobile broadband, the new super-quick offering is one of the fastest ways to get online on the [...]]]> Virgin Media launches new high-speed mobile broadband Connect quicker, anywhere, with super fast new 7.2Mb mobile broadband

Virgin Media today announce the launch of its new high-speed 7.2Mb mobile broadband USB modem. The the success of its 3.6Mb mobile broadband, the new super-quick offering is one of the fastest ways to get online on the move, making internet browsing, checking emails, and streaming videoare made easy.

The new 7.2Mb USB modem from Virgin Media is offered on a range of contracts and data limits, helping users choose the mobile broadband package that best suits their needs. Users can either sign up for a flexible 1 month* rolling or 18 month contract and choose from 1GB or 3GB of data each month. With a variety of options to choose from, Virgin Media Mobile Broadband has a tariff to suit everyone.

This new dongle meansis ideal for quick browsing, downloading and even keeping up with your favourite shows via BBC iPlayer or YouTube (with less buffering and stuttering).

Graeme Oxby, executive director of mobile at Virgin Media said: “We’re thrilled to be offering this faster mobile broadband to our users. If you’re not at home or near a wireless connection, mobile broadband is the best way of staying connected on the move and we’re delighted to be making this a speedier, more pleasant experience for our customers. ”

BT gives customers data hosting savings with new data center deal BT Engineer looking through data cables

New center offers typical savings of £70k+

It looks like BT are serious about data hosting. They are spending considerable  sums on data hosting infrastructure BT customers can now increase the size and protect their IT [...]]]> New Data Centre deal by BT.

BT gives customers data hosting savings with new data center deal
BT Engineer looking through data cables

New center offers typical savings of £70k+

It looks like BT are serious about data hosting. They are spending considerable  sums on data hosting infrastructure BT customers can now increase the size and protect their IT infrastructure at will following a new agreement with Europe’s newest, largest and most technically advanced, tier 3+ data centre.

BT has taken 380 racks at NGD Europe, Next Generation Data Limited’s newly-launched 75,000 sq metres facility near Newport. Rollout began in August and will be ready for customer use by February 2010.

As part of a seven year agreement, BT Business, BT Engage IT and BT Global Services customers’ IT capacity and power can be boosted on demand at the secure, out-of-London centre. This investment extends BT Global Services’ data centre facilities; it has 38 customer facing data centres around the globe.

Customers can now typically save over £70,000  over previous hosting options and be able to better capitalise on sales or customer service requests at busy data processing times such as Xmas and school holidays.

NGD Europe opened as a brand new facility earlier this year with the pledge to invest £200 million over five years to create one of Europe’s largest data centres. The site has a direct connection to a power sub-station only 1 km away to deliver a huge 180 MVA of supply, ensuring no surges or drop offs. The service can be provided using 100 per cent renewable energy and is the only tier 3 data centre outside of London with no planned downtime.

BT Business currently provides IT and communications to more than a million UK businesses. BT Global Services currently provides data centre services including co-location, web hosting, managed applications and IT professional services to more than 2,000 customers around the globe.

As part of the agreement, BT Business will also supply cabling, APC racks and connectivity technology to support the service facility’s customers.

“In our experience, UK firms are crying out for a secure data facility that allows them to increase the size and capability of their IT systems and keep running as normal, come what may. Using NGD Europe they’ll be able to save thousands in running costs in the next year alone,” said John Dovey, director, ICT BT Business.