Telewest announces 2Mbps trials

Telewest, Britain's second biggest cable operator, announced this morning that it will be launching trials of broadband internet at 2Mbps downstream/256kbps upstream.

The trials launch later this week, with spaces for up to 1,500 trialists. Blueyonder customers who want to express their interest in the trial can do so at http://fastest.blueyonder.co.uk. If the ongoing discussion in our Telewest Broadband forum is anything to go by, they'll have no trouble filling the trial ahead of its launch later this week.

Telewest's managing director, Gavin Patterson, said: "We've already proven there's a need for speed, with ten per cent of our blueyonder internet customers taking the 1Mb service. Now it's time to shift up another gear, offering our customers the option of going even faster with the natural bandwidth benefits of a cable connection.

"Not every internet user will want a 2Mb connection, but we're now well on the way to offering a menu of broadband services to suit different requirements, while BT perseveres with its one trick pony."

The cable operator expects a full national launch will take place "later this year". No details on pricing are available as yet.