BT to launch 300Mbps fibre broadband next spring

BT has confirmed plans to offer fibre optic broadband delivering speeds of up to 300 megabits per second (Mbps) to selected UK homes next year.

The telecoms giant's Openreach infrastructure division will link a limited number of homes to the superfast speeds via its Fibre to the Premises (FTTP) network in spring 2012.

A further Fibre to the Cabinet (FTTC) rollout - in which fibre is linked to street-side cabinets and then homes connected via BT's copper wire network - will also roughly double speeds for a broader range of customers to 80Mbps.

The developments are part of BT's plan to "transform" broadband speeds across Britain by investing £2.5bn to connect two-thirds of homes to fibre by the end of 2015.

High speed broadband is required due to increasing demand for data from consumers using multiple devices in their homes to access services such as video on-demand and online gaming.

BT said that it will begin new trials of its FTTP technology this month, with the service capable of delivering speeds of up to 1Gbps, as is currently being trialled in Kesgrave, Suffolk.

Openreach chief executive Liv Garfield said that today's announcement marks a "significant step in the UK's broadband journey".

She added that these developments "will transform broadband speeds across the country and propel the UK up the broadband league tables".

Communications Minister Ed Vaizey added: "High-speed broadband is essential for economic growth, which is why we want the UK to have the best superfast broadband in Europe by 2015.

"Improving the UK's broadband infrastructure will help our high-tech, digital industries grow. It will ensure the UK is an attractive place to start-up and base the businesses of tomorrow."

More than five million premises can already access BT's 'Infinity' broadband service, which is capable of delivering 40Mbps via FTTC, but takeup has so far been modest.

BT Infinity has just 200,000 users, and the service faces strong competition from Virgin Media's own fibre broadband services.

BT's FTTP service will be on a small-scale at first, going live later this month in just six areas - Ashford in Middlesex, Chester South, Bradwell Abbey, Highams Park, St Austell and York. They will be able access speeds of up to 110Mbps.

The UK's penetration of FTTP broadband is currently so low that it does not even feature in a league table compiled by the Fibre-to-the-Home Council for Europe.

Among the problems is the lack of rival companies to BT providing FTTP, as the technology only tends to be found in new housing developments due to the high cost of linking existing properties.

Fujitsu launched a trial of its own FTTP broadband last week in collaboration with Virgin Media and TalkTalk, but a planned rollout to 5m homes is dependent on the firm getting access to BT's telegraph poles and ducts at favourable prices.

BT told BBC News that it was in talks with media regulator Ofcom regarding the pricing structure and "hoped those discussions will be concluded shortly".