BT said it sees G.fast as the best way to get faster speeds to the majority of the UK as quickly as possible. However, the operator said it's also planning to roll out "significantly more" FTTP and will use the Bradford project to test a number of options for the technology. The results of the Bradford trials and feedback from industry could lead to a new business-grade FTTP product being developed for SMEs with speeds of up to 1Gbps and strong service guarantees, BT said.
The new G.fast trials will start "soon" in Cherry Hinton, Cambridgeshire and Gillingham, Kent. Once the infrastructure has been built, 25,000 homes and businesses in these areas will be able to access download speeds of up 330Mbps using G.fast from their nearest street cabinet. BT launched its first trials of G.fast last year in three cities.
Finally, the operator committed to build FTTP infrastructure into all new housing developments in the UK with more than 250 premises. The roll-out of the required ducting, poles and wires will be carried out free by BT on developments of more than 250 premises, while smaller developments can apply for joint funding from BT.
