Broadband set for 50 Mbits/sec
BROADBAND speeds available in the UK hit a claimed 24Mbits/sec last month – and cable provider Telewest predicted that they could reach 50Mbits/sec within two years.
London startup Be (www.bethere.co.uk) was offering a 24Mbit service to early adopters for just £20 a month using new ADSL2+ technology, although you would have to be on a good line close to an exchange to get the top speed.
Even the Be upstream speed, critical for tasks such as surveillance and video calls, is higher than that of most providers at 1Mbit/sec. BT has boosted its minimum data rate to 2Mbits/sec with no increase in charges.
The challenge of ADSL2+ technology, which will be deployed at phone exchanges across the country over the coming months has forced the cable companies to improve their offerings.
NTL has standardised on 10Mbits/sec on all its cable links with no price increase. Telewest will roll out increases to 2Mbits/sec entry-level service and 10Mbits/sec premium.
Telewest spokesman John Moorwood said speeds could rise to 50Mbits/sec by 2007 with the advent of Docsis 3 (a new version of the protocols used on cable links) or the possible introduction of Ethernet to the home. He added: ‘Ethernet would mean you could do without the cable modem. You would plug straight in just like on an office network.’
The faster data rates are viable as it is volume rather than speed that operators have to pay for. The speeds will also make revenuegenerating services, such as TV on demand, much more viable.
-Article taken from PCW
BROADBAND speeds available in the UK hit a claimed 24Mbits/sec last month – and cable provider Telewest predicted that they could reach 50Mbits/sec within two years.
London startup Be (www.bethere.co.uk) was offering a 24Mbit service to early adopters for just £20 a month using new ADSL2+ technology, although you would have to be on a good line close to an exchange to get the top speed.
Even the Be upstream speed, critical for tasks such as surveillance and video calls, is higher than that of most providers at 1Mbit/sec. BT has boosted its minimum data rate to 2Mbits/sec with no increase in charges.
The challenge of ADSL2+ technology, which will be deployed at phone exchanges across the country over the coming months has forced the cable companies to improve their offerings.
NTL has standardised on 10Mbits/sec on all its cable links with no price increase. Telewest will roll out increases to 2Mbits/sec entry-level service and 10Mbits/sec premium.
Telewest spokesman John Moorwood said speeds could rise to 50Mbits/sec by 2007 with the advent of Docsis 3 (a new version of the protocols used on cable links) or the possible introduction of Ethernet to the home. He added: ‘Ethernet would mean you could do without the cable modem. You would plug straight in just like on an office network.’
The faster data rates are viable as it is volume rather than speed that operators have to pay for. The speeds will also make revenuegenerating services, such as TV on demand, much more viable.
-Article taken from PCW
- i feel your pain!
