Fibre To the Home (FTTH)

Hyperoptic gigabit broadband has been available in London since 2011 and this service has now become available in three more cities, namely, Reading, Cardiff and Bristol together these four cities are labelled “hypercities”.  This allows the residents of these areas to have access to some of the fastest broadband speeds in the UK.

Hyperoptic is continuing its expansion across London whilst simultaneously looking to rollout the service in other cities.

The company’s plans are to have the service available in over 35000 homes in 150 of London’s major developments and the aim is that by 2018 to have half a million of the capital’s households covered.  One area to benefit is the former Olympic Athletes’ Village in Stratford.

Praise has come from Karin Ahl of FTTH Council Europe on the steps being taken in the UK to improve broadband.  However, the downside is that the Department of Culture, Media and Sport has stated that the Government’s Digital Communications Infrastructures Strategy will be a key player in Britain’s installation of the necessary infrastructure between 2025 and 2030.  It predicts that the UK will remain on the world’s leading digital nations!

Apparently the EU member governments have a responsibility to introduce “future-proof broadband plans” and at national level.  According to Miss Ahl “In this context it is key for the British Government to take a leading role to have a clear vision and develop a long term strategy for future-proof broadband deployment”.

All of this leads to a “wide range of benefits” with businesses and key public sector services.  Hopefully all of this will also help home workers and small businesses that are being run from home.

Beta Telecoms

www.betatelcoms.co.uk

5G – The Next Generation

How would you like to be able to download a full HD movie instantly to you mobile device?  According to scientists in South Korea experimenting with 5G this could become a possibility because they are saying that 5G is 1000 times faster than 4G.

Whilst most UK users are in awe of what can be delivered by 4G it is interesting to know that development is being done on the next generation.  The South Korean Ministry of Education, Science, and Technology (MEST) development is being carried out on a 5G network.  £900m is being invested into the project with a projected launch in 2020. 

Last year Samsung carried out 5G tests and these have shown that it is possible to achieve 1Gbps mobile signal.

The intention is to be able to have Ultra-HD streaming and hologram transmission.

Beta Telecoms

www.betatelecoms.co.uk

100Gbps Wi-Fi

This may sound optimistic but scientists in Germany have experimenting with 100Gbps Wi-Fi which could be utilised to patch holes in the infrastructure.  The previous field test speed record was 40Gbps which copied a Blu-ray disc in two seconds.

The demonstration took place at Karisruhe Institute of Technology where the scientists sent data over a distance of 20m, however, they think that the range could exceed 1km.

The idea behind the technology is that it could be used in areas where it is impracticable to lay fibre optic cables i.e. over nature reserves, motorways and rivers.  Also the scientists believe that the application could be useful in rural areas where it is uneconomical to lay fibre optic cables.

The development of this technology is progressing apace with the scientists at KIT Institute of Phontronics and Quantum Electronics considering that similar radio links offering up to 1Tbps “appear to be feasible” provided that Wi-Fi systems can simultaneously transmit multiple data systems.

This technology leads me to ask the question – “how long will it be before fibre optic cables are out of date”.

Beta Telecoms

01291 620189

http://www.betatelecoms.co.uk

Universal Broadband Delivery – Mobile Companies Role

According to Communications Minister Ed Vaizey, mobile companies have a key role in the delivery of universal broadband and that the Government is aware that the industry’s technology can help meet goals to deliver access.  The Government has to ensure a good regulatory environment and that the improvement of connectivity should not be left to the private sector alone.

According to Ofcom citizens in the UK should be guaranteed minimum broadband speeds of 8Mbps.  However, the Government’s Broadband Delivery UK is working towards minimum speeds of 2Mbps – but this is considered too low.  The difference in speeds leaves a “big gap” in usage.

There is some question as to what universal connectivity means.  Ed Richards, CEO of Ofcom was quoted “It seems to be the case if you have less than 8Mbps you just use networks less, so there is a really interesting question about what, in the longer term, we mean by universal connectivity”.  According to Ofcom to enjoy a basic internet experience 8-10Mbps is required – What is meant by “basic internet experience”?  Is it personal use down loading films etc. or business use and down loading documents and files needed to run a business?

It would appear that the figure of 2Mbps is now an inaccurate figure of the speed required.

Beta Telecoms

www.betatelcoms.co.uk

100,000 Welsh Properties Get Superfast Broadband

In the early part of January, this year, the Department of Culture, Media and Sport announced that the Superfast Cymru project had exceeded the number of properties able to use the service had exceeded 100,000.

The aim is to make the service available to 96% of Welsh businesses and homes by the end of next year – resulting in over 690,000 premises having access.  However, at present it is mainly properties in North Wales that are benefiting from the service.

The scheme is backed by funding of £57m from the UK Government with a commitment of £220m from BT for various projects.

Maria Miller, Culture Secretary has been quoted as saying that it was excellent that so many Welsh businesses and homes are already gaining real social and commercial advantages as a result of the nationwide rollout.

Beta Telecoms

www.betatelcoms.co.uk