First connections for superfast broadband (From Bournemouth Echo)

First connections for superfast broadband

7:00am Monday 19th January 2009 in News By Paula Roberts

THE 30 first homes will be connected to Bournemouth’s Fibrecity network by the end of March, it was announced today.

The town was selected last year to benefit from a new fibre optic network delivering superfast broadband speeds of up to 100Mbps via the sewer network.

Fibrecity, whose engineers are carrying out the work, invited businesses and homeowners in the BH10 and BH11 postcode areas to sign up to the scheme and benefit from the service for free.

With the system in place, businesses and homeowners can then make the choice whether they would like to connect to the network via a provider.

Adrian Crook, commercial lead for Fibrecity, said: “This is an amazing opportunity for the residents and businesses of Bournemouth to connect to 100Mbps fibre.

“By doing so they will have the choice to benefit from the next generation services that will revolutionise the way we communicate.”

Since September, around 5,600 residents and businesses have opted in – a 40 per cent take-up.

As well as receiving broadband 10 times faster than standard connections, the homes will also be able to benefit from next generation services ranging from IPTV and home automation to remote home security.

Fibrecity intends to build all-inclusive town and city-wide fibre optic networks across the UK with Bournemouth and Dundee the first areas to benefit.

It is on track to be completed by 2010 and will be the largest “fibre to the home” (FFTH) initiative in the UK.

Fibrecity’s innovative system allows engineers to lay fibre optic cable in the sewer network. Using this existing duct means that the fibre can be laid up to 90 per cent faster and with far less disruption than is caused by major road digging.

To connect each address, Fibrecity will cut a small trench to each property that has opted in and the fibre will be taken to the front of the property where a small box, about the size of an A5 piece of paper, will be fixed to the outside wall. No work will be carried out inside the home by Fibrecity.

There is still time to opt into the scheme and benefit from the free offer. Once the engineers move out of the area the offer is no longer valid for free and future connection charges could exceed £400.

For further information, visit fibrecity.eu or call 0800 9542020.