Moving to Bluewater?

[TheSaint]

Computer users in every (well-developed) country except the UK have had the availability of FTTH (fiber to the home). At last things are getting better over here. Except you have to live in the bluewater area. You win some, you lose some.

BTW, FTTH = f***ing fast....think unlimited. (yet it will definitely be capped to c.100 mbps by BT)

BT has announced a ground-breaking fibre to the home (FTTH) deal with UK

real estate investment trust Land Securities and British Sky Broadcasting.

The use of FTTH technology at Ebbsfleet Valley - the largest private

developer-led community scheme to be undertaken in the UK - will be a first

of its kind for the UK residential market on a mass scale.

Ebbsfleet Valley - near Bluewater shopping centre and adjacent to the new

Ebbsfleet International station - covers 1,000 acres with 9,500 new homes

and up to nine million square feet of commercial offices, retail, leisure

and community facilities.

BT will provide next-generation access network and end user connectivity

through FTTH technology, using the latest optical fibre networks.

As a result, the Ebbsfleet Valley community will be able to experience

levels of connectivity and broadband speeds previously only available in a

high-tech office environment.

The provision of optical fibre networks will also include benefits such as

on-demand (high definition) entertainment services and voice over internet

protocol (VoIP) phone services enabled in every home.

The network - which will be developed by Openreach - will provide multiple

fibre deployment to each home, including satellite and broadcast media

services. This means that each home and establishment in Ebbsfleet Valley

will be pre-enabled to receive Freeview and satellite-based entertainment

services and DAB radio via the network, avoiding reception issues and the

need for individual satellite dish installations.

BT's general manager for London and the South East Andrew Campling said:

"This is a ground-breaking initiative to bring the enormous potential of

high-speed information and communications services to Ebbsfleet Valley.

"BT is pleased to be part of such an exciting and innovative development and

is committed to making this project a huge success as a partner, deploying

our skills as the provider of world-leading technological expertise and

knowledge and also in working towards other development opportunities -

elsewhere in the Thames Gateway and in other major sites across the UK."

Land Securities project director Andy Freeman said: "The provision of FTTH

technology is a quantum leap in information and communication services for

residents and occupiers in Ebbsfleet Valley. It is the next logical step in

the digital revolution that will unleash the potential of unlimited

broadband speeds for the use and benefit of homeowners and businesses."

BT, Sky and Land Securities are currently working on arrangements to

distribute satellite and broadcast media over optical fibre. The companies

anticipate the scheme will be finalised in time for the first phase of

development at Ebbsfleet Valley next year.

The optical fibre network for Ebbsfleet Valley will be established by

Openreach and operated on a basis that provides access for all

communications service providers. BT says this competitive element will

enable users to select services from a number of different companies taking

advantage of the potential that optical fibre has to offer, providing choice

in the market.

Land Securities says the use of fibre technology will also bring about

significant opportunities for the community. In the next stages of

development it says it will be looking to maximise those opportunities,

including developments in education, health care, community interaction,

estate management and home working.