A commitment to 100Mbps FTTH broadband must be made by the government

A call has been made to the government in the UK by Elfred Thomas, the CEO of i3 group (H2O Networks, Fibrecity) to make a genuine commitment to 100Mbps Fibre to the Home (FTTH) broadband services in the future, or there is a risk that the ongoing digital revolution throughout the world will leave the UK behind.

The plans by the government to provide a universal minimum broadband speed (USO) of 2Mbps were labelled “super-slow” by Mr Thomas, and he then said that he believed that consumers should not be limited by the aged copper network and instead deserved super fast broadband access, warning BT that its plans to offer 40Mbps FTTC were of “limited ambition”.

Elfred Thomas, the CEO of i3 Group said “We are on the verge of a communications revolution in this country and the deployment of an infrastructure that will serve this nation for generations to come. For anyone to suggest that we let this opportunity pass with an ‘anything will do’ attitude is scandalous. To say the public does not want 100Mbps is a smokescreen for the admission that BT is incapable of providing super fast broadband due to the limitations of its antiquated copper network. The opportunities offered by fibre optics, both now and in the future, can not be underestimated. How can we possibly seek to deploy a national fibre optic network only to limit its speed to 40Mbps? This notion will result in BT’s network becoming obsolete in the very foreseeable future. Digital Britain requires ambitious, forward thinking leaders who understand that we are not building a network to fulfil our current needs, rather we are investing in the future.”

True FTTH is currently being installed in both new build, and more importantly, existing homes in Bournemouth by Fibrecity, a subsidiary of the i3 Group. By the end of 2010 there will be 10 Fibrecities across the UK with the seaside town of Bournemouth being the first to receive the upgrade. This summer will see Dundee becoming the next target for the fibre roll out. The cost effectiveness of a 100Mbps network has now been proven by the i3 Group said Mr Thomas.

Mr Thomas added “Such low aspiration is an insult to UK plc, especially when we have a proven business model for fibre optic deployment which is already paying dividends for our customers and investors. With presence in Bournemouth and roll out starting in Dundee and South Ayrshire, we’re not simply chasing revenue by targeting the big cities like Manchester, Birmingham and London, as we want to see an inclusive, national rollout.”

Any network offering under 100Mpbs FTTH would make competing an uphill struggle for the UK said Mr Thomas in conclusion.