BT to roll out fast copper broadband to Selkirk

The government pledged to improve the broadband networks of the UK, primarily through the Broadband Delivery UK program. Two goals of the BDUK are as follows: to bring universal broadband access of at least 2Mbps to the entire country, and to push for next generation broadband to at least ninety percent of the UK by the year 2015.

BT Broadband is one of the Internet service providers working to ensure that these goals are met. The broadband giant unveiled their BT Infinity service which uses fibre technology to deliver superfast broadband speeds to users. The deployment was initially said to be completed by 2015. However, this date was pushed back to 2014 as BT was rolling out on an accelerated schedule.

Despite these developments, BT has not phased out using their copper networks for broadband. The firm has no plans of shutting down their copper networks, which was revealed by BT’s director of strategy, policy and portfolio Sean Williams at the Westminster e-Forum. Williams said: “Copper is a permanent feature of our network. There will be people who want copper telephony and not broadband.”

Being true to their word, BT is set on delivering next-generation copper broadband to the south Scotland town of Selkirk. This move has been praised by Selkirk’s local Chamber of Trade. Selkirk is one of forty seven Scottish communities who are on the waiting list to benefit from BT Broadband’s rollout of faster and upgraded copper broadband services.

The rollout is set to be completed this summer. Over 11,000 properties in Selkirk and Hawick and approximately 186,000 all over the whole of Scotland are included in the program.

Local Chamber of Trade chairman Gordon Edgar commented that the announcement was “excellent news” for the region. He also added: “Businesses have to have access to every tool in the box just now to help them survive and give them a competitive edge.”