Health Upgraders

Point Topic, a telecom research firm, has unveiled four maps of the UK showing select locations where next generation super-speed broadband is set to arrive. The next generation access (NGA) broadband initiatives were announced earlier this year by BT Openreach as part of the programme to bring more people in the country under the spectrum of fibre-based broadband.

The maps show that parts of London and surrounding areas are likely to be the primary beneficiaries of the Openreach project. This is not surprising, as it is natural for BT to focus on high demand areas first. However, the Point Topic report cautions of disputes that may arise owing to the selective implementation of the programme. Tim Johnson, Chief Analyst at Point Topic, has even said that high-speed internet will not be available for more than half of the high demand areas even when upgrade is completed.

The Openreach programme is expected to upgrade existing systems and put in new fibre optic cables wherever necessary by the end of 2012. About 34.8 percent of the UK’s population is expected to have access to super-speed broadband through these initiatives by the time. The project aims to cover 4.52 million people by the end of 2010 and 10 million people by the end of 2011.