Openreach plans to offer speeds of up to 10 gigabits per second (Gbps) across more of its Full Fibre broadband network by expanding the rollout of XGS-PON technology.
The technology can go beyond today’s top download speeds of 1.8Gbps on Full Fibre and push up to 8.5Gbps – 28 times faster than the download speed a typical UK household experiences today.
A pilot scheme covering 40,000 residential premises in Guildford and surrounding areas was launched in March this year and Openreach now intends to make these new ‘turbocharged’ speeds available to more than a million premises over the next 12 months.
It’s also looking to expand the faster speeds to around a third of its Full Fibre network over the next five years.
Trevor Linney, Openreach’s Director of Network Technology, said: “Our Full Fibre network already offers Gigabit capable broadband to more than 23.4 million premises, and more than 9.4 million customers have upgraded so far.
“As demand for data continues to grow, our investment in XGS-PON technology will enable us to offer even higher speeds over the same network, and the additional capacity needed to support the UK’s digital future.
“By continuing to invest in upgrades, we’re delivering a platform that will power the next generation of technology, from AI-enabled services, smart homes and future mobile networks, to cloud-based business and public services.”