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BT names 63 more exchanges for fibre upgrades

Rollout focuses on the south east

BT has revealed its next wave of exchange upgrades, as it accelerates the rollout of faster broadband.

As with the two previous lists, there's a strong emphasis on densely populated areas, where return on the investment is likely to be highest. This time, 31 out of the 63 exchanges are classified by BT as located in the south east of England or London.

The newly-announced upgrades are scheduled for completion by summer this year. Most will offer VDSL2+, which will involve laying fibre from the exchange buildings to a new generation of street-side cabinets.

The cabinets, whose appearance has caused controversy during trials in Muswell Hill, will in turn connect to homes and businesses via existing copper and aluminium wiring. Although theoretically capable of 40Mbit/s downstream, such fibre-to-the-cabinet services are in reality expected to offer between 10 and 20Mbit/s.

Some of the exchanges in BT's latest list are to be upgraded to fibre-to-the-home, completely replacing old metal lines. Customers connected to them will receive about 100Mbit/s downstream. A BT spokeswoman said the firm could not provide a breakdown of which of the 63 exchanges will get the superior technology.

BT has pledged £1.5bn to upgrade exchanges serving 40 per cent of premises nationally by 2012. Out of 10 million, it's planned that 2.5 million will be connected via fibre-to-the-home.

The upgrade work will be carried out by BT's Openreach division, and BT competitors will also be able to offer faster broadband once it is complete. ®

Bootnote

The latest list in full:

  • ALBERT DOCK London
  • ANDOVER South East
  • AYLESBURY South East
  • BANGOR, NORTHERN IRELAND Northern Ireland
  • BEAUCHIEF Yorkshire and The Humber
  • BICESTER South East
  • BLUNSDON South West
  • BOTHWELL Scotland
  • BRAINTREE East of England
  • BRAMHALL North West
  • BRIGHTON HOVE South East
  • CAVERSHAM South East
  • CHANDLERS FORD South East
  • CHIPPENHAM South West
  • COALVILLE East Midlands
  • CONGLETON North West
  • CROWTHORNE South East
  • DALGETY BAY Scotland
  • DIDCOT South East
  • DUNFERMLINE Scotland
  • EARLEY South East
  • EARLSDON West Midlands
  • EASTLEIGH South East
  • FAIR OAK South East
  • GLASGOW NEWTON MEARN Scotland
  • GREENFORD London
  • GUISELEY Yorkshire and The Humber
  • HARPENDEN East of England
  • HEDNESFORD West Midlands
  • HENLEY ON THAMES South East
  • KENILWORTH West Midlands
  • LANGLEY South East
  • LIVINGSTON STATION Scotland
  • LLANEDEYRN Wales
  • LLANISHEN Wales
  • LOCKSHEATH South East
  • LOFTHOUSE GATE Yorkshire and The Humber
  • MAIDENHEAD South East
  • MERTON PARK London
  • MILE END London
  • MITCHAM London
  • NEWPORT PAGNELL South East
  • ORTONS East of England
  • PARSONS GREEN London
  • PENICUIK Scotland
  • PORTISHEAD South West
  • PORTSMOUTH CENTRAL South East
  • PUTNEY London
  • RANMOOR Yorkshire and The Humber
  • READING SOUTH South East
  • SITTINGBOURNE South East
  • SKYPORT London
  • SOLIHULL West Midlands
  • STONEYGATE East Midlands
  • SUTTON CHEAM London
  • TAMWORTH West Midlands
  • TOOTHILL South West
  • WANSTEAD London
  • WARWICK West Midlands
  • WILLASTON North West
  • WIMBLEDON London
  • WOKINGHAM South East
  • WORLE South West

You can check which exchange you're connected to here.

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