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BT Infinity the impact: BT fibre optic broadband to offer increased average speeds up to 8.5x

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Posted 2nd February 2010 at 9:59am by Jonathan Leggett

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  • Newly-released stats show the true impact of BT fibre optic broadband

  • Slowest areas to see speed increases of up to 20x

BT’s new BT Infinity product (announced last month) could offer an 8.5x increase on average broadband speeds according to analysis from Top 10 Broadband, the UK’s most popular broadband comparison site.

In the slowest areas connected to BT’s new fibre optic broadband service, the average speed could by boosted by as much as 20x, Top 10 Broadband’s analysis also reveals.

Last month BT announced its new BT Infinity product which will achieve speeds up to 40Mb in 30 areas connected to the new BT fibre optic network, including parts of Edinburgh, Glasgow, Greater Manchester, Chelmsford, Basingstoke, Watford and north London.

Using its broadband StreetStats technology (1), Top 10 Broadband has looked at the existing average speeds received by customers of all the major broadband providers in these 30 areas and can exclusively reveal the likely impact BT’s fibre optic will have on user’s broadband speeds.

It found that average broadband speeds in these areas currently range from an impressive 6.8Mb in Canonbury in north London, to an acceptable 4Mb in Pudsey, to a poor 2Mb in Calder Valley, West Yorkshire.

Canonbury could therefore see broadband speeds up to six times faster than present and Calder Valley could see speeds up to 20 times faster. However, Top 10 Broadband can reveal that the average speed increase across these 30 areas would be 8.5 times if the full 40Mb was achieved for each user.

Contrary to expectations that BT’s new Infinity service would launch in similar urban locations to Virgin Media who offer up to 50Mb predominantly in larger towns and cities, BT are bringing super-fast broadband beyond the city limits and into selected satellite towns and villages (2).

Along with bigger cities across the UK, the historic market town Pudsey, near Leeds and the idyllic Welsh village of Taffs Well will be among the first areas to get Infinity.

Alex Buttle, Marketing Director of Top 10 Broadband, said: "At a time when growing economic inequality can make it feel as though we are a nation of technology have and have-nots, the launch of BT’s super-fast, fibre-optic broadband in UK satellite towns and villages will genuinely help bridge the digital divide by bringing super fast broadband to those who have previously been excluded."

List of 30 exchanges being connected first to BT’s fibre optic network

Leagrave
Location Current average download speed (Mb/per second)
Basingstoke 3.6
Belfast Balmoral 4.7
Bury, Greater Manchester 3.1
Caerphilly 2.5
Calder Valley 2
Canonbury 6.8
Cardiff empire 5.5
Chelmsford 3.9
Chingford 4.6
Dean, Edinburgh 5.9
Didsbury 6.3
Edmonton 5.1
Enfield 5
Failsworth 4.6
Glasgow Halfway 3.4
Glasgow Western 4.2
Halifax 4.1
Heaton Moor 5.1
Hemel Hempstead 5
5.1
Luton 6
Oldham 4.3
Pudsey 4
Rusholme 5.1
Taffs Well 5.9
Thamesmead 3.6
Tottenham 6.6
Watford 4.6
Whitchurch, Cardiff 6.6
Woolwich 4

NB: Not everyone on these telephone exchanges will be able to get BT Infinity. Customers connected to these exchanges should visit the BT website to check if their property can receive the service.

Notes to Editors:

Top 10 Broadband is the UK's most popular dedicated broadband comparison site with over 12 million visitors per year. The award-winning website offers a range of comparison tools and customer reviews, allowing users to make quick and easy broadband buying decisions.

(1) All data sourced via Top 10 Broadband’s Street Stats

(2) Openreach Roll Out Sites

Further links

Top 10 Broadband homepage

Top 10 Broadband Speed Test

Contact:

Alex Buttle

Top 10 Broadband

alex@top10.co.uk

020 3170 8041

Pete Marcus

Citigate Dewe Rogerson

Peter.marcus@citigatedr.co.uk

020 7282 2815

More news on: BT, Broadband speeds, Broadband coverage, Cable broadband

4 comments

  • Vicky

    Vicky, 16th February 2010.

    Those speeds aren't actually that impressive actually. Not for that outlay.

    Reply
  • David

    David, 1st April 2010.

    @Vicky These are the speeds before BT Infinity.

    Reply
  • Barry Patterson

    Barry Patterson, 5th April 2010.

    Is it just me or is BT really bad at advertising? I have spent 30 minutes looking for information on exchange upgrades - i.e where and when?

    I am sure I am not alone. All the information seems to be really old, while blogs seem to be written by people who seem to know. Why does BT not have a simple search on phone line saying when an exchange is due for upgrade? It does not have to be to the day accurate - just 'No work planned, upgrade to ... 3rd quater 2011' etc.

    I am really sick of garbage speeds and claims by lying companies. Broadband speeds should only be quoted as peak time speeds. The clause "up to" should be banned as no one ever gets these speeds anyway.

    I range usually from 1/2 to 5Mbs - that's a factor of 10.5Mbs. I only get the higher end at 3 in the morning (sometimes have to use it for work at night). Occasionally it drops below 100 kbs - doesn't even deserve the name 'broadband'.

    Reply
  • Chris H

    Chris H, 7th April 2010.

    @Barry..

    this link shows what you are looking for...

    https://www.productsandservices.bt.com/consumerOrders/control/termsandconditions?docId=29318&pageTitle=BT%20Infinity%20Enablement%20Dates

    Reply

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