BT lets ISPs nominate exchanges for fibre upgrades

The trial is open to ISPs already buying BT's Generic Ethernet Access product

BT Openreach is to trial a service that will allow ISPs to nominate specific exchanges for fibre upgrades to help with increased network development.

The trial will begin this month and last until December, and participating ISPs will be able to nominate up to six exchanges to be upgraded with fibre, although certain commercial stipulations apply.

Firstly, if an exchange is developed in an area deemed commercially viable, the ISP that nominated it must ensure that 10 per cent of premises in the area begin using fibre broadband within 12 months or face liability for costs incurred by BT Openreach.

Secondly, if the area is not deemed commercially viable, the ISP nominating that area must pay £5,000 towards any additional deployment charges incurred.

The trial is open only to communication providers already buying BT Openreach's Generic Ethernet Access product.

David Campbell, managing director of next-generation access at BT Openreach, said that the trial will be extended if it proves successful, and encouraged eligible ISPs to take advantage.

However, Aidan Paul, chief executive at Vtesse Networks, is sceptical that the move will do much to stimulate broadband deployment in the final third of the country, as most ISPs on the Generic Ethernet Access product are larger operators looking to compete against each other.

"This move probably won't change much for getting fibre-to-the-cabinet services in underserved areas. I'm not aware of any substantial ISP looking to meet that commitment," he said.

However, Paul welcomed BT's offer as a "genuine and rightful attempt at generating interest" in the push for fibre-to-the-cabinet products.