The latest Point Topic study has cleverly mapped out the phases of BT's £1.5bn next generation broadband ( FTTC , FTTH / P ) deployment and included the projects so far announced by alternative network operators (altnets). This includes the 100Mbps FTTH by i3 Group / H2O Networks in Bournemouth and Dundee etc.

The map shows where BT and the altnets are planning to rollout NGA, in red and pink, and where the demand for broadband is concentrated, shading from green (high) to white (low). The study estimates that the deployment announced so far by BT will reach about 35% (21,350,000 people) of the population by 2012.


It's interesting to note that half the areas of high demand will not, at least initially, be covered by any Next Generation Access (NGA) technology. By the end of next year some 7.4% of the UK population (4,529,000 people) should be covered by some form of next generation broadband network.

The study notes that BT's NGA rollout, as announced so far, falls a long way short of covering many areas where NGA should be economically viable even without subsidy. Couple that to limited contribution from other suppliers and about 60% of the UK population have no prospect of getting NGA before 2012, and maybe for much longer.