ISP O2 and BE Broadband Expand UK Unbundled LLU Coverage

Internet provider BE Broadband (O2 UK) is continuing to quietly expand the coverage of its unbundled (LLU) ADSL2+ (up to 24Mbps) broadband platform and appears to have enabled a further 17 telephone exchanges since November last year.

At present BE’s (O2 Wholesale) network is known to cover around 1,300 telephone exchanges, reaching 70% of UK businesses and a slightly higher proportion of homes. According to the BE Usergroup this has, over the past few months, expanded to include the following exchanges; one of which covers less than 3,000 lines (i.e. very difficult economics to achieve).

BE’s Latest LLU Broadband Exchanges
Coleshill (CMCOLE) – Residential Lines: 3,236
Bury St Edmunds (EABSE) – Residential Lines: 18,065
Market Deeping (EMMKDEE) – Residential Lines: 7,220
Towcester (EMTOWCE) – Residential Lines: 4,676
Stirling (ESSTI) – Residential Lines: 13,878
Queensbury (MYQUE) – Residential Lines: 11,331
Bexhill (NDBEX) – Residential Lines: 16,660
Cookstown (NICK) – Residential Lines: 6,823
Belfast Malone (NIMAL) – Residential Lines: 11,879
Moira (NIMR) – Residential Lines: 3,785
Newry (NINY) – Residential Lines: 12,567
Hatfield Woodhouse (SLHTW) – Residential Lines: 8,376
Almondsbury (SSALM) – Residential Lines: 9,170
Bassett (STBSETT) – Residential Lines: 2,684
Evesham (WMEV) – Residential Lines: 10,745
Connahs Quay (WNDEE) – Residential Lines: 12,490
Prestatyn (WNPRS) – Residential Lines: 9,706

We’re currently attempting to find out more about BE/O2’s current LLU roll-out plan and will report back once a response has been received. Separately BE are continuing to migrate customers over to their new core network (here), which is expected to take just under a year to complete (i.e. by late spring 2013). The launch of their new superfast broadband (FTTC) service has also been delayed into 2013 (here).