UPD Hyperoptic Brings 1Gbps FTTB Broadband to 20k London UK Homes

Urban ISP Hyperoptic, which currently offers “hyper-sonic” fibre optic (FTTH/B) broadband internet speeds of 1000Mbps (Megabits) to high-rise buildings and apartment blocks around London (England), has achieved its second major target after the service became available to 20,000 homes.

The latest figure is double the 10,000 that Hyperoptic claimed to have achieved in October 2012 (here), which at the time meant that the service was available to 30 property developments in 12 of London’s 33 boroughs. ISPreview.co.uk was later told that more than 20% of the homes passed had taken its service.

Back then the ISP also pledged to make its service available to 20,000 homes in 100 major property developments by the end of 2012 and 500,000 within the next 5 years, which suggests that the work has taken a few months longer than originally anticipated.

Dana Tobak, Managing Director of Hyperoptic, told ISPreview.co.uk:

“Reaching 20,000 homes passed demonstrates a clear need for a real fibre solution in London – residents are frustrated with not receiving the speeds they sign up to. Our growth is being fast-tracked by property developers, freeholders, property managers who recognise the real value and long term benefits of a fibre infrastructure. Achieving such a significant milestone in a short period of time not only substantiates the high level of demand, it also showcases Hyperoptic as an alternative infrastructure provider that will continue to expand at a hypersonic rate.”

According to the FTTH Council Europe, just 199,000 homes in the United Kingdom could access a true Fibre-to-the-Home style fibre optic broadband ISP connection at the end of 2012 and the take-up rate stands at around 8.5%. Unfortunately it’s not known precisely how many active subscribers Hyperoptic’s service currently has.

BT’s similar FTTP solution typically accounts for around half of the 199k total (95k passed / 7k subscribed) and CityFibre holds about a quarter (24,000 passed / expected to have just a few hundred customers) thanks to its work in Bournemouth. The rest (i.e. 80k passed and 10k subscribed) come from other operators like B4RN, KC, Gigaclear and of course Hyperoptic etc.

Currently Hyperoptic, which also appears to be working on a new TV (IPTV) product (here), offers three packages (i.e. 20Mbps from £12.50 a month, 100Mbps from £25 and 1000Mbps for £50) and it’s understood that most of their customers tend to choose the cheaper and slower 20Mbps option.

Sadly overall FTTP/H/B coverage in the UK remains comparatively low because BT’s solution is dominated by a slower hybrid-fibre FTTC technology and Virgin Media has a semi-similar hybrid-fibre setup of its own with FTTN (cable DOCSIS/EuroDOCSIS3).

UPDATE 26th March 2013

Added a comment from Hyperoptic above.