On 28th August 2018 Openreach (BT) will begin trialling a new 1Gbps variant of their existing Street Access product for UK businesses and wireless ISPs / network operators (previously limited to 100Mbps), which delivers Ethernet data connectivity to street furniture (lampposts, cabinets etc.).
According to the briefing: “The trial product provides 1Gbps point to point Ethernet connectivity with synchronous Ethernet capability using a small/ruggedised Network Terminating Equipment (NTE) accommodated in street furniture locations – such as lampposts and street cabinets, via a dedicated single-fibre path from headend NTE located in a local BT Exchange or CPs Point of Presence (PoP).”
The trial product will be available nationally, albeit initially limited to a maximum of 100 circuits. Annual rental for the product is £1,500 +vat (£125 monthly) and it attracts an initial one-off connection charge of £3,950 (plus £2,000 for each additional circuit after that – up to a max of 7 per headend NTE). A 12 month minimum contract term applies and the provision lead-time is currently 57 working days (subject to survey).
Previously there was already a 1Gbps Street Access option, although this was more suitable for temporary events rather than permanent service provision.
Lamp posts can get better Internet than most of the population
if the population wanted to pay £6500 for the first year, they too could get better internet.
Ha, that’s a depressing thought.
Perhaps some innovative ISP will use this product to connect to lamp-posts, then the final 10-50m to homes via line of sight wireless.
The more FTTP/H and Gfast roll out the less space there is for wireless (which is a dead end in all but special cases anyway)
I wanted to do exactly that when I was working for a wireless ISP but the cost compared to a few bonded FTTC’s meant that it never happened.
Well I would have it – but they don’t bring it here – so I will wait till I find out the areas (can guess them already tbh) and maybe move to one of those 🙂
relocate to B4RNland Simon, here you can have a gig symmetrical for £30 a month. No prob.
Just for clarification these prices are wholesale (obviously) and are only available to ISP’s that have unbundled the exchange (and then only that exchange area). So although the OR product will technically be available nationally it won’t be offered by many ISP’s and none will offer it everywhere.
It’s a point to point product, there is no backhaul / internet access included – that would be an additional cost at the handover / exchange
I assume this is a wholesale product to supply fixed wireless access providers where fttp is difficult with the costs involved.
Maybe aimed at 5G lamp post style installations?
How about converting EO lines in Glasgow as most of us are stuck on ADSL 24 mbps before trumpeting about 1gig speeds I have had my Fibre order cancelled 7 times in a year with a list of excuses as long as my arm.