Openreach’s 100Gbps Cablelink Pilot for UK Broadband ISPs Set for May 2027
National network operator Openreach has informed ISPreview that their long planned pilot of a 100Gbps capable Cablelink (Ethernet) solution is now scheduled to start around May 2027. The new product will, among other things, be used by ISPs to support the rollout of their 8.5Gbps speed full fibre (FTTP / XGS-PON) broadband products for UK homes.
Cablelink products are traditionally what Openreach are using to provide data capacity for their full fibre and other connections (i.e. the connection between their fibre headend and an internet provider’s own equipment). But at present the fastest links available only go up to 10Gbps, which will start to become a bit tedious now that Openreach are beginning to expand the reach of their 8.5Gbps speed FTTP broadband pilot.
Suffice to say that using multiple 10G Cablelinks to supply that service with capacity isn’t the most efficient approach, especially for busy areas. The solution, as we first revealed back in March 2026 (here), is for Openreach to introduce a new 100G Cablelink Service Connect (CSC) product. But until now we didn’t have a strong idea of when the first trials of this would actually begin.
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The latest update we’ve had is that the 100G CSC pilot is currently scheduled to start around May 2027 (tentative internal target), which we understand will include support for both their future Ethernet Access Direct 2.0 (EAD) and existing Generic Ethernet Access (GEA) headends (aka – Optical Line Terminals – OLT).
In simple terms, Openreach will allow 100G CSC to be used to supply capacity for their full fibre (FTTP), hybrid fibre (FTTC – SOGEA / VDSL2) broadband and latest Ethernet products.
Speaking of which, “most” of the GEA headends being selected for the CSC pilot will also be included in the ever expanding XGS-PON pilot, which was to be expected.
Mark is a professional technology writer, IT consultant and computer engineer from Dorset (England), he also founded ISPreview in 1999 and enjoys analysing the latest telecoms and broadband developments. Find me on X (Twitter), Mastodon, Facebook, BlueSky, Threads.net and Linkedin.
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This is probably start of BTw change in speed eg: 900 to 1600 via checker around Q1 / Q2 2027
Don’t go for virgin broadband
It’s nightmare.
Avoid it.
Virgin broadband is ridiculous
Avoid it.
Even after 5 engineer visit.changing router 4 time,still internet is not working properly.
Lost all connection including Ring bell,amozon,q box .
Also the grammar and spell checker is MIA – feel sad for you
SO May must be when all will be doing it via OR? Or close to that date?
Upload still 130mbps
So 8.5Gbps down, 130Mb/s up? That is a fair difference, Wow.
I think that is incorrect
The cable link product is symmetric.
That is incorrect
Some ISPs may offer more.
Actually its 850 mbps up on the residential package. OR may let you increase it if you pay more (lets hope).
This product isn’t for consumers – so will have little impact on what Openreach packages are. Sorry for all the symmetric bleaters.
This is for connectivity between PoP’s across the Openreach network so CP’s can backhaul more and more traffic down to their edges.
So you are saying it’s one way traffic or, both way asymmetric then even if it’s backhaul connections?
Me thinks it’s symmetric product – but separate from XGS-PON being symmetric as this is backend.
Cognizant – Cablelink is the product to connect into the edge switches where FTTP and FTTC are, not between PoPs.