For several months now unbundled ISP's have been making a play of ADSL2+ powered broadband services, which reach up to 20/24Mbps, yet BT has remained silent. Thankfully BT has now spoken openly about its trials of ADSL2+ and VSDL technology.

One of the reasons for the operator remaining so silent on the subject is to do with their obligations. Unlike its rivals, BT doesn't have the luxury of putting speed before coverage, which is where VSDL might well pip its rival ADSL2+:

Next-generation broadband technologies can promise connectivity of 50Mbps and above — a far cry from ADSL's top speed of 8Mbps to 10Mbps. And, unlike the current ADSL network that BT uses, next-gen broadband can enable any number of sexy — and lucrative — applications including video-on-demand and Web conferencing. Currently, the telco is looking at both VDSL and ADSL2+ technologies as potential upgrades for ADSL.

Rejali said that of the two, VDSL seems a likely winner. He said: "With ADSL2+, the technology is out there but there's the footprint challenge — to get 24Mbps, you need to be pretty close to the exchange. I believe VDSL has a better footprint."

Rejali added: "To go in one direction or another would be premature but looking at all the criteria, it makes me lean towards the greater footprint. I think the ultimate future is around VDSL."

Better known as Very High Bit-rate Digital Subscriber Line, VDSL is also used by several video-on-demand (VoD) services and was recently approved to work alongside ADSL2+ technology.

Critics might point out how VSDL's VoD connection would also sit well with BT's forthcoming IPTV (Internet Television) product.

In the meantime, BT is doing it's best to downplay the importance of higher speed services, although we all know they'll be signing it from the highest hilltop once they can deliver it themselves =). More @ ZDNet.