Broadband ISP Eclipse Internet (KCOM) has become the latest provider to announce its involvement with BT's next generation Fibre to the Cabinet ( FTTC ) 'up to' 40Mbps download (5Mbps upload) broadband technology trials. The provider is also upgrading its existing broadband platform to fully support BT's related 21st Century Network (CN) infrastructure.


For those unfamiliar with BT's plan; FTTC delivers a fast fibre optic link to the operators street level cabinets while the remaining connection, between cabinets and homes, is done using VDSL or VDSL2 (similar to current ADSL broadband but faster with short distances) over existing copper cable. Speeds of between 10Mbps to 40Mbps (variable) can be expected.

Up to 60 Eclipse households and businesses are taking part in the trial. Once the trial is complete in December, those customers who have taken part will continue to benefit from their fibre connection, as a roll out programme to remaining Eclipse customers takes place. Eclipse claims to be one of the only ISPs to allow customers who take part in the trial to keep their fibre connection.

BT aims to start deploying FTTC from January next year and hopes to reach as many as 10m UK homes (40%) or possibly more by 2012. Details of the first 100 or so telephone exchanges to be upgraded can be found HERE and HERE.