Ofcom looks to utilities for networks
By Stuart Turton,
UK telecoms watchdog Ofcom has said that it will look into whether the nation's next generation broadband network can be deployed through existing utilities infrastructure.
Under the consultation, which is due to run until 25 June, Ofcom will assess the practical benefits of deploying ultra-fast broadband through existing networks such as water and energy.
In theory the practice could speed up the deployment of fibre and put a dent in the estimated £15 billion costs, as providers wouldn't need to dig up the streets.
"We must be sure we are not missing a trick here," said Ofcom chief executive Ed Richards, announcing the review. "We know that lots of the costs are in the civil engineering and this is civil engineering of a very similar kind."
Ofcom said it will also be looking at the duct networks owned by BT and other telecoms operators. "We need to establish what the position is here and whether or not duct access has a role to play in the development of competitive next-generation access."
Companies such as H20 are already deploying fibre networks through the sewers.
You may also like...
Sponsored Links
advertisement
You may also like...
Latest Networking Analysis & Insight
Welcome to the stay-at-home Olympics
Inside the Enterprise: The Government has warned of disruption, and the Civil Service is practising working from home. Could IT yet save businesses from chaos on an Olympian scale?
- Q&A: Cisco on servers, storage and strategy
- It's not about the browser, stupid!
- The Great British network squeeze
- New year: new suppliers
- Top 10 tech winners and losers of 2011
- 2011: The year in news
- UK rural broadband: too little, and too late
- HP PCs back on the menu with Dellish plans
- Top 10 social networking tips for enterprise - part one
Latest Networking Reviews
Swyx SwyxExpress X20 review
Rating: ![]()
- Ipswitch WhatsUp Gold Premium 15
- ForeScout Technologies CounterACT 6.3.4
- ThinPrint Printer Dashboard review: First Look
- TITUS Aware for Microsoft Outlook review
- Windows Phone 7 Mango review: First Look
- Dartware InterMapper review
- Kemp Technologies LoadMaster 3600 review
- Sangfor WANACC M5500 review
- Office 365 review: First look
advertisement
Most popular
- Google releases Chrome for Android beta
- Will someone rid me of these troublesome Macs?
- OneNote hits Google?s Android
- BlackBerry Bold 9790 review
- Google sends in Bouncer to sort out malicious apps
- Ubuntu vs. Windows 7 on the business desktop
- Who to trust after the VeriSign hack?
- Head to Head: Mac OS X 10.7 Lion vs Windows 7
- ACTA: the basics, the controversies, and the future
- BT considering Ofcom price cap appeal
Register for IT PRO
You'll get exclusive member benefits including free whitepapers, downloads, Webinars and weekly newsletters full of the latest IT PRO news, reviews, insight and expertise.



