BT 21st Century Network

21st Century Network is BT's next generation fibreThe UK is already lagging behind in broadband terms
optic network, which is an advanced communicationsand some may say that BT's vision isn't moving
network for the future. It will cost the companyquickly enough to a complete 'fibre to the home'
£10 Billion over the next few years to install anetwork. The company has already stated that it will
fibre optic connection into every home across theaccrue annual savings of £1 billion per annum
country, replacing the old copper wiring phonewhen the transition is complete, but the promised
system.savings are not acting as a spur to accelerate rollout
BT states that it is designed to empower theof the network.
broadband user with control, choice and flexibility likeIs this money well spent? In 20th November 2003,
never before, it will mean that there be will oneBT launched its 1Mbit/s Asymmetric Digital Subscriber
unified network carrying all voice and dataLine (ADSL) broadband net service. In the summer of
communications. This is an upgrade on a massive2003, Yahoo Broadband (Japan) received its 3
scale, work began in Cardiff in 2006, but the majormillionth broadband customer for services at 8 and
work will begin in January 2008 where BT will begin12Mbit/s. We are now in 2007 and the UK is
to upgrade its network nationwide, expecting tostruggling to offer even 8Mbit/s to most of
finish in 2011.broadband users, with most broadband providers
Although, there has been a lot of criticism regardingshowing advertising with the words "up to 8Mbit/s".
the plans, mainly due to their plans for high speedIt may be a bad comparison between the UK and
broadband services. Their main plan for providingJapan but it shows a clear indication of how far we
broadband access is to upgrade to ADSL2+, thisare from achieving super fast broadband access.
however, is already old technology and has aIs this 21st Century Network the limit in which the UK
broadband limit of up to 24Mbit/s and by the timebroadband can go, or is BT playing it safe and not
this upgrade is completed (2011), this technology willbeing adventurous enough?
be even more dated by then.