Hammersmith to Have Fastest Ever Broadband Technology

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W6 chosen as pilot area for G.Fast offering speeds up to 330Mbps

Broadband users in Hammersmith will soon be able to access the fastest speeds yet developed - up to 330Mbps.

Hammersmith has been chosen by Openreach as one of 26 places across the country where it is piloting its new ultrafast G.Fast fibre broadband technology.

Openreach, which is part of BT, says of G.Fast:"It builds on our existing investment in fibre, meaning we can deliver far higher internet speeds, more quickly and with minimal disruption."

The plan is to roll out the cutting edge technology to one million homes and offices by the end of 2017.

G.Fast works by running fibre optic cables to existing street cabinets, which are then fitted with extension 'pods' on the side which houses the G.fast line cards. After that the G.fast service reaches homes via the existing copper lines.

Peter Bell, Openreach’s Director for Network Solutions, says:"G.fast is the key to unlocking ultrafast speeds for millions of people across the UK in the next few years. BT has a long history of pushing the boundaries in telecommunications, from way back in the earliest days of the electric telegraph, right through to today’s global fibre networks. We’re a world leader in fibre innovation and this is the next stage in our story.

"The UK is ahead of its major European neighbours when it comes to broadband and we’re doing everything we can to anticipate and meet changing customer demands. The development of G.fast technology is a key part of moving the UK from superfast to ultrafast broadband speeds as quickly and efficiently as possible."

BT and TalkTalk are reportedly ready to offer the service, with other providers set to follow. Openreach says people living in the pilot areas who want to try the service should contact their internet service provider to see if they're offering the service, and to find out more about availability and pricing.

1 September 2017