BT squeezes more speed out of copper

“Don’t write off plain old copper just yet”; that’s the message from UK incumbent carrier BT and analysts supporting the firm’s move to boost broadband speeds for the bulk of its subscribers.

This week the company unveiled the Broadband Accelerator – essentially a small plate that users self- install into their main phone socket to reduce the impact of electrical interference.

The accelerator, also known as the I-Plate, isolates a redundant wire in the socket which can slow connections. It may boost speeds by up to 1.5Mbps, BT said, taking some up to headline speeds of around 20Mbps. Even if this headline benefit doesn’t materialise, the accelerator is still likely to improve reliability in the connection.

Moreover, the device is being sent out to BT users for free. They will only have to pay postage of £1.20, making the offer especially attractive to BT’s bulk of users receiving around 2Mbps or less.

Michael Kovacocy, European telecoms analyst at Daiwa Securities, said he likes the product, “because whilst it will not change the world, it highlights that the ability to extract further performance from installed fixed infrastructure has not yet fully run its course. When market onlookers weigh arguments about mobile versus fixed broadband substitution, the ability of fixed networks to deliver VOD and IPTV to the home, etc., they would be well served to keep in mind this point.”