BT says that a widening of access to VoIP is one of the reasons behind its decision to upgrade its existing broadband copper cable network.
The network upgrade is expected to ensure that by the end of the current year, approximately 80% of residential and business premises across the UK will be able to access broadband speeds reaching 20 Mbps.
According to the managing director of Products at BT’s wholesale division, Cameron Rejali, the upgrade – marketed under the name ‘Wholesale broadband Connect’ or ‘WBC’ – is ‘evidence of BT’s commitment to deliver next generation services’, and, as such, ‘offers communications providers the ability to provide their broadband customers with….a range of online services including TV, gaming online and multiple voice over internet protocol (VoIP) services’.
VoIP is currently much sought after by businesses worldwide since it can lead to considerable bottom line savings, whilst improving day-to-day control over business phone systems.
With business VoIP, voice calls are made over the internet rather than via conventional telephone line connections, resulting in firms no longer having to pay the expensive call rates often charged by conventional telephone companies.
In addition, business VoIP enables firms to quickly and easily add or reroute phone connections, and can even facilitate access to the same phone connections anywhere in the UK where there is internet provision.
BT’s copper cable network upgrade is being instituted alongside the continued expansion by the organisation of its more sophisticated fibre optic cable networks. These latter can offer broadband speeds reaching 40 Mbps, and currently serve over 4 million UK domestic and commercial customers.
In addition, BT is currently carrying out trials with 11,000 subscribers on fibre optic connections that can access broadband speeds touching 100 Mbps.
