BT ultrafast network reaches 4.88 million premises

The BT Group’s third quarter 2019/2020 results show that Openreach’s ultrafast broadband network now covers 4.88 million premises across the UK.

This represents an increase from 4.2 million in the previous quarter. Coverage is comprised of 2.156 million on FTTP, an increase from 1.81 million the previous quarter, and 2.725 million via G.fast, an increase from 2.42 million.

FTTP added around 346,000 premises, having added 296,000 in the last quarter, while hybrid fibre G.fast added 308,000 premises, after adding 251,000 last quarter.

However, overall take-up of FTTP is down at 21.57 per cent, from 22.32 per cent in the previous quarter. G.fast take-up is at 2.5 per cent, an increase from 2.11 per cent in the last quarter. This is likely due to both seeing their roll-out expanded, meaning that take-up itself trails somewhat.

Other news in the operator’s results include the launch of Halo, its converged 5G and fixed broadband plans, the purchase of InLinkUK’s smart WiFi kiosks, the winning of the contract for Scotland’s R100 project, the wider deployment of EE 5G and the announcement that it will no longer use copper broadband for larger new build sites.

BT Group CEO Philip Jansen said: “During the quarter we launched Halo, the UK’s ultimate converged plan, which will give homes and businesses the best connection and service.”

“We’ve continued to use our national scale and local presence across the UK to provide customers with the best possible experience, for example by meeting our promise to answer all customer calls in the UK and Ireland and bringing BT sales and service back to the high street in nearly 500 BT/EE stores.”

BT also said that guidance relating to the decision to allow Huawei into some non-core parts of the UK telecoms sector would “have some impact on our 5G rollout plans and the equipment used in our FTTP network build going forwards.”