ADSL base growing reports Oftel

By Alun Williams

Posted on 27 Feb 2003 at 13:11

According to Oftel's latest report, 66 per cent of UK households are now covered by an ADSL-enabled exchange. The UK telecoms regulator says that 1,144 BT exchanges are able to deliver ADSL.

However, given the distance constraints on running an ADSL service not all households are close enough within an area. Oftel concedes that this reduces the real ADSL coverage to 63 per cent. The total take-up of ADSL now stands at 640,000.

All these figures are valid as of 31 January 2003.

Oftel also reports on enhancement to the 'BT DataStream Office 500kbit/sec End User Access' product. BT Wholesale has extended the reach of its 500kbit/sec service to 5.5km from the local exchange. This applies to new orders.

Oftel has re-jigged its online DSL information resources. Its Local Loop Unbundling Fact Sheet has been merged with its ADSL Brief to form the DSL Fact Sheet. The first edition of the new document - with its broadband-related facts and figures - has just been made available. You can find it at www.oftel.gov.uk, along with the old fact sheets.