Fibre optics to connect homes in Belfast

FTTH or Fibre to the home network that can offer download speeds up to 20 Mbps is to be launched on trial basis in Belfast, the Department of Enterprise Trade and Investment (DETI) announced recently. According to the report, some 10 homes in 180 Housing Association in Belfast will get FTTH connection which will be laid down by Bytel Networks and Virgin Media Broadband Services. It seems the service is offered on trial basis and is supposed to provide feedback to the providers of broadband services in Northern Ireland.

The Economy Minister who visited the site which is going to benefited with this trial service, said:
“The information and knowledge gained from this trial will help shape our future strategy for broadband services in Northern Ireland. Working with the Department for Social Development and Clanmil Housing on this trial, we now know that high speed broadband can be delivered through fibre optics at a reasonable cost into new housing developments.”

The trial is a joint work carried out by Bytel and Virgin Media taking the fibre network to selected homes using fibre and copper wires.

Owen Maguire of Bytel said that the trial “clearly demonstrates that Northern Ireland’s telecommunications infrastructure is among the best in Europe, and the fantastic potential available to homes and residential developments throughout the Province.”

Alan McLeod, new build development officer at Virgin Media hoped that “this project will help to shape the broadband strategy for Northern Ireland.”