Is Karoo going to invest in fibre optic technology?!

July 15, 2008 · Filed Under Internet

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I’m worried. Really worried.

There has been some amazing news for the UK today - well done BT!

BT today announced plans to spend £1.5bn building a super-fast broadband network across the UK over the next four years.

The plan would connect 10m homes, around 40% of the UK, to a new fibre-optic based network and replace the copper wires that link most homes today.

This could, rather will, completely transform people’s internet experience, and finally give the UK the internet infrastructure it really needs to be on par with other areas of the world (Japan / Korea).

BT’s plan for faster broadband will involve laying fibre directly to new homes as they are built, called fibre-to-the-premises (FTTP). At other sites, it will lay fibre most of the way to the home, called fibre-to-the-cabinet (FTTC).

FTTP will provide the highest speeds, up to 100 megabits per second. FTTC, which is slower because of the copper wire link between cabinet and home, will initially offer up to 40Mbps.

100mb per second! Now we’re talking Can you imagine that sort of speed? Nope, neither can I, but I sure would like to experience it!

All good news then? This is why I am worried.

Well, erm, no. Not for us poor souls living in and around Hull. For those of you who don’t know our misery, just imagine this…… you can only have one broadband provider. Yep, one ISP. No choice. No competition. Well that my friends is what we suffer from here in Hull. Shocking, yes. Illegal? Personally, I think it is, and many thousands of people agree.

Karoo is the ISP of Kingston Communications, and not only are they our ONLY choice, they are also VERY expensive. Try a supposed 8mb line for £29.95 a month. Not exactly cutting edge value is it when many providers give all manner of other services for that amount.

So, a challenge to Karoo / KC…. what are you doing in regard to matching BTs investment? I really would like fibre optics coming to Hull, so then we could perhaps attract some bigger businesses - ok, it’s not the be all and end all but it wold sure help.

I’m going to try and speak to a Karoo spokes person in the next couple of days and will post my findings. I may try for a video too.

UPDATE - Rory Cellan-Jones on the BBC Tech blog has a good post and some interesting comments.

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