UK wholesale operator Openreach has announced plans to roll out a new symmetric 1 Gbps broadband service in select locations as part of its Full Fibre network expansion. The service will be available in areas covered by Openreach's "Type C" bid under the UK Government’s GBP 5 billion Project Gigabit initiative, which aims to bring Gigabit-capable speeds to the final 20 percent of the UK, the official release said.
Also Read: Five UK Alternative Fibre Operators Form Coalition for Fair Access to Openreach Infrastructure
Symmetrical Service Overview
Set to launch in April 2025, the new symmetrical service will provide equal upload and download speeds of 1 Gbps, catering to high-demand activities like video content creation, online gaming, and cloud services, according to Openreach. This follows Openreach's launch of speeds up to 1.8 Gbps on its Full Fibre network for Communication Providers (CPs) last year.
Also Read: EE to Launch Full Fibre 1.6 Gbps Broadband Service in the UK
XGS-PON for Enhanced Capabilities
Openreach also stated that it is engaging with Communications Providers to explore future speed requirements and new technologies like XGS-PON, which could further enhance network capabilities. XGS-PON is a full-fibre platform capable of delivering symmetrical speeds of up to 10 Gbps.
Also Read: Openreach Reaches One Million Properties With Fibre Broadband in Scotland
Customer Impact
Customers will be able to use their existing Optical Network Terminal (ONT) for the Gbps symmetric service. Pricing and commercial terms for the new product will be confirmed in due course, Openreach said.
