Fibre optic broadband could be available to 90 per cent of the UK population in the coming years, according to the new chief executive of BT Openreach.

Olivia Garfield, who was confirmed in the role yesterday (March 15th 2011), insisted this target can be met if the telecoms giant works closely with the government, reports the Telegraph.

"We've rolled out a fibre network at twice the pace of anywhere else in the world," she added.

Ms Garfield's words come after similar comments made by BT chief executive Ian Livingston in an interview with the Financial Times last November.

At the time, Mr Livingston claimed the company could extend its high-speed broadband network to 90 per cent of homes in six years' time if it secured £830 million of government funding.

"We think we could get to over 90 per cent of the UK ... 2017 is not an unrealistic timescale," he remarked.

BT is also looking to bring the technology to two-thirds of properties by 2015.

Add a comment

Comment

Your name

Your e-mail address

Comments (0)