Fibre Optic - Barbican Estate

[A P]

Hi fellow residents,

Talks have been going on about a fibre optic connection, is there any update on when it may come. In addition, other parts of London have fibre optic and I was wondering why the square-mile doesn't have fibre optic.

Thanks.

[Peter Luckham]

I am not aware of any plans to lay fibre optic into Golden Lane.  Here is an excerpt from a leaflet handed out at the recent GLERA Residents Association General Meeting.

What is this leaflet about, and why should I read it?

Ÿ  This leaflet is about the current provision of internet/ broadband, some of the issues with this, and possible ways forward to improve these.

Ÿ  This leaflet should be of interest to those residents who find their current internet/ broadband to be too slow or unreliable, or who are interested in getting faster speeds in future.

 

Current State:

Ÿ  Some residents on Golden Lane experience slow or unreliable internet connections.

Ÿ  Some residents would like faster speeds both for downloading (eg streaming catch up TV, especially as these services move to support full HD quality), or uploading (eg working from home and sending large documents to their office).

Ÿ  Residents are not able to get the latest wired high speed broadband connections (eg fibre broadband products such as BT Infinity, or Virgin cable based products).

 

Background:

Ÿ  Most residents get their internet via a landline telephone broadband connection.

Ÿ  The latest wired high speed broadband products (such as BT Inifinty) rely on upgrading the "street cabinets" that normally sit between the telephone exchange and the customer telephone connection.  However telephone lines at Golden Lane Estate are understood to be connected directly to the telephone exchange and not via a street cabinet.  Therefore we are unable to get these products.

Ÿ  It seems that the existing high speed landline based infrastructure technologies (such as BT Infinity, or dedicated leased lines, as well as cable based products such as Virgin cable) are currently unlikely to become available on the Estate due to cost, issues around ownership of ducting and communal areas, and Listed Building constraints. (Although this may change in the longer term.)

Ÿ  There are alternatives to these landline based technologies which are not constrained by the cabling, Listed Building and resultant cost issues.  The most common of these are based on the new 4G spectrum as used in the latest generation of mobile phones.  However the available products from the major mobile telecoms providers tend to have restrictions on data allowances and tend to be more expensive than existing landline broadband options.

 

 

What is happening?

Ÿ  The City Of London are aware of concerns amongst residents and small businesses within the Square Mile and have identified provision of high speed broadband as a priority.

Ÿ  The City Of London are in talks with the major telecommunications providers to see whether they have plans to invest in infrastructure that will enable high speed broadband within the City.

Ÿ  These talks, and any possible resulting solution to provision of high speed broadband, are likely to be a longer term solution.

Ÿ  The City Of London along with some residents on Golden Lane Estate have tested a wireless 4G product from a company called Relish who have recently launched a service in London.  This provides unlimited data allowances, is price competitive to existing landline broadband, and provides data rates that are on a par with and in some cases exceed current landline broadband speeds

 

 

What can I do?

Ÿ  Complete the City Of London online survey asking about your needs for high speed broadband now... http://www.surveymonkey.com/s/residentbb

Ÿ  If you need a current alternative to landline broadband right now then investigate the wireless 4G based options provided by Relish, or the major mobile telecoms operators (such as EE, O2, Three, Vodafone).

Ÿ  NOTE: This is NOT a recommendation for a particular service or provider but is to let residents know what options are available following questions raised at GLERA General Meetings.

en Lane Estate.