Virgin Media pushes power pole plans

UK INTERNET SERVICE PROVIDER Virgin Media is continuing to test out new ways of providing high speed broadband connections and will shortly begin offering a Welsh village 50Mbps connections strung on the power poles that deliver its electricity.

Virgin Media has already begun testing this method although in that case, in the village of Woolhampton, it had to create its own poles. Here though, in the village of Crumlin, Caerphilly, it will use the poles belonging to the electricity firm Western Power Distribution, in partnership with Surf Telecoms.

The company sees this approach as a good alternative to stringing broadband cable alongside BT's copper pipes, particularly when providing high speed access to rural villages, and is promising to increase 'average' speeds by up to ten times. Meanwhile Surf Telecoms suggested that it might be keen to try out similar services across the UK.

Richard Doble, design and policy manager for Surf Telecoms said, "Western Power Distribution's electricity infrastructure reaches over 2.5 million homes across South West England and South and West Wales. The possibilities of aerial deployment promise a valuable use of existing infrastructure and an interesting new commercial opportunity for utility companies. We're pleased to be at the forefront of this innovation."

The Virgin Media trial that starts next month will provide connections for a maximum of a few hundred homes. Virgin told The INQUIRER that the trial, which it describes as open ended, will evolve into a nation wide roll out. µ