European ISP Swisscom have rolled out new ultrafast G.fast, which lets copper cables carry data at faster speeds than before by transmitting data at a higher frequency than broadband.
The launch of the service, currently being rolled out to distribution points within 200m of 1000 Swiss homes, comes after four years of R&D work alongside Chinese technology firm Huawei.
Swisscom plans to provide 85% of Swiss premises with at least 100 MB/s broadband by the end of 2020 – a target that experts have said is definitely achievable, given the countries’ logistics.
“The layout of the existing Swisscom network makes it a little easier to launch. With existing manholes in streets, which are ideally suited for the deployment of these weather-proof units, roll-out should be swift,” thinkbroadband.com’s Andrew Ferguson told the BBC.
G.fast technology is also being trialled by ISPs in the UK, although currently unavailable for consumer use.
