Ofcom proposes fibre optic broadband back-up measures

New measures to prevent fibre optic broadband customers suffering in the event of connectivity outages have been put forward by Ofcom.

Copper broadband services are able to continue operating if there is a power cut at a home or business, but fibre-based connections cannot do so as the optical cables do not conduct electricity.

In order to tackle this problem, Ofcom has proposed a system in which battery back-up facilities are installed at every property with a fibre optic broadband line.

Failure to implement this measure could conceivably put people's lives in danger, the regulator claimed.

"If no battery back-up facility were provided ... consumers may have no viable alternative to the fixed-line telephony service in order to contact the emergency services," it explained.

The proposals could become increasingly important in the coming years due to the growing popularity of fibre broadband.

Earlier this month, IDATE predicted that 227 million properties will be connected to fibre to the home or fibre to the building by 2015.