BT insists fibre optic broadband rollout is on schedule

BT has used its latest financial results publication to reveal its fibre optic broadband rollout programme is still on track.

In the report, covering the three months to June 30th 2011, the telecoms giant stated it is on target to bring its fibre-based service to ten million properties by next year and two-thirds of all UK premises by the end of 2015.

During the quarter, BT's capital expenditure increased by 11 per cent, reflecting the ongoing investment in its nationwide broadband network and spending on fibre-based transmission in the Republic of Ireland.

Some 71,000 new customers signed up for the company's fibre broadband product, BT Infinity, taking the total number of subscribers to more than 200,000.

"Our super-fast broadband network has now passed over five million premises and the customer base has almost trebled in the last six months," said BT chief executive Ian Livingston.

The news comes just days after the company announced it is delivering the technology to as many as 7,000 properties in the Hertfordshire town of Bushey Heath.