FTTH Council Europe says copper broadband is on its 'last legs'

Fibre-to-the-cabinet (FTTC) technology is only a short-term solution to improve broadband connectivity in the UK, according to the Fibre to the Home (FTTH) Council Europe.

Karin Ahl, president of the non-profit organisation, told Computing that FTTC is just a way for network operators to extend the lifespan of their ageing copper broadband infrastructure.

These older networks are "on their last legs", she insisted.

"They work today, but are not for the future as people are starting to increase their use of capacity," the expert commented.

Ms Ahl claimed there has been little incentive to deploy fibre optic broadband services in the UK, due to unambitious government targets for connectivity and provision.

For instance, she pointed out that the government has set a minimum target of universal 2Mbps speeds, while South Korea is looking to roll out 2Gbps services.

The latest Akamai report on global broadband speeds found the UK has only the 16th fastest average connection rate in Europe.