Believe me broadband is the next big thing in...

Believe me broadband is the next big thing in telecommunications. Even the UK is doing it - Australia is slow starting because Richard Alston thinks we will all be surfing porn if he legislates for broadband.

BT hits broadband milestone
By Nick Farrell [02-12-2002]

Half a million connections and counting

BT has signed up 500,000 broadband customers, putting the company on course to hit its target of five million customers by 2006. The telco said that a mobile phone firm based in Barking, east London became the 500,000th customer this week.

Alison Ritchie, BT's new chief broadband officer, maintained that the broadband bandwagon is now gaining momentum.

"Awareness and demand are fuelled not only by our own intensive advertising and marketing, but by that of other internet service providers [ISPs]," she said.

BT is connecting around 20,000 users to ADSL every week, according to Ritchie. About half are through its own ISP, BTopenworld, and the rest from wholesale connections via ISPs such as AOL and Freeserve.

BT is also planning to introduce a 128Kbps 'Midband' service next year.