Does superfast broadband Britain stink of sewage?

Plans are afoot that could see something speeding out of the UK's sewers and into people's homes. Not a plague of rabid rats but superfast broadband.

The list from A to Z

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A is for ADSL
B is for BT
C is for Cable & Wireless
D is for Dial-up
E is for Education
F is for Fibre
G is for Goonhilly
H is for HSDPA
I is for In-flight
J is for Janet
K is for Kingston
L is for Landlines
M is for Murdoch
N is for Next generation
O is for Ofcom
P is for Power lines
Q is for Quad-play
R is for Remote working
S is for Satellite phones
T is for Trains
U is for Unbundling
V is for VoIP
W is for WiMax
X is for Xbox
Y is for YouTube
Z is for Zombies

H2O Networks - a company that lays fibre cabling in the sewer - is touting the launch of its Fibrecity concept to bring up to 100Mbps broadband to UK cities.

Broadband speed is an issue of increasing concern for the UK which lags behind several European neighbours - and might therefore lose out in a fast-paced wired-up world. The UK's competitiveness minister, Stephen Timms, has said ultra fast broadband is going to be a key technology to drive future growth of the economy.

BT's forthcoming copper-based ADSL2+ technology will only offer a theoretical maximum of 24Mbps. And although the telco is dabbling with fibre - planning a rollout at a property development in Ebbsfleet, Kent - it is keen to get the most out of its existing, copper-based infrastructure - and not so keen to incur the hefty costs associated with digging up streets all over the country to lay fibre.

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