80 per cent of UK homes can now get ADSL

Eight in ten homes in the UK can now get ADSL broadband, according to telecoms giant BT.

Once lambasted for being broadband laggard, BT claims that the increase in ADSL reach has come two years ahead of schedule.

BT says it is now "committed" to bring ADSL broadband nine out of ten homes in the UK.

Speaking at the World Broadband Forum in London today BT Wholesale chief executive Paul Reynolds said: "We have now brought broadband services to exchanges serving 80 per cent of UK homes.

"This month we'll have as many people connected to exchanges offering broadband as can switch on their mains gas cooker to make the supper," he sad.

Last summer two thirds of UK were connected to an ADSL-enabled exchange. Since then, though, BT Wholesale's pre-registration system that maps demand for broadband has helped bring high-speed Net access to areas previously thought commercially unviable.

Separately, BT also announced that it is extending the reach of its ADSL service so that properties with around 6km of line to the exchange can now get broadband. The increased reach, due to take effect from September 24, should mean that an extra 600,000 homes will be within reach of a broadband enabled telephone exchange.

The extended reach - subject to line test - means that the proportion of people who can receive broadband in enabled areas has increased from around 94 per cent to 97 per cent. ®