BT axes Kensington and Chelsea fibre broadband rollout

BT has ditched plans to roll out fibre optic broadband in the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea, prompting fears that the area could become an "island of slow connectivity".

The company had planned to extend the service to as many as 34,000 homes and businesses in the borough by installing 108 street cabinets, but 96 of these proposals were rejected by the local council in an attempt to de-clutter the streets, reports City AM.

BT, which has either started or completed fibre broadband rollouts in 31 of London's 33 boroughs, said it has no immediate intention of revisiting negotiations.

A spokesman said the council's decision could leave Kensington and Chelsea as "an island of slow connectivity ... [and] a desert of 20th century technology in a 21st century city".

Earlier this year, a Regeneris Consulting study claimed BT's super-fast broadband deployments in London could deliver a £20 billion boost to the capital's economy by 2027.