BT Infinity coming to more properties in Northern Ireland

BT Infinity fibre optic broadband will be available to far more consumers in Northern Ireland over the coming months.

The telecoms giant is planning to connect 88 per cent of phone lines in the country to its fibre broadband street cabinets - substantially more than the 54 per cent that are hooked up at present.

This work is scheduled to be finished by March 2012 and will enable residents and businesses to access download speeds of up to 40Mbps. This will allow subscribers to download music tracks in two seconds, BT claimed.

Declan Kelly, the US economic envoy to Northern Ireland, said the rollout means the nation will be leading the way in the UK and Europe on fibre optic broadband.

"From a business perspective, the investment sends a clear signal about Northern Ireland's commitment to providing the infrastructure required by today's leading companies," he remarked.

In December 2010, BT was awarded £250,000 to increase the coverage of fibre broadband into rural parts of the country.