With the increasing use of bandwidth-hungry applications, Ofcom has carried out an assessment to find out "when the current copper network would be unlikely to meet the expectations of the majority of UK consumers".
In order to find the answer, Ofcom commissioned a study to help estimate the theoretical limit for broadband data rates on BT's existing copper network.
Using information on cable lengths from a real network, Ofcom concluded that, in theory, current broadband speeds could be improved dramatically.
The study found that if the upstream modem is hosted in the exchange, households within two kilometres could receive data rates above 50Mbit/s. Furthermore, if the upstream modem is placed in a street cabinet closer to the homes, then almost all households could, theoretically, expect a data rate of 50Mbit/s.
Despite its findings, Ofcom states that "these results are theoretical and do not reflect what could be achieved in practise. Data rates experienced by end users depend not only on the distance between the customer premises and the exchange but also on home wiring and interference at the exchange, cabinet and in the home."
In recent weeks, BT announced plans to invest £1.5 billion in a fibre-optic infrastructure that will bring broadband speeds of up to 100Mbps to some ten million British homes by 2012.
Though the need for a network upgrade is undeniable, Ofcom's assessment shows that there's still more to come from the current copper wires.
Complete assessment report: Ofcom.com (PDF)
