LONDON (Alliance News) - BT Group PLC has lowered its target to deliver 'ultrafast' broadband lines by 1.3 million as it shifts to invest in more full fibre lines, the Financial Times reported on Thursday.
Shares in the telecommunications firm were 4.3% lower on Thursday at 229.60 pence per share.
BT's engineering unit Openreach now intends to upgrade 5.7 million copper lines to GFast technology by 2020, the newspaper said, compared to 10 million previously. Openreach has already committed to replace 3 million copper lines with fibre optic cables.
GFast technology allows telecom companies to deliver ultrafast broadband speeds over copper lines.
The Financial Times said installing full fibre lines is more expensive and time consuming than applying GFast technology, which explains the need to lower the overall target.
https://www.ft.com/content/05c1dade-9bd6-11e8-ab77-f854c65a4465
BT (BT.A)