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Network access provider Openreach (BT) has notified UK broadband ISPs that they’ve extended the customer pilot phase of their future Ethernet Access Direct (EAD) v2.0 and Cablelink Service Connect (CSC) products, which are used to supply high-capacity business data links (potentially reaching speeds of 100Gbps in the near future).
The pilot was already extended once earlier this year and will now run for a little bit longer until 30th November 2026. “There is no change to the approved scope of the pilot,” said Openreach. The extension is intended solely to provide additional time for pilot activities already approved within the first two phases. But network operators will need to get any pilot orders in before 5pm on 12th October for CSC and 2nd November for EAD 2.0.
The EAD product is one of the operator’s most familiar Ethernet services and provides point-to-point data connectivity between sites (leased line). The service can currently be used to build and extend customer networks, develop new infrastructure, and meet network backhaul (capacity) requirements up to 10Gbps.