I think the article ought more clearly state that the new Virgin Media service is not Fibre Optic to the Home. This is implied in the quote from The president of the Fibre to the Home Council of Europe but has not been stated clearly.

The phrases:
“… trial of fibre to the cabinet technology”
and
“The connection from the street cabinet to peoples’ homes will rely on copper lines. ”
Are under the heading “Rival competition” referring to BT, when they accurately describe both the BT and Virgin Media offerings.

While Virgin Media was running a trial of its high speed service in Kent, BT was running Fibre Optic to the Home trials in Ebbsfleet, Kent. (http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/technology/7667761.stm )

There was in my view more accuracy and balance in that article from October which stated:
“In a separate trial BT is also running fibre to thousands of new homes being built at a large scale development under construction in Ebbsfleet, Kent. The technology being installed to these homes is expected to deliver speeds of about 100Mbps.

BT is not the only service provider experimenting with super-speed connections.

Virgin Media is upgrading its cable network, which serves around 50% of homes, later this year. It is due to announce which areas will benefit first in the next few weeks.

The service will offer homes speeds up to 50Mbps. ”

It appears to me that today’s article has been biased by the Virgin Media “launch” which has prompted it.

I think this is important, as how are we going to get a true broadband Britain that is internationally competitive if the media does not accurately report on the services being offered?