§ Mr. Skeetasked the Secretary of State for Industry what he estimates are the comparative costs of one mile of coaxial copper cable and up to 10 strand cable of optical fibres of comparable performance.
§ Mr. Michael MarshallI understand from British Telecom that the total cost per two-way circuit mile, including installation and equipment, is £6.8 for a coaxial cable system and £5.4 for an equivalent optical fiber system.
§ Mr. Skeetasked the Secretary of State for Industry what mileage of optical fibres has been laid in the United Kingdom to date; and what coverage is expected during the decade.
§ Mr. Michael MarshallBritish Telecom informs me that to date it has laid 130 miles of optical fiber cable. BT is currently evaluating tenders for the supply of systems totaling 11,000 Km of fiber. Current plans envisage buying some 100,000 Km of fiber over the next decade, which, when installed, will connect all major cities in the United Kingdom.