Standard ADSL2+ is currently the way the best domestic broadband is delivered in the UK in most cases. The technology offers up to 24 Mbps downstream and up to 1.3 Mbps upstream bandwidth. Bonded ADSL2+ M is a technology that uses a number of ADSL2+ lines together. The technology has existed for some time, but the necessary equipment and services are just starting to appear on the UK market. ADSL2+ is delivered from BT exchanges on phone lines that can also support POTS telephony over the same line.

Fiwave offers a Bonded ADSL2+ M solution for service providers or community networks. The solution offers downstream bandwidth of up to 48 Mb/s and upstream bandwidth of up to 5 Mb/s using bonding and Annex M technology on only two phone lines. We can also offer a solution for bonding a larger number of phone lines. Fiwave generally recommends the use of standard G.998 / G.bond technology for bonding multiple ADSL lines. The alternative solutions based on non-standard bonding or load balancing techniques such as IP tunnelling may have a role to play in certain deployments and Fiwave can provide solutions of this type too.

As with the EFM solution the main costs are in the unbundling of the BT exchange and connectivity to the exchange rather than cost of equipment and installation.

At Fiwave we believe that Bonded ADSL2+ combined with Annex M provides existing LLU ISP's with an opportunity to target the lucrative and relatively unexploited SOHO and SME market. The superior downstream and upstream capability of Bonded ADSL2+ combined with relatively low cost makes it particularly attractive to SOHO and SME's. The clear attraction to an existing LLU ISP is that only part of their existing infrastructure needs to be upgraded and this can be achieved on a gradual basis as more subscribers sign up for the service.

Fiwave can also offer a Bonded ADSL2+ service in some cases, depending on location.