BT Openreach has developed a solution which enables fibre-to-the-cabinet (FTTC) broadband customers to receive fibre-to-the-premises (FTTP) download speeds.

The firm has staged successful trials of FTTP 'on demand' in St Agnes, Cornwall - and BT believes the development could transform the UK's broadband landscape.

Up until now, the 100Mb speeds obtainable on FTTP were not available to customers in FTTC-enabled areas, due to the use of a copper connection between the street cabinet and router.

But with 'FTTP on demand', BT can use the fibre already deployed between street cabinets and the local telephone exchange to deliver ultra-fast broadband to individual users.

BT is set to conduct further trials this summer with a view to making the service commercially available to all communications providers by spring 2013.

This represents a major boost to consumers, particularly with BT set to turn up the speed dial on FTTP broadband from 100Mb to 300Mb during 2012.

BT said the new service may also appeal to small and medium-sized businesses which need to transfer significant volumes of data.

Olivia Garfield, Chief Executive at BT Openreach, commented that FTTP 'on demand' is a significant development for Broadband Britain.

"Essentially, it could make our fastest speeds available wherever we deploy fibre. This will be welcome news for small businesses who may wish to benefit from the competitive advantage that such speeds provide," she stated.

"We are also doubling the speed of our standard fibre broadband this spring giving broadband providers the chance to offer speeds of up to 80Mb."

This will ensure that residential customers have world class speeds for all their family’s needs, Ms Garfield added.