Telekom Austria has exceeded its original target set for rollout of its new high-speed 'GigaNet' network, reaching 1.5mn homes and businesses across the country by the beginning of September, compared to an initial rollout target of 750,000 homes and businesses.

The new network is based on VDSL technology and offers downstream speeds of up to 30 Mbps.  Meanwhile, the 'FiberCities' project will see four fibre-based pilot initiatives in the cities of Villach, Klagenfurt and Vienna deliver speeds of up to 100 Mbps to a total of 150,000 homes and businesses, with the project in Villach having already been completed in 2009, while the one in Klagenfurt is due to be finalised in 2010, and the one in the 15th and 19th Vienna districts is expected to be completed at the beginning of 2011.

“Internet users are increasingly becoming broadband hungry: the larger the bandwidth, the higher the usage," said Hannes Ametsreiter, CEO, Telekom Austria Group.  "Against the backdrop of an exponential surge in data volumes, we need to provide an adequate network infrastructure.  One year ago, we started the implementation of a nationwide broadband rollout plan targeting 750,000 households and commercial businesses by year-end 2010.  As of today, we have already exceeded this target and reached the 1.5 million mark.  Our next target is 2 million by 2013.”