Israel’s Bezeq has begun the commercial rollout of its fibre-to-the-premises (FTTP) network.
The operator describes the initiative as “Israel’s largest infrastructure project”, noting that it is “being carried out along the length and breadth of the country.” Bezeq claimed that the network was already within reach of around 250,000 premises nationwide.
The operator expects this number to reach roughly one million by the end of 2021 – approximately 40% of households across Israel. Within the network’s first year, Bezeq stated that infrastructure will be extended to “90 localities in the country’s centre and periphery, covering all types of buildings from high-rises to private homes.”
As reported by CommsUpdate, the network will offer downlink speeds of up to 1Gbps during the initial launch phase, under a top-tier pricing plan which will also deliver upload speeds of up to 100Mbps for ILS119 (US$35.8) per month. Bezeq aims to increase download speeds to 2.5Gbps “within a few weeks.”
The operator’s CEO Dudu Mizrahi said: “Bezeq’s entry into the fibre-optic market will lead to a revolution in the industry, enabling 40% of Israeli households to enjoy browsing at ultrafast speeds by the end of the year. This is a development with far-reaching effects on the Israeli internet market and on the country’s economy as a whole.”
Bezeq’s rival Partner Communications meanwhile took the occasion to confirm that its “Partner Fibre” infrastructure programme now has 150,000 subscribers – around half of its customer base.
