BT offers faster broadband with Sharedband

BT Wholesale has signed a deal with technology start up Sharedband today to distribute Sharedband's aggregation software suite, which will enable internet service providers (ISPs) to offer faster broadband connections and also help firms build more resilient internet access.

The technology offers a method of 'bonding' together two or more broadband links providing an aggregated connection at the IP layer which acts as a single feed. Data downloaded or uploaded from user's systems is load balanced over customers' multiple connections.

Sharedband chief executive officer Paul Evans said that Sharedband would allow two 2Mbit/s lines to perform as a single 4Mbit/s line, "Crucially the upload speeds will also be transformed," he added.

Sharedband spokesman Keith Collins added, "You'll need a router for each line that you're trying to 'bond', and the router has to have Sharedband firmware running on it."

Collins said "In practice the ISPs would provide the configured Sharedband routers and wrap it up as part of the service". He added that firms could in theory create more resilient infrastructures by bonding ADSL lines with a Virgin Media cable connection, a leased line or even a WiMax connection.