BT is denying mounting industry speculation that the completion of its £10bn 21st Century Network (21CN) will be delayed because of unexpected technical challenges.

The operator has denied the speculation and intends to publish a detailed rollout programme within the next month that it claims will comply with original projections. BT says that some confusion about deadlines may have been caused by the prediction it made that the network would start generating income in 2008/2009, leading some commentators to asssume that this was the original completion date. BT says that it is on target to complete 21CN in 2010 and that the end of the decade has always been the target.

In the latest trial stage of the 21st Century Network (21CN) programme, more than 625,000 live customer calls are currently being handled every day with more than 23 million customer calls successfully carried over the IP based trial network. The trial involves the use of an IP link to carry voice calls between two major network nodes at Cambridge and Woolwich. Calls are carried using IP packet technology rather than the circuit switched technology used on the traditional analogue telephone network.

It builds on the previous trial, which ran from October to December 2005 where fourteen million calls were successfully carried on the IP network, and voice quality monitoring carried out. Both trials are a run-up to the Welsh switchover in November.

Deb Covey, managing director, BT Wholesale Networks said: “21CN is gathering momentum as we head towards the start of customer lines being switched to the new network in South Wales in November. We are working with the rest of the industry to finalise the UK rollout plan. It’s full steam ahead as we prepare sites across the country for equipment to be installed this summer.”