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BT Group Turns Old DSLAM Boxes into EV Charging Stations

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DSLAM, DSALM boxes, BT Group, EV charging stations

BT Group is repurposing obsolete DSLAM boxes into EV charging stations.

  • These boxes are conveniently placed throughout neighborhoods and have adequate infrastructure.
  • The company has identified about 60,000 curbside cabinets eligible for conversion.
  • This will go toward the government’s goal of 300,000 charging stations and alleviate EV drivers’ range anxiety.

British telecom group, BT Group, is repurposing telecom DSLAM boxes into electric vehicle (EV) charging stations, relieving consumers of range anxiety.

Digital subscriber line access multiplier (DSLAM) boxes are network devices that connect multiple customer DSL lines to a high-speed internet backbone. However, with the rise of fiber optics, these boxes are becoming increasingly obsolete. So, BT Group wants to equip them with the capability to charge EVs efficiently. The telco decided to leverage the existing power lines that supply electricity to these cabinets to achieve their goals.

The converted street cabinets use the existing broadband network and have 100-ampere power connections. This charging infrastructure eliminates the need for additional power lines or disruptive street excavations. As a result, they will offer two 7.4-kilowatt AC charging points, capable of fully charging an EV battery in 6 to 8 hours.

Their first successful conversion was in East Lothian, Scotland. This success has everyone’s hopes up, as there’s now the potential to transform up to 60,000 cabinets across the United Kingdom.

The telco has identified almost 60,000 DSLAM boxes for potential conversion. This will go a long way toward achieving the U.K. government’s ambitious target of establishing 300,000 charging stations across the nation. Currently, they’ve made it around 54,000.

This initiative will solve British consumers’ range anxiety. According to the telco’s reports, most people are deterred from switching to EVs because charging stations are few and far between, unlike gas stations. So, not only does this alleviate EV owners’ anxiety about getting stranded somewhere in the British countryside, but it also encourages EV adoption by giving it the same security that non-EV owners enjoy.

BT Group is also looking into a user-friendly payment system. Drivers can conveniently pay for their charging sessions through a dedicated mobile application or via contactless card payments. However, pricing details are yet to be disclosed.

The initiative matches two of the three Rs of sustainability: Reuse and Reduce. Instead of dismantling and discarding the existing DSLAM boxes, the telecom giant is breathing new life into it. In turn, they are not only reducing waste, but also the need to build charging stations from scratch.

These DSLAM boxes are already in strategic and convenient spots throughout neighborhoods. The conversion then broadens access to charging options for EV owners. The curbside cabinets also have adequate infrastructure for the job. So, deploying the repurposed stations will be much quicker than having to set them up from scratch.

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