Far-flung Scottish communities get BT access
With the news that the existing BT telephone exchanges in far-flung rural Scottish areas will get an upgrade, communities see themselves getting faster internet services. More so for the Scottish government that has witness piling up of complaints from the border towns, and increasing demands for improved broadband network service.
BT, the largest broadband internet provider in the United Kingdom, recently announced it has allotted a £3 million fund to upgrade accessibility of about 50 rural towns in Scotland. The company is currently undertaking finalization plans with the Scottish government which is expected to have a positive end in the next few weeks.
Scottish finance secretary John Swinney expressed the remote areas are anticipating speedier accessibility to more homes. He said communities have been frustrated with the existing internet services they are getting, mostly small and medium sized businesses who are burdened with unreliable connections. But with the successful initiation of BT’s move at Inverness, Culloden and Dingwall telephone exchanges, their frustrating experiences will soon end.
Swinney went on to say that there is a stark margin between high levels of broadband availability in more populated and larger areas of the country, and the weak connections in the rural areas. The BT plans is expected to close this gap in the coming months, he said.
BT announced that their provided stable broadband service over phone lines distancing some seven miles away from exchanges is twice the current reach of existing broadband services in rural Scotland. With this, businesses in the remote areas are expected to be boosted with the more effective services and faster internet speed.
This BT plan came amid a continuing debate with the UK government of the latter’s broadband tax proposal that, if approved, a 50 pence monthly tax would be collected from subscribers with a fixed telephone line.
More information related to this post at: news.bbc.co.uk
Local broadband shops to be opened by BT
High Street will finally get to find out more about the super – fast total broadband service being offered by BT with the opening of 2 shops by BT, where potential customers can go for a full – demonstration of this service.
This unique idea will see the opening of stores in Whitchurch, near Cardiff this week and then in Muswell Hill, North London during the next week.
These stores will be first ever retail stores to be opened in the country which focus exclusively on broadband in the country. They invite people to ‘come in and experience the future of super – fast broadband from BT’.
BT is hoping that these stores, which could see more branches being opened if successful, will be useful in convincing people who don’t have a broadband connection to get one by signing up for it.
The Marketing Director of BT Retail, Matthew Dearden, says that the BT Retail Super – fast broadband shop in Whitchurch is the first of this type of store to have opened in the high streets of Britian, with another shop being scheduled to open in Muswell Hill in London the following week.
This showcase will enable them, according to Dearden, to show the locals everything they need to know about super – fast broadband which is being trialled in that area. These demonstrations, he added, will enable them to see a wide variety of business and home apps which will increase the quality of their lives.
BT Retail have undergone a recent upgrade, enabling it to provide top download speeds of about 20 Mbps. They plan to further install 1.5 million fibre internet connections by next year. This would enable the speeds to go upto 40 and 60 Mbps.
Source - T3.com
BT offers twice its current internet speed in 2011
Every internet service company seems to be offering faster speed, but BT is way ahead with its plan to provide 24Mb by year 2011. This will mean almost doubling its current ADSL+2 service reach to over 75% of homes and businesses in the United Kingdom.
This recent announcement from BT was most welcome considering it will make the download time of music just a few seconds, and TV programs just a few minutes. The company currently provides 8Mb speed to most of its subscribers, with variations in certain regions due to phone exchange line and proximity.
Having the BT ADSL+2 in any telephone exchange will mean that more people could avail of faster connections, and at the same time increase speeds in slow lines.
On the other hand, BT is also undertaking building of an ultimate-speed broadband network using fiber optic technology projected to serve up to 40Mb per second. This service is aimed to be operational in 2012 and serve over 40% of households.
In related reports, cable network provider Virgin Media which serves over half of the country with 50Mb per second, is feeling pressure from the government. The latter has expressed plans that it hopes will allow more users to benefit from superfast connections, and has proposed 50 pence monthly tax on all phone lines in the United Kingdom.
Treasury minister Stephen Timms who lead the Digital Britain plan did comment that the proposed tax will help raise the funds to augment the roll-out of speedier broadband networks to rural communities. Though the public perceives this legislative plan out-of-timing with the next election so close, Timms said the tax will surely be passed by parliament before that period.
The government also committed to have 2Mb per second speed provided to all homes by 2012.
For related details, click here: The Guardian
Looking back at four years of UK broadband service
While “legally binding undertakings” sound daunting to consumers, the past four years proved the phrase a means of getting huge savings on broadband connection services; the phrase has also brought to subscribers a wider array of choices for service providers and getting faster internet connection speeds.
For the past four years, both the mobile phone and broadband companies in the United Kingdom have since given multiple benefits to subscribers due to “legally binding undertakings.” One of the greatest advantages of such undertakings was that subscribers are paying less than 40% for copper phone line based broadband services.
The phrase “legally binding undertakings” today was coined after the 2005 acceptance of Ofcom of the BT Group, PLC, agreement which required the latter to install and operate a new division. Now known as Openreach, this division created four years ago has since provided services to its competitors.
Since then, local loop unbundling (LLU) was born and speedily allowed BT and other telephone firms to connect their telecom systems into the local BT exchange where present. From a mere number of 123, 000 unbundled lines in 2005, this year saw over six million unbundled lines; from BT being the single broadband and landline telephone service, now there are 30 different companies serving homes and businesses alike.
Such unbundling meant higher broadband connections while costs of fixed-line were lowered. Consumers used to pay an average of £23.30 each month for the services four years ago. Now monthly payments for the broadband services are pegged at an average of £13.61.
Also, where in 2005 only 37% of homes and small businesses could afford broadband services, today over 65% are subscribers, due to lower costs of services from greater competition.
For related details on this post, click here: ofcom
BT to increase number of Wi-Fi hotspots to 1 million
BT plans to increase the number of WiFi hotspots two – fold that it has in the UK to about 1 million within the next 6 months as it looks to tap into the increase in demand for mobile internet.
BT has already gone past the 500,000 number, which is a landmark which took BT nearly 7 years to get past. However, with the number of customers wanting to access fast internet from their mobile phones increasing, the telcos is seeking to increase the stakes when creating new WiFi networks.
The actual revolution is the mobile phone, according to the wireless broadband director of BT Retail, Dave Hughes. People are OK with using their mobile phones to update their status on social networks or to check their emails, which isn’t the actual case with laptops.
He added that while 3G networks will have proper coverage for most users, there is an increasing demand for high speed broadband.
BT expects the massive increase in the size of their coverage to speed up the usage of their network. The extremely profitable WiFi division of Vodafone has doubled their traffic by a minimum of two – fold every year, Hughes added, and he also said that the network has the potential to further grow.
BT has hotspots in a number of public places by way of the Openzone network as well as in 12 city centres like the Westminister part of London which have public WiFi networks installed. The company has recently got a contract provide WiFi hotspots in all Starbucks coffee shops despite the competition from T-Mobile, which had clinched the contract previously.
They also operate a community – based WiFi services by way of the FON network and it is this segment of their business that most of the growth is set to occur. WiFi is functioning as a very integral retention tool for customers for their BT broadband business as the access to Openzone networks is also part of bundled minutes. Casual WiFi users can access their networks for 15 pence per minute.
Source - Times Online
BT confirms fibre optic roll-out in January 2010
In pursuit of serving more households and businesses even in rural areas, BT announced with finality that it will launch its fibre optic broadband in January of 2010. It aims to serve 1.5 million homes and businesses in the United Kingdom after six months of its launch.
The first commercial rollout of the BT Company’s advanced fibre-optic broadband was announced by its managing director, Bill Murphy. In the same interview with CBR, Murphy further elaborated that the 40Mb plus fibre-to-the-cabinet broadband internet service is part of their continuing expansion to areas with slow connections or without any connections just yet.
Further, the BT official stated that such a move will complement the growth of its high-speed ADSL2+ services which will bring speed of up to 20Mb to over half of the United Kingdom’s population.
BT sees a positive outcome of their plans for early next year, particularly on the rolling out of the fibre-optic broadband connection, saying that like any successful network, they are keen on offering a service which is highly competitive, reliable and speedier connectivity.
Murphy said that what BT currently provide has been found sufficient, particularly the speed, but more and more consumers are clamoring for even added speed. This is why BT is offering newer, faster solutions through the fibre-optic broadband connection.
On the other hand, BT also just recently piloted the Broadband Enabling Technology called BET in parts of Inverness and Dingwall in Scotland. This move came in response to having their broadband services delivered over long distances. The company targets the same piloting of the BET in other parts of the United Kingdom as well. This plan is to realize the need to provide broadband services to rural areas located about 12 kilometers from a local telephone line exchange.
More details regarding this post could be found at top10-broadband.co.uk
Bulldog boo-boos increasing
More and more customers are complaining in great exasperation that both Bulldog and BT keeps tossing them around when inquiries are made regarding slow or absence of internet connections.
One eerie broadband internet connection adventure happened to Caroline Loncq who not only lost her service, and got a strange, different number on her cellular unit while she was using her landline phone! She repeatedly filed reports to Bulldog, the internet service provided with is now part of the Tiscali which tossed her concerns back to BT.
With frustration, Loncq sleuthed around the apartment building where she lived and discovered that the residents upstairs have recently gotten a BT broadband package. Their connection started on the day her connection went out. Loncq summed up that the mysterious number on her telephone was intended for her upstairs neighbors!
But instead of taking action, Bulldog seemed disinterested and insisted that she take her complaints to BT. Loncq insisted that she is not a BT consumer and reminded Bulldog that all her calls are draining her finances since the Bulldog phone has not been reconnected. Apart from all these, Loncq expressed her frustration that Bulldog shrugged off her request for assistance, considering she is a subscriber and they might provide help to retrieve the service she was shelling costs for.
But after two months, nothing good came out for Caroline L Loncq. She has to pay dongle for internet access and pay BT expensive rates for reconnection charges so she could get back her stolen number.
When I called the press office of Bulldog, things changed. Loncq said an executive from Tiscali was settling matters with her, while BT has sent refund for her reconnection charges. Even Pipex/Tiscali assured Loncq they will shoulder her mobile phone costs for the period. All these after their initial disregard and pushing Loncq to do all the legwork!
For additional information regarding this post, just visit: The Guardian
BT brings Bolly magic to the tube
There is another reason why broadband users should opt to switch providers as BT gave the most surprising announcement this week. BT Vision launched its new extra to the usual packages it offers which include the television services.
The new addition BT Vision offers is the on-demand programming via the BT facility, where television shows and a wider selection of pay-per-view portal will be available. Dubbed Bolly and Beyond, the BT Vision users can now access and pick their favorite shows from the south Asian region.
Apart from bringing Bolly magic to the tube, BT also signed a five-year deal with Shemaroo Entertainment and MoMedia International. This means that subscribers now have the access to freshest and hottest package contents. Even better, the addition would only cost subscribers £6.85 per month.
Among the package which customers would love seeing on the tube are Bollywood movies which stars Akshay Kumar like Singh Is Kingg. The US rapper and reality TV star Snoop Dogg made a cameo in this movie which also stars Katrina Kaif.
Another Bollywood picture coming to BT Vision subscribers when they make a switch would be Luck, which stars Imran Khan, Sanjay Dutt, Aishwariya Rai and Jodha Akbar, and other classic films featuring the glitzy Bollywood celebrities.
BT Vision will also cover the most-watched and successful TV shows. Examples are the celebrity talk show Kofee with Karan, soap operas like Kyunki Saas Bhi Kabhi and childrens programs like Jungle Tales and many others.
Chief executive of BT Vision, Marc Watson, expressed his positive views of the company’s move to offer this option to their subscribers and new customers. He said that there had always been a great demaind for Bollywood to be included in the tube, and now BT Vision has brought the magic of Bollywood and other south Asian entertainment at affordable costs.
You can read more details regarding this post when you visit: www.broadband-finder.co.uk
BT brings rural areas faster broadband connection
UK homes without broadband service yet will now benefit from the new piloted BT technology. The Broadband Enabling Technology (BET) provides up to 2 Mbps for homes, eliminating the struggles for slow internet speed of dial-up.
In sync with the government’s commitment to provide broadband to UK homes by 2012, over 3 million households belonging to the “notspots” will surely get connections with BET.
This development came after a successful trial of the same technology in Scotland carried out by Openreach, the BT arm in the country. For the said trial period, a wider coverage was served to the once notspots in the rural Scotland towns. Homes in the area are now served with speedier broadband connection. The same trial will be conducted in eight more locations which will include West Midlands, West Sussex, Norfolk and Berkshire.
Soon, homes outside of the 12-kilometer area distance from telephone services in the area will get broadband service, decreasing largely the number of notspots in the region.
John Small, Openreach managing director for service delivery, echoed foreseen positive outcome of getting more notspots connected. He said the company is working out details with different area authorities to effectively implement the technology.
Forrester analyst Ian Fogg expressed his view on BET, saying it is an evolution, not a panacea that offers modest download speeds.
Despite the seemingly bright future to have notspots finally have broadband service, some groups and individuals remain skeptical about the BT move. Cumbria resident and advocate for improved broadband, Lindsey Annison, said that broadband is not the problem and it’s impractical to bring such advanced communications to rural areas.
Other groups expressed the same sentiments that a telephone company with sufficient experience should not be providing such a solution. It is unclear, however, what alternative positions these groups and individual users demand.
BT Openzone
It’s Everywhere – the BT Openzone
The BT Openzone is a trademarked brand for WiFi or more colloquially ‘Hotspot” service provided by telecommunications giant British Telecoms or BT throughout the United Kingdom and Ireland. As of this writing, BT Openzone has more than half a million hotspots scattered throughout the UK isles which includes those provided by the BT FON WiFi Community.
Wireless Broadband Access
BT uses broadband internet technologies to bring wireless connectivity in just about every location in and outside UK cities and towns. You now can just bring your laptop, netbook or internet-capable mobile phones to do your surfing or downloading in cafes and coffee shops, shopping malls, airport lounges, hotels, railway stations, shipping terminals, motor service stations, exhibition sites and legal courts, among others.
To say that the WiFi network is extensive can be an understatement. Apart from using its own wireless broadband infrastructure, BT has business partnerships and roaming agreements with other wireless broadband providers. There’s a good chance you don’t have to look for a BT Openzone hotspot as its pervasive network puts you on one, whether at home, in a corner store near your place or on the road. You get convenient internet access outdoor in just about all the major cities that include Westminster in London, Birmingham, Liverpool and Newcastle.
Not For Free
The BT Openzone essentially gives everyone the freedom to go online anywhere with no download limits. BT’s public wireless network is similar to mobile phone cell masts scattered throughout the isle. But just like mobile phone use, the freedom to go online wirelessly anywhere in the country isn’t really for free. You have to pay for it, either on a one-time charge whenever you need it, or on a regular subscription with monthly dues. You can get one for as low as ₤5 for 500 minutes one time, or a monthly of ₤12.50 for unlimited access.
