Cost to use BT exchanges set

[stu]

Thought some of you may be interested in this story I read in today's FT...

"Oftel, the telecoms industry regulator, has announced the charges that rival operators will have to pay British Telecommunications when local telephone exchanges are opened up to competition.

The charges, which were broadly in line with the industry's expectations, will partly determine the cost to households and small businesses of high-speed internet access and interactive television.

Operators will have to pay a £118 annual rental for access to the exchanges, which BT will continue to own and maintain. An additional £95 will be levied by BT for every new customer its rivals connect.

David Edmonds, director-general of Oftel, said the announcement was an important step towards ending BT's monopoly of telephone networks.

BT said it was satisfied with the proposed charges, which will be confirmed before Christmas after a consultation period."

 

[old.Necro]

Nothing much new there. Basically makes rival ADSL products uncompetative.

 

[stu]

Aye Necro, that was my point. It was more a test of the board than anything else. A post entitled "BT are wankers... discuss" gets 4 pages of frothy mouthed spazmodic ranting with little/no fact basis whatsoever (and even less independent thought). A post with some actual information gets largely ignored. I wonder what that says . Possibly it went over their heads.

Anyway, smart move by BT imo.

 

[old.JACKDARIPPA]

BT GRRRRRR, i could just take up a page slagging them of with diffrent names ,but ill try to do it half intellegent
infact nah fuk it tired after college
bt are wankers ive had bills veryyyy close to 1000 wtf how can they charge any home owner that for 3 months
luckily i aint the home owner =)
also there website is pretty shit and hard to navigate
the recentish change to it helped a bit but im still sure they make it hard to find discount schemes
I hate bt, but looks like cause of their shitty charges to to other isp's well be sticking with them
if i ever had an opportunity to rob bt in any way and get away with it id do it without a hint of remorse, cunts owe me in the region of 5 grand for phone bills(well owe ma old man

 

[bids]

Stu- says:

'Aye Necro, that was my point. It was more a test of the board than anything else. A post entitled "BT are wankers... discuss" gets 4 pages of frothy mouthed spazmodic ranting with little/no fact basis whatsoever (and even less independent thought). A post with some actual information gets largely ignored. I wonder what that says . Possibly it went over their heads.

Anyway, smart move by BT imo.'

Isn't the fact that compared to other european countries we are being shafted by BT ? This isn't 'frothy mouthed spazmodic ranting'. It's a simple fact. Look at ISDN costs in France and Germany. Look at how long they've had broadband services, and how the cost compares to the UK.

As Necro says, the costs make rival broadband services uncompetitive. 'Smart move by BT' - right, but who is going to suffer because of this - the consumer yet again. IMO, as BT are allowed to shaft their customers, they will do it. As soon as Oftel/the Government remove the monopoly on local loop 'properly' and force BT to play on a level playing field, it is only then we will see prices driven down,and services become better.

I have just finished reading this weeks Network News, and there are a number of articles on BT - not one of them positive. Examples:

Rivals Face BT Video Monopoly
Another ADSL Fiasco for BT
Letters - Unbundling the Loop, Blame the Govenrment.
BT shooting itself in the foot over unbundling.

Are all these observers wrong ?


(Sounds like you admire them ? - think you're in a minority m8)

 

[stu]

Originally posted by bids
Isn't the fact that compared to other european countries we are being shafted by BT ? This isn't 'frothy mouthed spazmodic ranting'. It's a simple fact.

Umm.. except noone replied to say that? Yes it is fact, but as you actually replied *after* I wrote what I did, you can't really claim I was commenting on what you said. 4th Dimensional laws, and stuff.

As Necro says, the costs make rival broadband services uncompetitive. 'Smart move by BT' - right, but who is going to suffer because of this - the consumer yet again. IMO, as BT are allowed to shaft their customers, they will do it.

All agreed

Are all these observers wrong ?

Nope

(Sounds like you admire them ? - think you're in a minority m8)

I do. From a business perspective. As a home user, I agree with you entirely, BT is screwing its customers completely. My coment was on the business-sense of BT for implementing these charges, and once again taking the piss out of OFTEL for being the unempowered and out out touch regulatory body it is. BT has consistently wrongfooted OFTEL and rescued its monopoly position more times than I can count, even in the face of public opinion, and for that the organisation has earned my admiration.

I have no fear of being in the minority, I'd rather stand out from the crowd.

 

[Embattle]

Oftel, the telecoms industry regulator, has announced the charges that rival operators will have to pay British Telecommunications when local telephone exchanges are opened up to competition.

Remember its OFtel that set the prices, although I no doubt BT had a little say in what they were set at.

I also think you're rushing ahead of yourself, I don't know myself how much other telcos in other countries pay and what the deal is with them, so who is to say that this is a bad deal for UK telcos.

http://www.zdnet.co.uk/news/2000/44/ns-18883.html - Charges

http://www.ispreview.co.uk/index.shtml#newsitem973764368,78409,
http://www.zdnet.co.uk/news/2000/44/ns-18956.html - AOL response

TBH I don't know if this is a good deal or a bad one and only in the next few months after all the number cruching has been done will we be able say ya or na.