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Wednesday, May 31, 2006
Force9 launches up to 8Mbps Broadband service
Seven million UK homes have PCs without Internet access and over four million more are still using dial-up. Force9’s new Broadband PAYG Basic service for £9.99 per month is a great opportunity for all these people to get up to 8Mbps broadband for under a tenner.
Broadband Basic is available nationwide at the same price and for added peace of mind comes with a one month contract commitment only. It’s never been easier to get hooked up to broadband.
It’s not just good news for those that don’t have broadband, this new product together with the rest of the Force9 range offer fantastic savings when compared against other broadband offerings. Some ten million people who Force9 believe pay on average over £20 per month for their broadband will save £s by switching to Force9.
Neil Armstrong , Force9’s Marketing Director said “Adding PAYG Basic to our range makes it as easy as possible to get onto broadband. It also underpins the opportunity for millions of existing broadband users to make significant savings”.
Armstrong continued “Crucially this product allows customers to have access to a high quality broadband experience. An important factor given the reality of other low priced or even free broadband products. Some of these services would not enable customers to take advantage of convergent applications such as online gaming, ipTV and Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) ”.
Broadband PAYG Basic is aimed at light usage customers, who as their usage requirements grow, can seamlessly upgrade to Force9’s standard Broadband PAYG product. Priced at £14.99 per month it’s even greater value for money.
About Force9:
Force9 is the UK’s best value Internet service provider. Force9 offers broadband services to consumers and businesses. The Company is best known amongst experienced Internet users for offering exceptional customer service and value for money – most of its business has been built on customer referrals. So far in 2006 Force9 has picked up a host of awards - PC Advisor magazine voted it ‘Best for customer service’ and Force9 recently came top for ‘overall customer satisfaction’ in the UK biggest independent survey of broadband customers, carried out by YouGov for uSwitch.com.Labels: force9-broadband
BBC to offer live broadband streaming of Wimbledon
In a move that will offer UK tennis fans even greater access to one of the world's greatest tennis tournaments, the BBC today announced that, for the first time ever, UK broadband users will have access to five courts of live tennis action during the 2006 Wimbledon Championships.
The service, available free from BBC Sport's dedicated Wimbledon website - bbc.co.uk/wimbledon - will feature coverage from BBC's live terrestrial coverage and its digital interactive feeds, enhancing the site's comprehensive news, latest scores and results service.
In addition to the live streaming of the 2006 Wimbledon Championships, tennis fans will also have the opportunity to catch-up on any action they miss as the site will be running short, three-minute highlight packages rounding up each day's play.
And for Wimbledon fans across the globe these highlights will be available to an international audience.
Barbara Slater, BBC Head of General Sports, said: "This is an exciting opportunity that will ensure Wimbledon reaches an even wider audience.
"The live streaming coverage will make one of the biggest sporting events in the world available to broadband users in the UK, wherever they are at home or in the office so they never have to miss a game."
Live and exclusive coverage of the 2006 Wimbledon Championships begins on BBC TWO on Monday 26 June at noon. And radio listeners can tune into BBC Radio Five Live for the full Wimbledon experience every day from SW19.
Tuesday, May 30, 2006
BT broadband running faster for sport relief 2006
BT is hoping to raise thousands of pounds for Sport Relief - an initiative of Comic Relief in association with BBC Sport - by making donations for online sales of BT Broadband packages and for items sold at BT Shop.
For every BT Broadband package ordered online at www.bt.com/broadband/sportrelief before August 31, 2006, BT will donate £30 to Sport Relief. In addition, BT Shop is hoping to raise up to £10,000 for Sport Relief by donating £2 from every BT product sold through the BT Shop website at www.bt.com/shop/sport between June 30 to July 16, 2006.
BT will also be maintaining its long-term support for Comic Relief by providing telephony, call centres and network management for the Sport Relief campaign, plus internal fundraising. BT has supported Comic Relief since its inception in 1985.
Chris Jones, general manager, BT Consumer Indirect Channels said, “BT Broadband is now even faster at speeds of up to 8Mb, and to celebrate we’re giving £30 to Sport Relief for every online order made through www.bt.com/broadband/sportrelief. Whether you’re into downloading music or concerned about what your kids can access online, BT Broadband offers a choice of packages to suit your needs – and now a brilliant charity can benefit too.”
Phil Pinkham, Head of Marketing at BT Home Communications, said, “We sell a wide variety of products through our website - from text compatible Bluetooth home phones, to the latest in videophone technology - helping our customers take full advantage of broadband. We are delighted to encourage customers to support Sport Relief whilst shopping online.”
Sitting at the heart of the Sport Relief campaign is the Sainsbury’s Sport Relief Mile which will see tens of thousands of people simultaneously going the distance at events across the UK on Saturday, July 15. The money raised from Sport Relief 2006 will go to help vulnerable people leading tough lives here at home in the UK, and some of the poorest countries in the world. For more information about Sport Relief or to sign up for the Sainsbury’s Sport Relief Mile visit www.sportrelief.com.
BT BroadbandLabels: bt-broadband
Thursday, May 25, 2006
BT wins rights to FA Premier League matches on demand
BT today announced it has won the rights to carry 242 ‘near-live’ FA Premier League football matches per season. The three year deal covers the 2007-8, 2008-9 and 2009-10 seasons. BT has acquired the rights in a joint bid with BSkyB.
This means fans will, for the first time, be able to watch full Premiership matches on their televisions on a pay per view basis - without the need for an upfront television subscription. The matches will be offered via BT Vision, the next-generation TV service due to launch in Autumn 2006.
The successful bid will enable BT Vision customers to enjoy a range of Premiership matches, on demand. The matches will generally be available from 10 pm on kick-off day for a period of fifty hours allowing fans flexibility in terms of when they want to watch the game. It means that BT Vision, which already has access to content from such well known names as BBC Worldwide, Paramount, Endemol, DreamWorks, National Geographic Channel and Warner Music Group, also has one of the most compelling sports-entertainment offers in the UK.
Dan Marks, CEO of BT Vision, said: “We’re delighted to have won this bid. This is a landmark moment for sports viewing in the UK as BT Vision customers will have great control, convenience and choice over the games they want to watch without the need for an upfront subscription. This is a great example of the added value that BT broadband delivers.”
BT BroadbandLabels: bt-broadband
Wednesday, May 24, 2006
Ofcom proposes opening up new spectrum bands to enable broadband fixed wireless services
Ofcom today published proposals to increase the opportunities for broadband fixed wireless services, by opening the 71-76GHz and 81-86GHz bands for licensed use.
At present these spectrum bands are not in commercial use. However, new technology offers the possibility of new applications for these higher frequency bands.
These applications could include very high capacity, point to point wireless networks, which could potentially be used as alternatives to fibre optic cable. Possible data speeds range from 1Gb per second to 10Gb per second over distances of 1-2 km. In comparison, copper loops typically enable connection speeds of between 1 and 24 Mbps.
Section 3(2) of the Communications Act 2003 requires Ofcom to secure the optimal use of the spectrum and Section 154 of the Act requires Ofcom to have regard to the extent to which the spectrum is available for use.
Light licensing process
Ofcom proposes to adopt a flexible, light licensing approach to making this spectrum available.
Ofcom is proposing that the band should be licensed on a first come, first served basis, rather than auctioned, as the band’s unusual properties – high bandwidth, narrow beam – mean that a very large number of users could co-exist without interference. Demand for the spectrum is therefore very unlikely to exceed supply.
The consultation runs until 2 August 2006.
Tuesday, May 23, 2006
Pipex increases capacity to 20Gb with the London Internet Exchange
Pipex Network Services is making major enhancements to high speed Internet connectivity with two new 10Gb Ethernet ports into the London Internet Exchange (LINX). The performance-boosting connections enable Pipex to route traffic to other service providers more quickly and cost-effectively through the London-based Internet hub, reinforcing its capabilities to offer customers reliable, high performance Internet services.
As a longstanding member of LINX – one of the world's largest neutral peering points – this increased capacity will enable Pipex to reduce its costs for carrying traffic and ensure that services are always available for customers. Pipex has made this investment due to more businesses and home-users joining its services and a greater demand for bandwidth from customers.
Pipex recently came top of the five largest ADSL suppliers in a nation-wide customer satisfaction survey carried out by uSwitch.com and YouGov. 80 per cent of Pipex customers were satisfied with their speed/usage, while 89 per cent were satisfied with the quality of the Pipex connection.
“The investment in the 20Gb connections with LINX is an important step towards building an Internet infrastructure that is truly equipped for triple play – offering voice, data and television over a single connection,” says Maria Cappella, managing director, Pipex Network Services. “Customers are becoming more demanding for Internet connectivity and bandwidth, and investments such as these help to ensure entertainment- and business continuity.”
“At a time when many ISPs are talking more about price than service delivery, it’s encouraging to see forward thinking companies like Pipex continuing to invest in high speed connectivity,” says John Souter, CEO at LINX. “We would urge other service providers to follow Pipex’s lead as further investments increase the quality of Internet connectivity for everyone involved.”
Pipex broadband
About Pipex
Pipex is a multiple award-winning provider of integrated telecommunications and Internet services. With a broad customer base including small/home-offices and blue chip companies, Pipex provides a comprehensive range of consumer, business and corporate voice, broadband, security domain name registration and shared and dedicated hosting solutions.
Pipex’s focus is simple: enabling businesses and consumers to achieve their aspirations through proven communications services and emerging technologies. This is achieved through an extensive portfolio of high-speed Internet connectivity, managed services and hosting, security and voice products - combining exceptional performance, innovation and a commitment to customer service.
Owning one of the UK’s most extensive communication networks, Pipex boasts more than 100 Points of Presence (PoPs) nationwide. In addition, state-of-the-art data centres, which are manned and monitored 24x7, ensure the security of Pipex’s customers’ business critical applications. Its commitment to investing in its technology infrastructure ensures that Pipex continues to deliver the most scalable, resilient, secure and reliable services.
Pipex broadbandLabels: pipex-broadband
ntl:Telewest TV On Demand reaches two million homes
ntl:Telewest, the UK's leading cable company, has today announced that its revolutionary On Demand service is now used regularly by over two million households.
The service, which empowers viewers by giving them greater control over what they watch and when they watch it, can be accessed using ntl On Demand or Telewest's Teleport service. Both services are available in ntl and Telewest's entry-level digital TV packages, which start from as little as £5.50 a month.
With more than 500 films at your fingertips, over 1,500 music videos and hundreds of TV shows on the service, there is always something to available to watch in an instant - at the touch of a button.
With award-winning programmes such as Lost, Desperate Housewives and Doctor Who and some TV shows available for free, combined with regular offers and promotions on films and music, it's not surprising the service has really taken-off since its launch 18 months ago.
Philip Snalune, managing director of consumer products at ntl:Telewest, said: "As lifestyles change TV viewing habits are also changing. ntl On Demand and Teleport provide choice, value and ease of use, giving viewers control and freedom over what to watch. By making premium shows available, we are making the service more compelling and attracting a bigger audience. We plan to continue expanding the choice of programmes offered as we believe this really is the future of television."
Telewest broadbandLabels: ntl-broadband, telewest-broadband
Monday, May 22, 2006
Telewest Business unveils new IP Multimedia service
ntl:Telewest Business, supplier of communications services to the public and private sectors, today launched IP Multimedia, a new range of communication services that integrates video calls, phone calls, voicemail, email and the presence-based benefits of instant messaging into a online working environment.
IP Multimedia provides a platform for more effective communication with teams, both large and small. The new service uses IP phones as well as a voice and video softphone application. The main features are instant messaging, which provides a secure online 'talk' environment with correspondence displayed live; video calling and conferencing from PC-to-PC using web cameras. Additional features include IP telephony call and voicemail services supported by extensive phone directories; and presence indicators, providing a live list of which colleagues are available at any one time. The service can be used from any office or location via a secure internet connection.
IP Multimedia is a complete suite of tools designed for communicating with colleagues more efficiently. The new services make it easy to determine whether colleagues are available through an online Presence information, enabling questions to be answered quickly, group dialogue to be undertaken faster and many meetings to be conducted online rather than in person. Seeing the person you talk to enhances communication effectiveness.
Stephen Beynon, MD, ntl:Telewest Business, said: "The IP Multimedia service takes converged communication to another level. It enables people to make the maximum use of their existing network infrastructure to support more effective team communication."
"Often the root of reduced day-to-day efficiency is that you don't know whether people are available when you want to communicate with them. IP Multimedia overcomes the communication inefficiencies that result from not knowing whether people are busy or in meetings and having to try several numbers to reach them," he said.
Chris Barnard, IDC said: "Companies that are moving to IP telephony increasingly see that it's not just about replacing the functionality of the traditional PBX system, but to move further and add functionality to voice in the form of IP applications, specifically around collaboration and presence. IDC's annual WAN manager survey (660 respondents in 10 European countries) show that there are significant plans to buy enhanced hosted VoIP services, especially in the United Kingdom and Denmark, and in the financial and retail vertical markets."
IP Multimedia users connect over their Local Area Networks (LANs) to the ntl:Telewest core IP network in order to utilise the managed services, which have undergone internal and customer trials involving over 300 personnel across over 50 locations.
Sandra O Boyle, Current Analysis commented, "If collaboration between virtual teams and offices is important and users require ubiquitous service functionality across hot-desking, homeworkers and small branches, ntl:Telewest Business has a rich feature set in terms of unified messaging, video calling, instant messaging and conferencing. IP Multimedia can provide a centralised dial plan, supports analogue and IP phones and does not require a significant CapEx investment, instead customers can try out the service with one group of employees and pay on a monthly per-seat basis".
Telewest broadbandLabels: telewest-broadband
Thursday, May 18, 2006
BT broadband TV vision
BT today announced a significant new video-on-demand film deal with one of the world’s best-known film companies, DreamWorks SKG, for its next-generation TV-via-broadband service, BT Vision, which it plans to launch in Autumn 2006.
This agreement will bring DreamWorks current movies to BT Vision’s video-on-demand broadband service. At launch, BT Vision customers will be able to enjoy a vast range of film, music and television programming all available on-demand as well as all the Freeview channels, plus interactive and communications and all available on the TV, with no compulsory subscription.
This deal with DreamWorks will provide BT broadband with output from the producers and creators of such critically acclaimed and commercially successful motion pictures as War of the Worlds, and the Shrek franchise. Upon launch, DreamWorks will provide BT Vision with titles such as Steven Spielberg’s Munich; Madagascar; Just Like Heaven, Red Eye and the award winning Wallace and Gromit: The Curse of the Were-Rabbit, for its consumers to purchase on an on-demand basis.
This agreement provides BT Vision with popular current films in the pay-per-view window and, through BT’s existing deal with Paramount, an extensive range of older and classic films, all available for consumer purchase on demand.
Dan Marks, CEO of BT Vision, said: “We’re delighted to have completed agreements with one of the world’s greatest movie studios. We look forward to bringing its movies to our customers with the choice, convenience and control that they want.”
Hal Richardson, President Worldwide Television Distribution at Paramount Pictures, the distribution entity for DreamWorks SKG and DreamWorks Animation SKG, said: “We are extremely pleased to conclude this DreamWorks agreement and expand Paramount’s existing relationship with the addition of movies from DreamWorks and DreamWorks Animation. We look forward to participating in this exciting new service, and providing both DreamWorks and Paramount pictures to BT Vision video-on-demand consumers.”
BT BroadbandLabels: bt-broadband
BT exceeds 8 Million broadband connections
BT's Preliminary results (Year to March 31, 2006) show net additions of 0.8 million broadband connections during the fourth quarter, whilst during the full year, broadband end users are up 58% to 7.9 million.
Chairman’s statement
Sir Christopher Bland, Chairman, commenting on the full year results, said:
“This is an excellent set of full year results delivered in a competitive and fast-changing environment. Revenues for the full year have grown by 6 per cent; new wave revenues, which grew by 38 per cent to £6.3 billion, now represent around one third of the group’s business. We have continued to transform the business at a fast pace whilst growing our earnings per share before specific items by 8 per cent to 19.5 pence.
“I am pleased to announce a full year dividend of 11.9 pence per share, 14 per cent higher than last year. We are confident in our ability to improve shareholder returns and accelerate the strategic transformation of the business.”
Chief Executive’s statement
Ben Verwaayen, Chief Executive, commenting on the fourth quarter results, said:
“This quarter’s results are a terrific set of numbers. They show BT firing on all cylinders, with EBITDA*, revenue and earnings per share* all growing. These results provide further evidence that our strategy of embracing change is working. We have now delivered sixteen consecutive quarters of growth in earnings per share*.
“BT is now a truly global company, delivering services to more than 170 countries with more than 20 per cent of our networked IT services contract wins outside the UK. BT lines now carry 8 million broadband connections and we have started rolling out speeds of up to 8 Mbit/s.
“BT has changed very significantly from 4 years ago, and the transformation is accelerating.”
Extract from Fourth quarter ended March 31, 2006
Revenue was 7 per cent higher at £5,134 million in the quarter with the continued strong growth of new wave revenue more than offsetting the decline in traditional revenue. Underlying revenue, adjusted for the acquisitions of Albacom and Infonet, was 5 per cent higher than last year. EBITDA before specific items and leaver costs showed growth of 0.9 per cent, compared to the decline of 0.6 per cent last quarter. This is the first quarter in the last eleven that has shown positive year on year growth and continues the improving trend of recent quarters. Earnings per share before specific items and leaver costs increased by 8 per cent to 5.7 pence, the sixteenth consecutive quarter of year on year growth.
The strong growth in new wave business has continued and at £1,851 million new wave revenue was 28 per cent higher than last year. New wave revenue is mainly generated from networked IT services, broadband and mobility. Networked IT services revenue grew by 22 per cent to £1,214 million, broadband revenue increased by 44 per cent to £421 million and mobility revenue increased by 41 per cent to £82 million. Excluding Albacom and Infonet, the organic growth in new wave revenue was 23 per cent.
Networked IT services contract wins were £1.1 billion in the fourth quarter and the value of total orders achieved over the last twelve months was £5.4 billion. Of this total more than 20 per cent of the order value was achieved outside the UK.
BT had 7.9 million wholesale broadband connections at March 31, 2006, including 356,000 local loop unbundled lines, an increase of 2.9 million connections year on year, with these connections available at up to 2Mbit/s. Continuing BT’s commitment to delivering higher speed broadband, DSL Max, which offers speeds of up to 8Mbit/s across the UK, was launched on 31 March. BT is offering its wholesale customers DSL Max at no extra cost to the existing 2Mbit/s service. In upgrading more than 5,300 exchanges to support this service, BT is providing the UK market with the highest stable speed broadband service across the widest national footprint in the world.
Revenue from the group’s traditional businesses declined by 3 per cent, continuing recent trends. This reflects regulatory intervention, competition, price reductions and also technological changes that we are using to drive customers from traditional services to new wave services.
Major corporate (UK and international) revenue showed continued strong growth of 14 per cent, with growth in new wave revenue of 24 per cent more than offsetting the decline in traditional services. Excluding the impact of Albacom and Infonet, revenue grew by 9 per cent. There is a continued migration from traditional voice only services to networked IT services and an increase in mobility and broadband revenue. New wave revenue now represents 63 per cent of major corporate revenues.
Revenue from smaller and medium sized (SME) UK businesses declined by 2 per cent. New wave revenue grew by 12 per cent driven by continued growth in broadband and networked IT services. The number of BT Business Plan locations increased by 15 per cent to 513,000 by March 31, 2006. BT Business Plan now covers over 57 per cent of SME call revenues.
Consumer revenue in the fourth quarter was 4 per cent lower, although traditional consumer revenue declined by 10 per cent year on year. This demonstrates a strategic shift towards new wave products with an increase in revenue of 45 per cent in the quarter. New wave revenue now represents 15 per cent of the total.
The underlying 12 month rolling average revenue per consumer household (net of mobile termination charges) of £251 increased by £1 compared to last quarter, with increased broadband volumes more than offsetting lower call revenues. Contracted revenues were 67 per cent of the total, which is 4 percentage points higher than last year.
Wholesale (UK and Global Carrier) revenue increased by 14 per cent. UK Wholesale new wave revenue increased by 44 per cent to £298 million, mainly driven by broadband and managed services.
BT BroadbandLabels: bt-broadband
Wednesday, May 17, 2006
CNN International launches video-on-demand service on Homechoice
CNN International have announced the launch of a video-on-demand service on digital home network, Homechoice.
CNN’s popular feature programmes, Quest, Living Golf, CNN Business Traveller, Global Office and Art of Life, as well as CNN documentaries, will be available on the VOD service, with new episodes added regularly.
With programmes such as Quest, with episodes including Richard Quest finding out what it takes to make it in the music industry, featuring The Rolling Stones and Art of Life, with Monita Rajpal showcasing all that is elegant, stylish and desirable, CNN On-Demand promised to have something for everyone, available anytime, all at the touch of a button.
Chris Press, manager, business development, CNN, said:
“CNN has a great depth of content with our feature programmes and our documentaries, and this new video-on-demand service is the perfect way for our viewers to watch what they want, when they want. No other service offers features on current affairs topics.”
“To link with such a fantastic channel as CNN is very exciting and once again allows us to showcase the importance of video-on-demand to today’s consumers,” said Jonathan Sykes, Homechoice Managing Director, Content Strategy. “Homechoice offers subscribers the power to control what they watch and through CNN On-Demand, Homechoice subscribers have yet another fantastic avenue to great content.”
About Homechoice
Video Networks delivers video on-demand, digital TV for your television, a choice of broadband speeds for your PC and great value talk plans for your home phone under the brand name Homechoice, the digital home network. The company’s service is currently available to 2.4 million homes across London & Stevenage.
The service offers over 80 of the best broadcast and on-demand entertainment channels, including an award winning interactive music service. With more than 5,000 on-demand movies, music videos and TV programmes, all available through a simple pricing and packaging structure, Homechoice is the ultimate digital home network. Also available on the Homechoice platform under a retail distribution agreement with BSkyB are the Sky Sports and Sky Movies channels.
Homechoice offers customers always-on, broadband Internet connections with speeds ranging from 2Mb up to 8Mb. In addition, included in the monthly charge for TV & broadband services is a home phone service, offering free evening and weekend calls to local and national numbers, and low rates to UK mobiles and abroad.
Homechoice broadband
BT wireless investment for 12 Cities
BT today announced agreements with six cities to become wireless pioneers as part of its plans to create a first phase of 12 Wireless Cities across the UK. People in Birmingham, Edinburgh, Leeds, Liverpool, Cardiff and Westminster will benefit from huge wireless networks, giving them access to information and services. That could be anything from where to park to what’s on at the local cinema, as well as improved public services, like health monitoring, traffic monitoring and public safety.
BT started the Wireless City rollout in Cardiff, where BT Openzone hotspots have been installed in many locations in the city centre. In Westminster, a dedicated high-bandwidth wireless network is already in place and is now being extended. The first six cities were chosen for their commitment to embracing the possibilities brought by the technology. BT aims to announce deals with many other cities.
In Westminster, where the project is now moving on to its second phase, the pilot results showed that after wireless technology enabled the council to expand the public safety network, residents on housing estates now feel safer walking in their area after dark.
The wireless cities network will bring together the very latest technologies and applications for use by public services, businesses and people. Intel has been working with BT to develop the technology, and is sharing its expertise of developing these services in cities like Philadelphia in the US and was one of the lead organisations involved in the Wireless Westminster project. BT’s strategy is to work with Intel, other leading partners in wireless solutions and local authorities to roll out a wide area of wireless broadband in metropolitan areas. This will be based around wireless broadband in the home, BT Openzone Wi-Fi hotspots, Wireless Cities, and high speed mobile access. The result will be that customers can do anything, anytime, anywhere.
Leisure and business applications, many developed by councils with BT and partners, will be available to a wide range of devices, including the forthcoming Wi-Fi version of BT Fusion and a similar product currently being developed for corporate customers. These handsets will use the wireless broadband network to make calls over broadband at landline rates and provide a rich media experience, such as video calling and access to internet applications and services. Steve Andrews, BT’s chief, Converged Communications Services, said:
“We are delighted to announce the first batch of many wireless agreements. We have been thrilled with the overwhelming response of local authorities and businesses wanting to be part of this wireless revolution. This first phase of 12 cities is just the start. We are already negotiating with many other cities.
“Our networks will make sure customers are connected at all times, but all people will notice is how valuable the services are, such as knowing where to park, access to tourist information and public services.
“The Wireless City initiatives offer wide area wireless broadband access across metropolitan areas, enabling people to use the network on a range of devices for entertainment, education and communication, such as email, video and voice calls, even when they’re on the move.
“BT is at the forefront of deploying wireless broadband today to realise customer benefits, and researching and testing evolving technologies, such as WiMax.
“This is the first key step towards a future of rich, high speed services enabled by new technology.”
BT has one of the widest portfolios of wireless access products and applications in the industry, meeting the needs of local authorities, businesses and consumers.
Gordon Graylish, vice president and GM Intel, EMEA, said: “We are continually looking to drive the adoption of new technology within the market and are delighted to be working with BT to bring the benefits of wireless technology to UK cities.”
BT BroadbandLabels: bt-broadband
Tuesday, May 16, 2006
Cable viewers to catch all World Cup action
Telewest customers can look forward to a feast of football in stunning high definition (HDTV), thanks to new agreements with ITV and the BBC which mean every World Cup match will be available in the crystal clear broadcast format.
Only Telewest customers, plus a closed group of terrestrial HD triallists, will have access to all the games in high definition, offering pictures around four times sharper than standard digital TV.
Promising a summer packed with high definition entertainment, ntl Telewest has also signed a third deal with Channel 4. Telewest customers with a TVDrive, the company's HD-ready personal video recorder, can look forward to a new high definition line-up that includes:
BBC trial HDTV broadcasts
Live coverage of World Cup matches and Wimbledon tennis, plus spectacular series like Planet Earth and classic Dickens drama Bleak House. Forthcoming family drama Robin Hood, The Proms and Later with Jools Holland are also among highlights of the trial, which is due to last around a year. Visit www.bbc.co.uk/hd for more details.
ITV trial HDTV broadcasts
Live coverage of World Cup football will start from 9 June. Viewers will also get documentaries including the epic new wildlife series Jean-Michel Cousteau's Ocean Adventures, classic films like All Quiet on the Western Front and the Big Sleep, plus drama including Agatha Christie's Poirot specials Death on the Nile and Murder in Mesopotamia - all courtesy of Granada International. Visit www.itv.co/hd for more information.
On demand programmes from Channel 4
Episodes from Seasons One and Two of the Golden Globe and Emmy-winning Touchstone Television series Lost and Desperate Housewives will also be on offer from a virtual video library of high definition programmes, giving instant access at the touch of a button. The US hits will join existing high definition programmes available via Telewest's TV on demand service, including The Blue Planet, Super Volcano and Pride, courtesy of BBC Worldwide.
Philip Snalune, managing director consumer products, ntl Telewest, said: "The beautiful game is about to get a serious makeover. Telewest customers with TVDrive will be able to watch every World Cup game in stunning high definition and, for those who aren't gripped by England's exploits, we're also lining up a feast of alternative HD entertainment.
"Since we launched Britain's first HDTV service, thousands of football fans have invested in HD-ready screens in anticipation of the World Cup and we're flying in additional TVDrives to satisfy demand."
Telewest broadband
Datanet 8Mb broadband for the price of 2Mb
Datanet’s new up to 8Mb service continues to be available at the same monthly fee as our 2Mb connections. From as little as £28 per month you can have up to 8Mb broadband, uncapped and unrestricted.
Datanet broadband
Monday, May 15, 2006
TalkTalk number one for customer satisfaction
Today the latest report on customer satisfaction among home phone users, commissioned by the independent comparison and switching service uSwitch.com, reveals that telecoms giants ntl and BT are still trailing their younger competitors in every area of customer service that was reviewed. In fact, in each of the main categories in the report, either ntl or BT came last – with ntl finishing bottom in 5 of the 8 categories and BT falling behind in 2, both companies were voted as the least likely to ensure that existing customers are on the best deals for them.
TalkTalk, meanwhile, came out on top in every category apart from one – maintaining an impressive 17% gap between the level of satisfaction among its customers (89%) and those of last placed ntl (72%).
The uSwitch.com customer satisfaction report – one of the largest in the UK - monitors the quality of service provided by the biggest home phone providers, as evaluated by their own customers. Launched in November 2005, with the aim of providing consumers with the necessary information to make an informed decision about their existing or future supplier based on service as well price, more than 16,000 home phone users have now taken part. The survey, one of the most comprehensive in the industry, provides a unique insight into customer experience. The full results can be viewed on the uSwitch.com website, where consumers can take advantage of the unique facility to compare levels of customer satisfaction alongside information on cost and potential savings. uSwitch is also the only price comparison service in the UK to have an Ofcom-accredited home telephony calculator.
- Overall, TalkTalk has the most satisfied customers (89%), followed by Tiscali (88%), Sky Talk (87%) and Telewest (83%), BT (75%) and ntl (72%) had the lowest scores.
- Almost 730,000 (28%) ntl customers, and 3.25 million (25%) BT customers are not satisfied with their provider.
- Value for money is the most important factor for consumers when they are asked about their home phone service, with 99% of respondents saying that it is important to them. However, while almost 9 out of 10 TalkTalk customers (88%) feel that they are getting value for money, only 59% of BT customers do – 5.3 million remain dissatisfied.
- Telewest comes out head and shoulders above the rest for customer support services, with three quarters (75%) of its customers saying that they are happy with their provider – 12% more than their nearest rival in this category.
- Almost half (48%) of Tiscali customers and one in two (50%) ntl customers are not satisfied with their provider’s customer support services.
Consumer trust in suppliers to look after their interests is low across the board – with only 48% on average believing that their provider makes sure that they are on the best deal. This means that almost 12 million customers are not sure whether they do have the right package. The majority of ntl (56%) and BT (56%) customers do not believe that their supplier ensures they are on the best possible deal and this is also true for nearly half of Tiscali (43%) and Telewest (46%) customers. Even the highest ranked provider TalkTalk only achieves a 65% satisfaction rating in this category. Chris Williams, Home Phone Product Manager at independent comparison and switching service uSwitch.com said: “The probability that consumers will come into contact with customer services is going to increase significantly as developments in the industry increase the likelihood of more and more people signing up for ‘bundles’ with a single provider – taking not just their phone service, but also a broadband connection and possibly a television service. The quality of their experience is likely to have a significant impact on whether they decide to stay with a particular provider, or switch to a company with a better track record. “Our latest report reveals that some home phone providers – most notably ntl and BT - still appear to be falling short of delivering the service levels that their customers expect. Once again, TalkTalk has come out on top in seven of the eight main categories, including the category for best Overall Customer Satisfaction. It will now be interesting to see whether they can maintain these levels of satisfaction among their customers as they expand other areas of the business.” Almost everybody surveyed stated that ‘value for money’ was an important factor when they were choosing a supplier– demonstrating that consumers now have a clear idea of the service they expect to receive from their provider. In spite of this, it would appear that over 8 million households are not satisfied with the value for money they receive from their current provider. Williams concludes: “There appear to be more than 7 million customers who are likely to review their existing deal within the next 12 months. Consumers have always known that they can shop around for better prices, but this report shows that suppliers can also be differentiated by other services such as customer support and value for money. By comparing their existing deal with what is available throughout the rest of the market, customers can have the best of both worlds and ensure that they are getting a good deal on both cost and service.” Talk Talk broadband Labels: talktalk-broadband
New look for Pipex broadband
Pipex today launches a new look corporate identity, reflecting the changing communications landscape and the role of IP (Internet Protocol) for home-users and business customers. As the UK’s first commercial ISP, Pipex has grown to become one of the industry’s leading players, heading a new wave of communication companies powered by the growth of IP.
Pipex has integrated the new branding to reflect its full service offering, incorporating “Pipex for voice and broadband”, “Pipex for hosting” and “Pipex Network Services” for corporate managed services. The Pipex logo will also feature on Fulham FC’s team shirts next season.
The new branding follows the acquisition of Homecall from Caudwell Communications in March, adding over half a million users to Pipex’s customer base and providing a strong portfolio of voice services. Pipex is now established as one of the UK’s largest Internet and communications service providers with over 1,000,000 customers.
Mike Read, CEO of Pipex, comments, “We’re excited about our new corporate identity, which reflects our brand values and vibrancy. The Internet, communications and entertainment industries are converging, driven by power of IP – it’s an exciting time to be involved in this constantly changing market. We have a lot to look forward to on the technology front and, on a personal note, I am looking forward to the seeing the new logo on the Fulham shirts next season!”
About Pipex
Pipex is a multiple award-winning provider of integrated telecommunications and Internet services. With a broad customer base including small/home-offices and blue chip companies, Pipex provides a comprehensive range of consumer, business and corporate voice, broadband, security domain name registration and shared and dedicated hosting solutions.
Pipex’s focus is simple: enabling businesses and consumers to achieve their aspirations through proven communications services and emerging technologies. This is achieved through an extensive portfolio of high-speed Internet connectivity, managed services and hosting, security and voice products - combining exceptional performance, innovation and a commitment to customer service.
Owning one of the UK’s most extensive communication networks, Pipex boasts more than 100 Points of Presence (PoPs) nationwide. In addition, state-of-the-art data centres, which are manned and monitored 24x7, ensure the security of Pipex’s customers’ business critical applications. Its commitment to investing in its technology infrastructure ensures that Pipex continues to deliver the most scalable, resilient, secure and reliable services.
Pipex broadbandLabels: pipex-broadband
BT business broadband gets boost
Bringing together up to 8Mb, wireless networking and innovative voice services.
From Wednesday May 17, BT’s Business Broadband will boast ultra-fast download speeds of up to 8Mb1 with a new free hub2 , that is a high-performance VoIP enabled router and wireless access point in one unit.
The new high-speed service, up to four times faster than the maximum speed currently offered by BT Business Broadband, will automatically be provided to new customers. BT will begin contacting existing customers from tomorrow to offer them the opportunity to upgrade to the faster speed.
The Business Broadband Network product has been further improved. In addition to up to 8Mb download speeds, customers can benefit from increased upload speeds of 800Kb and priority traffic routing. This is ideal for customers running larger networks.
The new BT Business Hub gives customers the freedom to share their internet connection, by wireless or Ethernet around the office. Its high-powered wireless technology virtually eliminates wireless “coldspots”.
An added bonus is that, with an optional subscription to BT Business Broadband Voice, the hub gives customers the means to make calls over the internet. Connection to Broadband Voice is free; a saving of £40 and rental is from £14.99 a month for three months, and then £19.993 a month. Broadband Voice gives customers unlimited UK calls4 of up to an hour and fixed to mobile calls for 25p for up to an hour.
Bill Murphy, managing director of BT Business, said: “BT Business is all about enabling small and medium businesses to bring their technology solutions together, inside and outside the office, providing simple, end to end solutions from one supplier.
“The launch of up to 8Mb broadband with a high performance hub enables small and medium businesses to network their office and make the most of their broadband connection with products and services such as BT Business Voice, Fusion or IT Support Manager.
“When coupled with DataZone5 , businesses can continue to work while away from the office. It gives them access to the internet via fast wire-free connections including Openzone, enabling business to harness the power of technology wherever they choose to be.”
The BT Business Hub includes a built-in business-grade firewall to keep the customer’s network protected at all times. Its Firewall Monitor continuously assesses threats to the customer’s network and automatically downloads updates to protect against new threats.
BT BroadbandLabels: bt-broadband
Friday, May 12, 2006
'Predicting UK Future Residential Bandwidth Requirements
The Broadband Stakeholder Group (BSG) has published a green paper looking at possible demand for broadband in 2008 and 2012. This paper has been prepared as a contribution to the emerging public debate about the potential requirement for further investment in next generation access infrastructures in the UK.
Most observers agree that as the take-up of broadband services increases and new rich media content, services and applications emerge, demand for bandwidth by households will grow. However, it is not clear by how much or how quickly this will happen.
Making predictions about the uptake and demand for any new technology is fraught with difficulties and predicting demand for bandwidth is particularly challenging. Future bandwidth requirements will be dependent upon a wide variety of variables, some of which we know and can predict, others which we know but can’t predict, and some which we simply don’t know. The methodology developed in the green paper attempts to create a framework to address this uncertainty.
The BSG paper provides a scenario-based analysis of possible bandwidth requirements for 2008 and 2012 based on a set of key assumptions about technology development and changes in behaviour. In particular, assumptions have been made about the demand for high definition (HD) video; the development of compression technologies; the tolerable transfer times for large files; and the use of local storage and intelligent personal video recorders (PVRs). The importance of time criticality of certain applications and the impact of technological developments such as local storage devices and compression techniques were also considered.
Changing the assumptions made about these critical variables could significantly affect the results and we do not expect that there will be complete consensus about the findings. Some will argue that the bandwidth estimates are too conservative, others that they are excessively high. However, we hope that this Green Paper will help to frame the debate and stimulate further discussion on future demand for residential bandwidth in the UK.
The BSG would welcome further comment, thoughts and ideas from all interested parties about the study and any additional factors that could have an impact upon the findings.
See the report: Predicting UK Future Residential Bandwidth Requirements (pdf 1,140KB)
NTL Qtr 1 results - 191,000 new broadband subscribers
The following the merger of NTL and Telewest on March 3, 2006, NTL Incorporated became the UK's largest provider of residential broadband and the UK's leading provider of triple play services.
On the 9th May 2006, NTL Incorporated reported first quarter results for the quarter ended March 31, 2006.
Steve Burch, Chief Executive Officer of NTL, said:
“The first quarter showed real evidence of operational improvements in our consumer business, with an increase in ARPU driven by our successful focus on quality customer growth, improvements to RGU per customer and increasing triple play penetration.
“The merger of NTL with Telewest completed on March 3, 2006, and our integration is progressing well. Today, we are announcing our plans to accelerate our integration program to achieve a run rate of at least £250 million of annualized cost synergies by the end of 2007. Part of this process will involve outsourcing a significant number of jobs, where employment would be transferred to an external organization, as well as actual job reductions. In total, this will involve around 6,000 employees by the end of 2007. Around 80% of the reduction will take place within twelve months. The cost savings from the outsourcing and the job losses combined will be equivalent to around 3,400 full-time equivalent employees.
“On April 4, 2006, we announced our offer to acquire Virgin Mobile and a license for the Virgin brand allowing us to transform from the UK’s leading triple-play provider into a national entertainment and communications quad-play company, harnessing the power of the Virgin brand and leading our industry in product convergence.
“With the growth opportunities in our markets, together with substantial merger synergies, we believe we can drive significant free cash flow generation going forward, providing us with strong financial flexibility and improved capital deployment options.”
Broadband
We continue to experience strong growth in the number of broadband subscribers, with net additions of 191,400 in the quarter, compared to 191,700 in the previous quarter and 168,400 in the same quarter last year. Broadband penetration stands at 24.0% of our homes marketable and the outlook for growth remains strong.
As an end-to-end network owner, we have competitive strengths in the quality of broadband service that we offer. Customers can receive consistent speeds no matter where they live and our top speeds of 10Mb are available throughout our addressable areas.Labels: ntl-broadband
Tiscali UK reaches 1 million ADSL subscribers
Tiscali's first qtr results for 2006 have reported as of 31 March 2006 Tiscali UK ADSL users were over 1 million with a net users’ increase of over 150,000 in 1Q06. For Tiscali UK, this equates to a 43% revenue increase (EUR 100.4 million ) vs 1Q05 (EUR 70.4 million).
Revenues generated by broadband services showed a remarkable performance (+89%), supported by a growth of active DSL lines of 116% vs 1Q05, with the reference market which grew by 68%.
Overall, Tiscali 211,000 new subscribers as of 31st March 2006, with the Tiscali Group reaching over 1.9 million ADSL customers, of which over 435,000 receiving unbundled services.
The focus on key markets and the further development of the unbundling network has allowed Tiscali to increase the offer of voice over IP and other value added services. VoIP customers were in fact over 100,000 at the end of March 2006.
Tiscali broadbandLabels: tiscali-broadband
Wanadoo & Orange soon to tie the knot
France Telecom, owned Wanadoo and Orange are to join forces this summer under the single Orange banner. Whilst speculation still exists as to the exact date, a June announcement is expected.
For some Wanadoo customers, this will be the second re-brand that they will have experienced, following the change from Freeserve in 2004.
According to The Register, Orange are expected to unveil a "free" broadband proposition similar to the one Talk Talk that is causing a lot of stir in the industry. Like the Talk Talk (Carphone Warehouse) offer, Orange's deal is understood to have strings attached, caps, and a lengthy contract lock-in.
Wanadoo Announcement
"Wanadoo and Orange have been sister companies for several years. Having developed a strong partnership, the natural step is for us to join forces to create one integrated communications company for our customers. We've chosen Orange as it's the strongest brand, with a name which is well known and trusted throughout the world."
Wandoo broadbandLabels: llu-broadband, orange-broadband, wanadoo-broadband, wifi-broadband
Thursday, May 11, 2006
PIPEX tops the big five ADSL suppliers in latest research
PIPEX has topped the chart amongst the big five ADSL broadband suppliers in a nation-wide survey carried out by price comparison website uSwitch.com and YouGov. PIPEX beat the four largest ADSL suppliers BT, Tiscali, AOL and Wanadoo, as well as cable operator ntl, in the research measuring customer satisfaction.
The survey asked 16,000 broadband users to assess their supplier for aspects such as customer service, technical support, connection speed, value for money and whether they would recommend to a friend.
The results showed that 95 per cent of PIPEX customers would consider recommending the service to a friend – with 42 per cent saying they would “definitely” recommend. Meanwhile, 80 per cent of PIPEX customers were satisfied with their speed/usage and payment plans, while 89 per cent were satisfied with the quality of the PIPEX connection.
According to PIPEX’s CEO Mike Read, the survey highlights that there’s more to the broadband market than price alone: “A few of the smaller suppliers have gone for headline-grabbing deals recently. But at the end of the day customers don’t want the hassle of having to keep switching providers, they just want value for money and good customer service.
“We’re pleased with the results of the survey, but we know there’s still a lot of work to do, particularly as the market evolves to become more about communications and entertainment, including voice and video services into the overall package,” he adds.
About PIPEX
PIPEX is a multiple award-winning provider of integrated telecommunications and Internet services. With a broad customer base including small/home-offices and blue chip companies, PIPEX provides a comprehensive range of consumer, business and corporate voice, broadband, security domain name registration and shared and dedicated hosting solutions.
PIPEX’s focus is simple: enabling businesses and consumers to achieve their aspirations through proven communications services and emerging technologies. This is achieved through an extensive portfolio of high-speed Internet connectivity, managed services and hosting, security and voice products - combining exceptional performance, innovation and a commitment to customer service.
Owning one of the UK’s most extensive communication networks, PIPEX boasts more than 100 Points of Presence (PoPs) nationwide. In addition, state-of-the-art data centres, which are manned and monitored 24x7, ensure the security of PIPEX’s customers’ business critical applications. Its commitment to investing in its technology infrastructure ensures that PIPEX continues to deliver the most scalable, resilient, secure and reliable services.
Pipex broadbandLabels: pipex-broadband
Zen gets Gamers online for Fundraising Weekend
Zen Internet, a leading UK Internet Service Provider (ISP), is to connect the LawLAN online gaming event this coming weekend. This event which helps raise money for the local Sikh community centre is held from 12th to 14th May in Slough, with gaming enthusiasts gathering to show off their skills for a good cause.
This is the third time that Zen has provisioned the broadband for this event, and this year even higher speeds will be offered. The new Zen 8000 Active package which will be used to power the event is now available and will give the gamers speeds of up to 8Mbps.
This will be a massive boost to LawLAN, which actually began with a dial-up connection, but has become so well established with growing numbers of attendees, that connection speeds have increased over the years. The organisers can be assured that Zen will deliver a high speed and reliable connection with the bonus of a free static IP address, adding to the stability and smooth running of the Internet connection. The Zen core network also has no contention, leading to consistent speeds and producing an ideal gaming environment for the event.
Rashpal Singh Bahra, one of the organisers of the event, commented:
"Having the support of Zen has helped us run the LAN more and more successfully each year, and makes sure we can give the most back to the community centre. Zen has always proved reliable and with the new higher speeds on offer this year we can continue to create the best gaming experience for those who attend. A high quality Internet connection is proving essential due to the growth of online games in recent years."
For more information on the event visit www.lawlan.net.
About Zen Internet:
Established in 1995, and one of the first ISPs in the UK, Zen Internet provides a full range of high quality services to the business and home user, from the latest in high speed DSL Broadband Internet access and complete hosting packages to state of the art Web site design. Zen Internet won three awards in the 2006 ISPAs (Internet Service Providers' Association) in the categories of Best Uncontended Service, Best Heavy Business Broadband and Best Business ISP. These followed an ISPA Best Light Business Broadband award in 2005 and the PC Pro Best ISP Broadband awards in 2004 and 2005.
Zen Internet broadband informationLabels: zen-broadband
Tuesday, May 09, 2006
NTL confirms 6,000 job losses
NTL has confirmed it is to axe around 6,000 UK jobs while outsourcing a "significant number" as part of its merger with Telewest.
In a statement today, NTL chief exec Steve Burch said the cableco is to "accelerate our integration program" so it can save £250m a year by the end of 2007.
Around 80 per cent of the job cuts will be carried out over the next 12 months.
But only yesterday NTL was telling employees that reports of the job cuts were still "speculation" and nothing was official.
Further information:
http://www.theregister.co.uk/2006/05/09/ntl_job_cuts/Labels: ntl-broadband
Monday, May 08, 2006
BT launches internet radio package for schools
Internet Radio For Schools is the latest resource from BT Education, designed to provide primary and secondary school teachers and their pupils with everything they need to know about making internet radio programmes. The resource provides schools with the tools and skills to “podcast” via the web to anyone with access to a computer or MP3 player, such as an iPod. All resources from the BT Education Programme are free.
Internet Radio for Schools has been developed as part of the BT Education Programme and BT’s “Am I Listening?” campaign, which aims to champion the voice of UK young people and provide children with an additional channel through which to be heard and understood. Teachers can find the resource at www.bt.com/education
The educational value of making internet radio programmes is enormous. They provide pupils with the chance to develop their communication skills, explore a subject in depth, gain a practical understanding of the different stages of the production process and work in small highly collaborative teams. Furthermore, radio can provide an outlet for young people to express their opinions.
The pupils’ school benefits as well, since the programmes can provide a valuable way to establish closer links with parents and other important members of the school’s wider community.
Dave Hancock, head of the BT Education Programme, said: “Internet radio projects have proven to be extremely popular with the small number of schools who have so far experimented with this exciting medium. Our research indicated, however, that many teachers were being held back by a lack of basic knowledge of the technology involved. With the launch of this website, that barrier has now been removed and we are looking forward to seeing a boom in how audio is used in the classroom.”
The Internet Radio for Schools website is full of features, all designed to make programme-making as simple and successful as possible, including:
Advice from experts on all the key tasks involved in production planning, studio and location recording and editing. Interview with Nick Clarke, the presenter of World at One and one of the UK’s most admired broadcasters, on how to write scripts, present programmes and interview guests. Instructions on how to download a free software package that will turn a PC in a fully-featured recording and editing studio, plus a series of video tutorials on how to use the software. Downloadable briefing notes, lesson ideas and worksheets.
BT BroadbandLabels: bt-broadband
Saturday, May 06, 2006
Help the Aged and Help Broadband
Help the Aged has teamed up with Help! Broadband to provide a dedicated Broadband service that makes connecting to the Internet fast and easy.
Whether you use the Internet to stay in touch with friends and family, for information, shopping, or to book tickets, Help! Broadband will provide you with step by step guidance to get you connected.
If you want to get onto the internet – or even if you are already online - then come and join our club. Help! Broadband employs support staff over the age of 50 to enhance their customer service, so you know you are in good hands.
From just £16.99 a month Help! Broadband will provide:
- up to an 8Mb internet connection;
- plain talking support staff who won’t use confusing or technical jargon;
- the freedom of a monthly contract;
- value for money access to technical support via a local rate telephone number, and;
- freedom of a monthly contract with no cancellation fees.
An ongoing percentage of the price of each Help! Broadband account goes to Help the Aged. Money that will be used to fight poverty, isolation and neglect among disadvantaged older people.
Help! Broadband further information:
http://www.helpbroadband.co.uk/
Onyx group prepares for stock market flotation
LEADING North East internet company The Onyx Group announced today (Tuesday 2nd May) that it has restructured the company in a bid to enable it to float on the stock market within the next two years.
The c |
