Colored Backgrounds

[David Gaskill]

On Mon, 13 Dec 1999 10:24:24, Paul Hodges wrote:

>On Sat, 11 Dec 1999 22:25:42, David Gaskill wrote:
>
>>  Here in the UK ASDL access will soon be generally available 
>
>Depends on your definition of "soon", and where you are...   
>
>Our trial ADSL link here has just been through its downgrade from
>2Mb/s to 0,5Mb/s (at an increased price), and BT has justified
>proposing higher ADSL prices than anywhere else in the world on the
>basis that: the market model's different here because you can buy
>other things cheaper (like free ISPs!).

I used the word "soon" in the light of the recent announcement that third parties are going to be 
allowed to install boxes in BT's exchanges. This will no doubt bring prices down to realistic 
levels and with a bit of luck enable the bandwidth of which the system is capable to be 
achieved. 

Perhaps we should explain for the benefit of those outside the UK that BT is the privatised 
successor of the state-owned telecommunications organisation. Most of its functions have now 
been opened up to competition which has resulted in a dramatic reduction in prices. Up till now 
however the copper between the subscriber and the exchanges has remained a BT monopoly. 
The industry regulator has recently decreed that third parties must be allowed to stick boxes on 
the ends of these wires in BT exchanges thus opening up ADSL provision to competition. 


David