By Graeme Wearden, 17 November 2003 15:25
NEWS BT announced on Monday that it has set trigger levels for thousands more local exchanges, a move that makes universal broadband coverage within Britain more achievable.
By giving trigger levels to an additional 2,300 exchanges, BT says it is putting mass-market broadband services within the reach of 99 per cent of UK homes and businesses. However, given that many of these exchanges are situated in rural areas with relatively few households, hitting the triggers will be a major challenge.
The creation of these 2,300 additional triggers comes just days after ecommerce minister Stephen Timms announced a new government target of 100 per cent broadband availability by 2005, though he stopped short of pledging any additional public money to the cause.
Trigger levels tell local communities how many people have to express an interest in getting a high speed Internet connection in order for BT to invest in upgrading their telephone exchange to offer ADSL. BT's decision is a major about-face - it has previously insisted that these local exchanges couldn't be given trigger levels as it said they simply could not be made both achievable and economically viable.
The trigger levels announced on Monday will range from 100 to 500 people per local exchange. BT said that even with the trigger levels in place, some rural communities are likely to need government support to spark the introduction of service.
BT chief executive Ben Verwaayen said on Monday: "There's no doubt...that many of these trigger levels are very challenging to hit. In some areas, market stimulation alone will not be sufficient to deliver broadband."
"We are critically dependent on public partnerships to stimulate demand and to intervene with support to get the exchanges enabled early and even to help reduce the triggers. This will be essential to deliver the benefits of broadband to every community," added Verwaayen, urging local and national government to do its bit.
BT's move is likely to be welcomed by the millions of people who can't get ADSL today. But it could be a kick in the teeth for rural broadband activists who, faced with no trigger and no hope of one, have begun building their own community networks. They may find that this investment of time and money has been wasted if the people they hoped to serve decide to take ADSL instead.
Comments
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1. Stephen Williams
I like the expression 'universal broadband coverage within Britain'.
On a more serious note, whatever happened to Rate Adapted ADSL? I'm a rural dweller who's about 1k too far away from my soon to be enabled exchange (Reepham 26th Nov), so I'd be happy to take a slower speed always on connection, but BT locally don't seem to know anythning about Rate Adapted ADSL.
2. Brian Smart
After filling in your survey saying I didn't expect to ever get broadband due to our rural exchange being too small to be worth the effort....
It suddenly became available late October, and I've been connected since 30th.
3. Steve Smith
OK, but what are they going to do about the thousands of homes and businesses that are connected to DSL enabled exchanges (in my case the exchange has had DSL available for several years now) BUT who live (or more importantly, are wired) more than 5K from the exchange?
I can't see how they will be able to claim 98% coverage if other exchanges follow the pattern of Sudbury which has several large surrounding villages, all further than 5 Km away.
4. Ian Manzie
I get a tad tired of your constant carping at BT and its approach to ADSL rollout. How about targetting the cable companies. I used to live in a large university town and the street had been developed since the cable company did its initial build. In spite of the fact that many wanted cable plus there phone services the company refused to even consider cabling the street!
5. Paul Williams
It's not a kick in the teeth for rural activists - my local exchange is being upgraded but BT are still saying I won't be able to get any DSL service for home or business because I live and work too far from the exchange. There are thousands like me in this position, who will NEVER get broadband at its current state of technology with BT. So a rural wireless network is the ONLY way we are going to get broadband. The government want 100% broadband coverage by 2005? They had better do more than just leave it with BT then.
6. Dick Wall
I live in a rural area 35 miles south of Edinburgh. Our BT exchange serves a total population of about 125 people, with maybe 50 phone lines. Not much hope for us here then you would think...
However our compatriots in the Highlands and Islands are, I believe, guaranteed broadband by the Scottish Executive funded HIE. Isn't that a model that could be used elsewhere? I guess if I were BT I would see that as a precedent.
7. A.J.Craske
Our local coordinator for the Nantyderry exchange in South Wales has just resigned because BT refused to provide any posters or leaflets so that she could raise public awareness and meet the trigger point! Hardly the actions of a company keen to meet it's objective.
8. anonymous
What a load of tosh. They could deliver a lot more services a lot qiucker and cheaper if they listened to there customers
Having just spent 2 weeks TRYING to tell BT how to deliver a line capable of passing an ADSL whoosh test I do not hold much hope for that.
They have 2 lines analogue lines on site, one active for 26 years, one new line installed specifically for ADSL. They are delivered from the same local exchange and over the same cable, one passed and one failed. Guess what way round! Clue, not the new one. the saga continues
9. Mark Minghella
How nice of BT! I live in a broadband enabled area of Liverpool, but my line length it too long. Do I fall into the 99% coverage even though I can't get it? It would be nice to see the stats.
10. Godfrey Rock
Just what is ecommerce minister Stephen Timms on? And where can I get some? The REAL problem for rural communities is not whether their exchange is ADSL enabled, but how far they are from it geographically. My local exchange, Stratford-upon-Avon, is ADSL enabled, but I live 4 miles from it, so no ADSL (My village, Wilmcote, also lacks cable, as it has "only" 1600 inhabitants - thank you NTL) When the minister expects 100% availability of btoadband by 2005, is he talking about exchanges enabled, or customers enabled? I think we should be told.....
11. K M Wragg
Sounds good, but what about BT doing something about those homes that are over the 5.5m limit of receiving Broadband. We live in a brand new, lovely housing development, yet BT connected us to an exchange so far away we cannot receive Broadband, even though the exchange is ADSL compliant - their solution - Satelite Broadband !!
12. Tim Jones
Many of the "rural activists" supposedly being kicked in the teeth will tell you that this is no kick in the teeth at all. It's not just an issue of exchanges being enabled, it's a matter of distance from the exchange. BT could enable every exchange in the country and we still wouldn't have "universal" broadband.
13. Declan Wood
.....But that doesn't meant you can have it. I campaigned for Broadband only to discover that BT say I live too far away from the exchange to have it now they have enabled the exchange. You will have to stick with ISDN or go for Satellite is their only answer. Thanks again BT.
14. anonymous
I am 1/2 km from my local exchange, situated on the A48 between Cardiff and Newport, with a School next door to me, and BT still sets a trigger level of 500. Why???
15. Peter Horne
I to am a victim of living more than 5Km from a broadband enebaled exchange. When is BT or someone going to remedy the 5Km limit.?
16. Bob Robinson
I've just spent 2 months preparing to go with Wireless LAN and a leased T1 line for our village. Fortunately I hadn't quite got to the point of committing to contracts. It could have blown £20,000 if the users abandoned me for BT. Now I have to change the rules and either get 60 people to commit for 2 years minimum or accept a lower service from BT at a higher price.
17. anonymous
Dictatorship or what. It is very clear that BT is control FREAK. Having monopoly on majority of Urban and Rural areas. This includes especially Westminster, where BT will NOT ALLOW any broadband companies to entertain in this area. BT actually advices their customers to approach other companies "who may be opearting in the area and cheaper than them."
BT have absolute control of this area. .
18. Drew Llewellyn
This all seems very fishy to me.
For the past couple of years we've had the BT standard response; not economic, demand not proven etc was it half a mill per exchange or something to enable... and then this.
The exchange next to my area has 450 or so subscriber lines, the trigger is 150 and it's already been met as of this week. I have worked for 25-30 of the internet users in that area and I do not feel this is going to be accurately reflected in 75% conversion. I think the cause to take up for rural activity whether or not you can get wired BB, radio or extra fast carrier pigeon is community content, encourage several neighbours to share one ADSL with mini wireless and wired LANs and so forth.
Without having devoted my working life to this issue my view is skewed to the little I have learned along the way namely: BT seem to have had an agenda that was kept very quiet - This company needs effective and constant scrutiny. I'm unable to say with any certainty that this is the case with what OFTEL do for us consumers.
On the other hand I am a happy user of BTOW and ISDN HH with Midband. BT have even offered a no cure no fee to one of my main customers if the new line doesn't work with ADSL.
Maybe people's relationship with BT is a bit like giving the dog a bone after its had a sound whipping.
19. anonymous
Universal Broadband? BT may be appearing to be moving toward 100% ADSL activation but this may give false hope to many dial-up customers hoping to join the "fast lane". I live less than a Kilometre from my local exchange in Kingsbury, Warwickshire. However, BT have informed me that my line is "unsuitable for an ADSL service". I an unsure why this is the case as BT refuse to say for what reason. 100% of exchanges, maybe, but NOT 100% of potential customers!
20. John Poole
BT Broadband Huh!!!!
Exchange enabled OK I live 3k as the crow flies 4k by road, a bic school just over a k away has it. Me,,,, er sorry sir we cannot supply you as we do not know where your line goes!!
Sorry!! Well it could go anywhere 5-5k is the limit if your line is short!! Where do we get these people??
21. williams
i am a resident in nantyderry and have been for some time and i think these problems couuld be solved if bt or gov money wanted it to be... but hey who wants to dent big.. very big profit margins ????????
bt know were here when it comes to paying a bill!!!for sure ....treat us the same or dont bother.....
m williams
22. Alan Martin
I've live in a semi-rural location outside Largs (30 miles west of Glasgow) and have tried 3 times to get broadband (twice through BT & most recently through Tiscali). On each occassion they have assured me that the broadband would work - but hey it never does. I've finally discovered why - I'm too far away, maximum is 5Km I'm 9.5Km. I'm not a business so 2-way satelite broadband is tood expensive, one-way might be just affordable, pity there isn't another solution (like free satelite as they get in the Highlands)