An Official Announcement from BT

BT BREAKS DOWN BARRIER TO BRING A MILLION MORE CUSTOMERS WITHIN REACH OF BROADBAND

Broadband availability to match analogue TV coverage by Summer 2005

Distance limits removed for 512kb/sec ADSL services

Range for 1 Mb/sec ADSL extended to reach 6km from exchange

BT today announced it was removing the distance related limits for the most popular broadband services, bringing potentially more than a million more UK homes and businesses within reach of broadband.

Following BT Wholesale trials in Milton Keynes and rural areas around Fort William and Dingwall in the Scottish Highlands, BT is confident a 512kb/sec ADSL service can now be provided to the vast majority of people beyond the former limit which was roughly equivalent to 6km distance from the exchange.

From September 6, 2004, the reach limit for the 512kb/sec ADSL services will be removed. BT is also increasing the range for 1Mb/sec premium services from 4km to approximately 6km – making 1Mb/sec ADSL available to 96 per cent of homes and businesses connected to a broadband exchange.

The trial data indicates that removing the limit means 99.8 per cent of lines connected to a broadband exchange should now be able to get a 512kb/sec ADSL service. To date approximately 96 per cent of homes and businesses connected to broadband enabled exchanges were within range for 512kb/sec ADSL.

Alison Ritchie, BT chief broadband officer, said: “By pushing the boundaries on broadband reach we are building on our exchange upgrade rollout programme which means the remaining gaps in the broadband Britain jigsaw are getting smaller and smaller.

“Today’s announcement, together with our exchange upgrade programme means that by next summer we expect the availability of ADSL broadband in the UK to be at 99.4 per cent - on a par with the percentage of homes that can get good quality analogue TV signals for the four main terrestrial channels*.

“The trial data and feedback from the trialists in Milton Keynes and others involved in the trials in Fort William and Dingwall has contributed to bringing broadband within reach of another million homes. Their commitment to work with us has helped bring us all a significant step closer to a truly broadband Britain.

“If you thought you couldn’t get broadband – think again. When the new developments come into force in September, place an order with your service provider and in most cases BT will be able to get broadband to you.”

The trials revealed that to provide broadband service to approximately one in five people beyond the former limit will require a visit by a BT engineer to make modifications to wiring at the customer premises or to local BT network cabling. BT would not charge the customer for this engineer visit. For a small number of cases it may not be possible to provide reliable broadband service at 512kb/sec, even following a visit by a BT engineer. However, BT will continue to seek a solution as the technologies develop. The trial data indicates that where the exchange is upgraded for broadband, an average of 99.8 per cent of lines should be able to get 512kb/sec ADSL broadband service.

BT’s exchange upgrade programme to take broadband coverage to exchanges serving 99.6 per cent of households by summer 2005 makes the UK number one for ADSL availability in the G7 group of leading industrial countries both at the end of this year and 2005. This position was outlined in the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) report “The development of broadband access in rural and remote areas” which is available at www.oecd.org/sti/telecom.

Notes to editors -

• Previously there was a limit for 512kb/sec broadband based on 60dB of signal loss on the line (typical line length about 6km). This meant 512kb/sec services reached approximately 96 per cent of homes and businesses.
• The new line loss limit for 1Mb/sec ADSL will be 60dB (approximately 6km).
• While the removal of reach limits for 512kb/sec ADSL will mean the vast majority of people connected to a broadband exchange will be able to get service there will still be some who can not, even following a visit by a BT engineer. The trial data indicates this should only apply to an average of 0.2 per cent of lines connected to broadband enabled exchanges.
• From September 6, 2004, people who previously could not get 512kb/sec broadband because they were out of reach will be able to order via their chosen service provider. From that date the availability checker at bt.com/broadband will be updated to show the new line status.
• Based on the trial data which indicates a national average of 99.8 per cent availability within enabled exchange areas and BT’s rollout programme to upgrade exchanges serving 99.6 per cent of UK homes, BT estimates that 99.4 per cent of UK homes and businesses should be able to get 512kb/sec ADSL service by August 2005.
• Statistics published on the Ofcom website  state: “Good analogue TV reception is available to nearly all viewers in the UK from the terrestrial UHF transmitter networks. ITV1, Channel 4, BBC1 and BBC2 reach about 99.4% of the population, while Channel 5 covers 80%.

BT Rumours...

For 512kbps

Everybody will be permitted to apply. Lines over 75dB will have a "engineer assist" face plate. Some lines may still be too long - but an engineer will have visited and you will know why you cannot get broadband.

This gets rid of the "not knowing" or bad database record problems.

For 1Mbps

The 1Mbps service will increase to 60dB from the existing 41dB figure.

For 2Mbps

The 2Mbps service will currently remain at its loss limit of 41dB.

Not confirmed

None of the above has been confirmed by BT. Also the Long Reach Trial continues as planned until the end of September.

Links

http://www.samknows.com/broadband/news.php?id=201
http://www.adslguide.org.uk/newsarchive.asp?item=1787

What is Broadband?

A Broadband connection means ALWAYS ON and FAST.

ALWAYS ON

You probably use a modem now to get your email or surf the World Wide Web. Your modem dials up your ISP to connect to the rest of the world. Connecting takes a minute or two.

Broadband is always on - there is no time wasted waiting for the modem to connect.

FAST

Broadband access is at least ten and often forty times faster than your modem. It is already there at the click of your mouse. So lots more information that's much faster to access.

What's the problem with Broadband in Milton Keynes?

All of BT's telephone exchanges that serve Milton Keynes are ADSL enabled. (This is the reason you won't find us in BT's list of campaigns.)

BT have a planning rule that limits the cable length to 6km. There are "gaps" between each exchange coverage area where the cable distance is greater than 6km.

We're are putting together a coverage map.

ADSL?

This stands for Asymmetric Digital Subscriber Line, the technology that carries high speed internet signals over ordinary phone lines. The term xDSL covers a range of DSL technologies.
BT use the term Broadband: it's easier to market.

Have you tried NTL?

NTL do not provide a Broadband service in Milton Keynes over their cable network.

I do not believe the reason I was quoted: "We are not allowed to dig up the roads: the council won't let us!"

There must be oodles of empty ducts! Just run those cables in!

NTL have a Wireless Solution that is being piloted in conjunction with the MK Council.

How about installing a satellite connection?

This is an expensive solution!

A connection via an Earth orbiting satellite adds a significant delay to the signal. Real-time interactive games are not playable.

We are a compact community. We need to use a common shared infrastructure to reduce costs.

And what's wrong with Community Broadband?

There are enterprising groups in rural locations using 802.11x radio networks.

There's one just outside Cambridge.

Milton Keynes is not an isolated rural community. We're pretty compact here in our lovely little newly built houses!

Initially, we must look to BT to provide the Broadband service.

Should we find that BT fails us with Broadband, a community wireless network would be a good alternative.

How about running some CAT5 cable around the estate and doing it ourselves?

Only BT and other telecoms companies are licensed to run cables running between houses. If I wired a baby alarm to next door I would be committing an offence under some arbitrary telecommunications act.

What is the technical reason for not having ADSL in Monkston?

I cannot give an authoritative answer, but....

When Monkston was planned, in 1990, fibre optic cable was the future:

• cheaper than copper
• digital

Monkston is served by a fibre optic cable from Fishermead.  The capacity of that cable was dictated by the planned number of telephone customers in the estate. Each customer has a 64kbps ISDN channel.  BT saved lots of money by putting down just one slim fibre optic cable instead of lots of copper wire.

That was fine, until some bright spark thought up ADSL, by putting a low frequency radio signal on plain old copper telephone wires. The phone can be used as normal, and there's an extra digital high speed circuit that can be on all the time.

Monkston is the only estate in Milton Keynes that has fibre optic cable (TPON).

Existing houses, connected to the local telephone exchange with copper wire are fine, unless the exchange is over 6.0km distant.

Now in 2003 we are lumbered with our fibre optic cable legacy. There is no extra capacity for high speed data.

We are in the dark ages.

Latest: BT have now run in copper cable so the west half of Monkston should be able to have Broadband. The BT Broadband checker still gives some incorrect reports - as though is has not been updated. (Out of date records say that Broadband is not available.) Our Single Point of Contact will sort out any difficulties.

Don't you get a little irritated by BT?

Yes. I get irked by the organisation.

The souls on the call centre are OK.

The engineers I meet are fine. They are "customer facing" and are very reasonable. They tell you what's going on.

The problem is that there is no "champion" to follow through a complaint. The call centre staff talk to you and update some fields in a computer database. They do not follow through. You have to chase. (And dial 150 a lot!)

I get irritated by the process.

What's wrong with BT's process?

Installation of ADSL depends on there being a phone line installed. Superficially this is logical: you need a phone line to get ADSL.

BT won't tell you if ADSL is available until after you have a phone line installed. (This might mean buying your prospective house first!)

But why go though the palaver of getting a line installed when it isn't going to work? Surely BT engineers don't leap back in amazement every time they open up those grey roadside cabinets and see fibre optic cables inside?

BT know they have a problem with the existing infrastructure. They are wasting residents' time by not coming clean.

I see other companies advertising Broadband, such as AOL. Why not go with them?

This confusion need explaining:

BT wears two hats:

• As an ISP, BT provides a range of Broadband products. [Different speeds, web space, email etc.]
• BT is responsible for the telecommunications infrastructure. [The wiring of the phones within MK.]

There are scores of alternate companies providing Broadband services. BT is one of these ISP's, as is AOL, Nidram, Zen ... but they all rely on BT's infrastructure to work.

So what you goin' to do 'bout it?

Raise some interest! Stuff some slips through doors, and put a web page together!

A collective mind will be able to lobby BT!

What successes have you had?

BT have provided Monkston with copper cable. Broadband is now available to the west side of the estate.

We have helped identify errors with the BT web based line checker. For example, parts of Kents Hill can now have Broadband as the cable actually laid has a better quality than originally reported by the BT web based line checker.

We have recruited residents for the MK Council / NTL wireless pilot.

Over 200 members are now enjoying Broadband as part of the BT MK Long Reach Trial.

I live in Milton Keynes. Can I help?

Just make yourself known.

Share your ideas and experiences.

Contact us... your support will be most welcome!

Outsiders won't be totally ignored.

What's the catch? What are you trying to sell?

I'm just a Milton Keynes resident, amazed that Milton Keynes is so backward with its telecoms infrastructure.

There is no commercial interest involved.