ISP Review investigates BTs new BT 'No Frills' Broadband ADSL product

Unfortunately the relative stability of this market could now be under threat after BT (British Telecom) announced a new style of broadband ADSL delivery, one that only they can supply and does away with all the ISP niceties. To understand the problems surrounding BTs new service and its market impact we must first look into the past.

ADSL - A Brief History

ADSL first started public life in the UK during mid-2000 and was sold via BTs Wholesale department to a handful of ISPs. At the time coverage was akin to a single blade of grass in the middle of a football field and costs were high, few could contemplate the £50/60 per month being asked for by the first ISPs.

Despite this the need for faster access drove many early adopters onto the service, which eventually spread to more ISPs. Over time coverage increased, competitive pricing between ISPs widened and finally wholesale prices began to fall.

To date ADSL is still being offered to new and existing ISPs at a rate of roughly £15 per month for the latest wholesale residential variants. ISPs themselves are also offering the service at lower prices, anything from £19.99 to £34.99 per month (residential example). Even coverage has increased, yet most rural areas remain decidedly overlooked.

Strangely BT has now seen fit to introduce its own style of ADSL and one that's directly competitive with their existing BTOpenworld ISP service. Yet all is not quite so rosy.

BT Broadband - What's That Then?

BT Broadband (BTB), otherwise known as BT 'No Frills' Broadband, has the sound premise of being like almost any other ADSL provider, only without the ISP services aspect. Typically this means a raw Internet only connection without E-Mail, static IPs or website space etc.

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