September 3, 2002 - September 6, 2002
News - September 6,2002
Preventing Employer E-Mail Snooping
By:mark.j @ 2:31:PM - News Comments - SendNews [HERE] / PrintNews [HERE] Michael Fabricant, a Lichfield MP for the Tory party, hopes to introduce a new Bill to stop employers from snooping on employees' E-Mail:
Mr Fabricant says he is looking to introduce the legislation at a time when a growing number of employers are monitoring their employees' email.
A report out earlier this week found that one in five of firms monitor employee Net usage on a daily basis, compared with one in ten 18 months ago. The same survey also found that email and Net abuse at work have become the number one reason why UK employees face the sack.
"While I appreciate that employers need to be satisfied that their employees are working during the hours for which they are paid, it does not give them the right to snoop into the private emails of their employees."
Unfortunately the move does indeed come at a time when employers are increasingly concerned about Internet abuse during working hours, which could hamper the new bill. More @ The Register. |
NTL Clear Of Bankruptcy Protection
By:mark.j @ 1:09:PM - News Comments - SendNews [HERE] / PrintNews [HERE] NTL looks set to emerge from bankruptcy protection after a US judge approved a £12Billion debt-restructuring plan:
A major management re-shuffle will take place immediately, with Channel 5's chief executive moving over to ntl, and the group itself splitting into two branches- one European and one for the UK and Ireland.
The approval of the plan brings ntl's debt-clearing efforts closer to an end, with re-structuring nearing completion next month.
The company will be split into two groups, with ntl Europe likely to go under sale as soon as is viable, while ntl UK and Ireland continuing to build on their 2.8m cable, phone and web subscribers.
The Europemedia item also notes how this latest shift could open up the way for a merger with Telewest. |
Alcatel ADSL Exchange Upgrades
By:mark.j @ 12:57:PM - News Comments - SendNews [HERE] / PrintNews [HERE] ADSLGuide has spotted a new update from ISP Zen Internet in which it is stated that there is a planned upgrade to some of the Alcatel DSLAMs:
Alcatel Planned Upgrades 12th - 28th September 2002
We wish to inform you that there is a planned upgrade to some of the Alcatel DSLAMs. Work will be undertaken by the DSLAM suppliers and will start on 12th September, completing on the 28th September
This work is part of our continued improvements to the Alcatel equipment to remove current intermittent problems and increased overall Network performance and affects the Alcatel 2nd Generation or High Density DSLAMs. It is also a step towards the introduction of the Alcatel Ultra Density DSLAMs.
The upgrade the will take 17 days (12th September to 28th September inc.). The outage times on the above dates will be between the hours of 0200 - 0600 and will last for approximately 20 minutes.
You can find a full list of the exchanges affected HERE. |
NTL & Ex-C&W Broadband Coverage
By:mark.j @ 9:28:AM - News Comments - SendNews [HERE] / PrintNews [HERE] One of our readers, Nick, has reported finally receiving details of NTLs broadband cable modem ISP services trial for the Stockport (South Manchester / Ex-Cable and Wireless) area:
This morning I was called by their sales department and was offered one of two following packages;
600/256 @ £24.99 per month
1Mb/512 @ £49.99 per month
They are sending out a form to me to fill in and return, I will then get a credit added to my account equivalent to one month's charge.
So if you've yet to receive a response to your earlier registration then give them a call to speed things up. |
One.Tel Grows Telco + ISP By 15%
By:mark.j @ 9:23:AM - News Comments - SendNews [HERE] / PrintNews [HERE] Revolution reports that UK Telco and ISP brand, One.Tel, has reported increasing its turnover by 15%, which follows the publication of half-year results for parent utility group Centrica:
The business grew its revenues to £75 million for the six months ending 30 June, up 15 per cent on the previous half-year, ending 31 December 2001. Customer numbers rose to 870,000 during the period, an 11 per cent increase.
The telco said that recently launched products, such as its £27.99-a-month broadband service and £4.99 monthly rental mobile phone service, would help it exploit business opportunities in the UK. |
11/09/01 & Internet Anti-Privacy
By:mark.j @ 9:15:AM - News Comments - SendNews [HERE] / PrintNews [HERE] Few could have envisaged that last years September 11th attacks would cause so much online privacy to be lost with the emergence of new 'Big Brother' style laws and regulation.
Now a Paris-based organisation, Reporters Without Borders, has hit back, not that it'll do them any good:
A report published by the organisation warns ISPs are in danger of becoming an online branch of a global 'secret police force' - recording the web surfing habits of their users and monitoring the emails they send and receive.
The report claims Western governments have forced through new snooping powers - such as the UK's Regulation of Investigatory Powers Act (RIPA) - with an agenda hidden behind a public face of concern.
Speaking to silicon.com earlier this year, Dr Ian Kearns, senior research fellow at the Institute of Public Policy Research (IPPR), echoed these fears. Kearns said: "If the government doesn't explicitly defend personal liberties then these may be swept away by the growth of new technologies."
Unfortunately this is now an all too common tone, yet the chances of modern day democratic (?) governments taking note are, at best, unlikely. More @ Silicon. |
Broadband Wireless SPAMMERS
By:mark.j @ 9:04:AM - News Comments - SendNews [HERE] / PrintNews [HERE] The growing use of broadband wireless LAN services, whether in the home or an office, is fuelling a new problem of drive-by SPAM because most networks (60-80%) remain unprotected:
Speaking at the First International Security Users Conference in London, Adrian Wright, managing director of Secoda Risk Management, warned that junk emailers are taking advantage of unprotected wireless local area networks to bombard email users with unsolicited and unwelcome messages.
"These people simply drive up to a building armed with their pornographic email, log into the insecure wireless network, send the message to 10 million email addresses and then just drive away," said Wright.
A drive-by spammer would send spam by finding an unprotected SMTP port on a company's server and then sending email as if they were a legitimate user of the company's network. The mail server wouldn't be able to tell otherwise.
It's long been feared that this would happen and now it has, something that's made worse by the fact that many UK ISPs have ‘no-spamming’ rules.
That's fine, however if a company is cut-off for sending SPAM that it didn't even know existed then there's a problem. More @ ZDNet. |
MP Pushes Forward Anti-Spam Campaign
By:mark.j @ 8:58:AM - News Comments - SendNews [HERE] / PrintNews [HERE] It's being reported that the government MP for Sittingbourne and Sheppey, Derek Wyatt, is pushing forward with his national campaign to clamp down on spam despite threats:
The MP for Sittingbourne and Sheppey told The Register that he is "sick of the excuses" and wants something done to curb the amount of spam pouring into people's in-boxes.
In particular, he's concerned about the rising quantity of pornographic spam and the impact it may have on children using the Net.
His determination to campaign against junk email - which he hopes to put on a formal footing in the near future - has not waned despite receiving a number of abusive emails from people who oppose his opposition to spam.
It's hard not to agree with Mr.Wyatt, unfortunately his solution of making the ISPs completely responsible is simply unworkable. The only way to truly stop SPAM is to avoid using E-Mail. |
ETGS Suffers ADSL Problems
By:mark.j @ 8:52:AM - News Comments - SendNews [HERE] / PrintNews [HERE] Several weeks ago news slipped out about ET Global Solutions and their new broadband ADSL service for an impressive £18.95 PM. Since then some customers have suffered problems, such as not receiving the ADSL service or being sent the wrong hardware.
ADSLGuide has now stated that this was because the Gio Internet backed ISP wasn't ready to deal with the 1,500 enquiries made within a two week period:
In an effort to resolve these problems, which should only be affecting a relatively small number of customers, ET Global Solutions has agreed to implement a system similar to what we have done in the past for other providers, i.e. if you are having major problems then to email us (in this case andrew@adslguide.org.uk) and we will forward the email onto ET Global Solutions. To ensure ET Global can identify you in their systems we will need your name/ADSL lines phone number/contact email address/product ordered/date ordered/method of ordering - plus a short note describing your current situation reference the order.
One thing that has been clarified is the £22.45, 40:1 contention product, this is still based around the BT IPStream 500 service with its 50:1 contention ratio, but the intention is to run this 40:1 service on a different gateway to the 50:1 users. This effectively segregates the Peer2Peer traffic onto its own pipe.
It’s not a very good sign that ETGS is forced to rely on a third party site for help.
Please remember that this only applies to those having problems prior to activation or missing hardware after being activated. |
News - September 5,2002
Beverley Turner Promotes Blueyonder
By:mark.j @ 4:29:PM - News Comments - SendNews [HERE] / PrintNews [HERE] Telewest has teamed up with TV presenter Beverley Turner for their latest stint at advertising the benefits of broadband Internet access, specifically of the blueyonder cable modem variety:
Beverley Turner revs up blueyonder Gearing up Britain for a high-speed future
Broadband internet access gets some serious speed appeal today, as Telewest Broadband announces a new partnership between its blueyonder internet services and TV's queen of speed, Beverley Turner.
With her head for speed, presenter Beverley has certainly proved she can handle the thrills and spills of F1 and now she's doing it all over again with high-speed, broadband internet.
"Blueyonder broadband is without doubt the F1 of the internet world, way ahead of the go-kart performance of its competitors," commented Beverley,"and I'm sure that people in Britain will soon ditch their docile dial-up connections and discover the benefits of life in the fast lane."
Fiancé and Olympic medallist James Cracknell will be taking a backseat today as Beverley supports the broadband revolution by spearheading a new campaign to find the Brits who are leading the fastest lives.
David Hobday, sales and marketing director at Telewest Broadband, added: "Bev is just the person to help us raise the profile of broadband in the UK. Her passion for speed would make her a prime contender in our search for the UK's speed lovers, so it's a good job she's a judge! We look forward to revealing the location of the nation's fastest people and proving that Britain is adopting broadband with relish."
We’re not entirely sure what Telewest is trying to do with their latest PR; the associate is obvious, yet the method remains elusive. |
OFCOM Chairman Backs BT Break-Up
By:mark.j @ 1:46:PM - News Comments - SendNews [HERE] / PrintNews [HERE] OFCOMs (Oftels future replacement) chairman of communications, Lord Currie, apparently backs the break-up of BT. Mr.Currie believes this to be a good way of moving telecoms beyond the need for regulation:
The report, Regulatory Creep and Regulatory Withdrawal, was written in May by Ofcom chairman Lord Currie in his role as dean of City University Business School, with head of economics Professor John Cubbin.
"Careful consideration should be given to the separation of BT," said the report. "There is a contrast between what has happened in gas and electricity and what has happened in telecoms ... where no clean withdrawal has occurred.
This highlights the importance of separating ownership of the telecoms network from supply of telecoms services, entailing the splitting up of BT in its current form."
The VNUNet item also notes how Oftels director general, David Edmonds, has done the opposite and put such a move off his agenda. Not surprisingly BT hasn’t been too pleased with the comments and Mr.Currie has yet to respond. |
Broadband Wireless Suffers Setback?
By:mark.j @ 1:39:PM - News Comments - SendNews [HERE] / PrintNews [HERE] A government decision not to penalise companies that fail to achieve rollout targets for the 28GHz wireless spectrum laid down by the DTI could damage the future of ISPs offering a broadband 28GHz service:
Of the six firms who were awarded 28GHz licences in the auction process held in November 2000, only Your Communications (formerly known as The Norweb Telecom Group) can now offer broadband services to 10 per cent of people in the areas covered by three of its four licences. In the fourth licence area, Your Communications has also almost reached the target, according to the Radiocommunications Agency.
The other five companies have all failed to hit the 10 per cent rollout target, which the government specifically included in the licence conditions. As such, their licences could be revoked and offered to other companies under the "Use it or lose it" condition that is meant to prevent companies winning licences and then failing to make use of them.
However, Patricia Hewitt, secretary of state at the DTI, has decided to give these five until 31 December, 2003, to achieve this minimum requirement of 10 per cent rollout.
There's nothing easy about starting an ISP, let alone a wireless one, however we doubt this latest move will have any great impact. Certainly ISPs would welcome it.
If anything the need to expand faster than the fixed-line based competition (ADSL etc.) should be incentive enough, more @ Silicon. |
ISP Offers Ireland Unmetered Dialup
By:mark.j @ 1:26:PM - News Comments - SendNews [HERE] / PrintNews [HERE] UTV Internet has become the only ISP in the Irish market to offer an unmetered off-peak Internet access service.
Users will be able to surf for up to 150hours per month during off-peak periods at a cost of EUR29.99 per month. So what's the catch? You'll also need to subscribe to their telephony package:
According to Martin Lyons, chief technology officer of UTV Internet, the ISP decided to introduce the product because of the "huge demand" for flat-rate among Internet users in the Republic.
The ElectricNews item notes how Irelands unmetered history has been turbulent at best, we can only hope their first true unmetered service does better than the UKs early attempts. |
BTO Re-Launch Consumer ADSL Site
By:mark.j @ 1:18:PM - News Comments - SendNews [HERE] / PrintNews [HERE] UK ISP BTOpenworld has today announced the re-launch of their consumer broadband home page:
Consumer Broadband Home Page Successfully Re-launched by BT Openworld
http://www.btopenworld.com/bbhome
The default homepage for all BT Openworld consumer broadband ISP customers now incorporates a BBC interactive broadband news console - allowing customers to view the latest news whilst using their account. The site launched successfully - and on target - on Thursday August 29, 2002.
Due to the recent success of BT Openworld's destination sites the new homepage also features a dotmusic broadband console - taking customers straight into the dotmusic area, demonstrating the inherent value-added services of streaming and downloading music via the Internet.
To enhance the end-user experience further, a detachable service console has been included. This remains on the user's screen whilst surfing other sites, enabling quick and direct access back to BT Openworld's products, services and content. Thus providing the option for users to 'hop' back and forth between our services and third party sites.
Duncan Ingram, Senior Vice President of BT Openworld commented, "Our consumer broadband homepage has been redesigned to enhance the customer's enjoyment of the Internet. We aimed to make the whole web experience more intuitive - for example, the service console allows seamless integration with other sites that customers will visit whilst online."
An interactive promotional channel features on the site allowing advertisers to demonstrate products and services, each time a customer visits the page they will see different advertising content.
Ingram continued, "Aesthetically the site is more pleasing. Less text and simpler navigation were identified as two major drivers for the re-launch, which follows analysis of our customers' feedback."
The project was led by BT Openworld's in-house development team. |
Thomson Certifies ADSL Modems
By:mark.j @ 9:21:AM - News Comments - SendNews [HERE] / PrintNews [HERE] It should come as little surprise that Thomson have chosen today to announce that their SpeedTouch ADSL modems have proven fully interoperable by independent KTL's test report:
Thomson's SpeedTouch 530 recognized by KTL as the first fully TR-048 compliant DSL Modem
Thomson's strategy of developing fully interoperable DSL solutions for the broadband mass market has been boosted by an independent testing lab. The independent lab's results show Thomson's SpeedTouch 530 DSL modem as fully compliant with the DSL forum approved TR-048 test procedure.
KTL, an independent testing laboratory, has issued its first fully compliant TR-048 test report following the successful test results of the SpeedTouch 530 against the Alcatel ASAM 7300 SD. Other broadband solutions such as the SpeedTouch 330 and the SpeedTouch 510 will be tested at the DSL Forum Independent Testing Laboratory (ITL) in the future.
The TR-048 is a Technical Report (TR)-048 that defines technical criteria For interoperability developed by the DSL Forum and is the basis for the (ITL) program. It is also the reference for ADSL test plans. The ITL-approved testing suites are key vehicles through which broadband DSL vendors, such as Thomson, can verify that their products are interoperable. Service providers can also use the test results to reduce their in-house testing expenses.
Baudouin de la Tour, Vice President of the DSL Business within the Broadband Access Products and Services Business Unit, states: "Thomson designs its SpeedTouch broadband products to be on the forefront when it comes to interoperability, since only fully interoperable solutions can create a real broadband DSL mass market."
The DSL Forum officially launched the ITL program at the end of June 2002. TR-048, formerly WT-062, was published by the DSL Forum in April 2002. This represents the first of a range of standards being developed within the DSL Forum and aimed at bringing xDSL to mass markets. The initial standard looks at the interoperability of ADSL over POTS systems in Europe and North America.
Further standards are under development for ADSL over ISDN, SHDSL and VDSL. In order to give it a worldwide scope, additions to TR-048 are also being developed for the Asian markets. |
Mac-1 Internet - Satellite Price Drop
By:mark.j @ 9:14:AM - News Comments - SendNews [HERE] / PrintNews [HERE] Not long ago we reported on how the Bridge Broadband / Isonetric backed ISP Mac-1 Internet had altered some of its Satellite ISP prices, yet at the time the details were unclear.
Today the ISP has kindly furnished us with another price cut update, although take note of how much they're charging for hardware!:
Something to REALLY Smile about!!
Smile Broadband, sister company to Mac-1 Internet Ltd, launch their first major offer to encourage and promote satellite Broadband in the UK.
They are offering to the first 5000 customers who take up the offer on their Bronze Service (single user), which is 512k download, 128k upload two-way connectivity, Free Installation, Free eMail account, Free Support, unlimited transfer rate and always-on access, for... wait for it... £75.00 + VAT per month and £2000 + VAT hardware fee, on a 12 month contract.
Phil Gilbert, operations manager for the company said "This kind of promotion sets the standards for satellite broadband in the UK."
This is their commitment and pledge to provide accessible and affordable broadband solutions to the UK, boldly going where no provider has gone before!
We certainly hope that this kind of promotion DOESN'T set the standards for satellite broadband in the UK! At £2000 just for the hardware (where did they pluck that price from?) it's a ridiculous price to pay, suddenly BTOpenworld looks cheap.
Quite how some of these Satellite ISPs are coming up with ultra-high Installation costs is a mystery. You don’t need military grade kit to pickup Internet access via a Satellite. |
BTO ISP & Data Protection - Update
By:mark.j @ 9:02:AM - News Comments - SendNews [HERE] / PrintNews [HERE] BTOpenwoe has updated a previous item in which it had been complained to them that while BTOpenworld would release a persons personal details for a fee, unmetered usage would remain protected.
This came about through concern that BTOpenworld were booting unmetered dialup customers whom firmly believed their usage wasn't as high as the ISP had claimed.
Thankfully BTOpenwoe has received a reply from the Information Commissioner HERE, which appears to confirm that usage information is considered part of personal data:
* Section 7 of the Data Protection Act 1998 confers on individuals the right to know if any organisation is holding information about them either on computer or in manual. This provision also gives individuals the right to apply for a copy of the information which is held as personal data about them. These rights are known as subject access rights.
* Any organisation which processes personal data should respond to a request, even if no data are held at all relating to the individual who has applied.
We've also heard from other ISPs that when personal details have been requested, the usage information on their account is always included if required. This is good information to have by you for any ISP choosing to question it. |
Broadband Success Sits With Suppliers
By:mark.j @ 8:52:AM - News Comments - SendNews [HERE] / PrintNews [HERE] Adoption of broadband Internet access services in the public sector now relies upon whether suppliers are willing to offer a good deal, claims the Office of Government Commerce (OGC):
The OGC is inviting to suppliers to bid for framework contracts to underpin government plans to combine public sector demand for broadband to drive investment in rural infrastructure. The idea is to negotiate a series of contracts that can be used by all public sector buyers.
The OGC hopes the contracts will help cut public sector broadband bills and boost take-up. But to some extent the success of the project will be up to the suppliers, says George Harrold, commercial director of OGC buying.solutions, the trading arm responsible for letting and managing the contracts.
'If the supply side came forward with attractive proposals and we can come up with good terms which people find easy to use then this will be the real deal.
More @ VNUNet. |
NTL Test 1Mbps Broadband Price Cut
By:mark.j @ 8:47:AM - News Comments - SendNews [HERE] / PrintNews [HERE] DigitalSpy reports that customers of NTLs 1Mbps broadband Cable Modem service in the South East are being offered the service at just £34.99 per month!
The standard price is £49.99 and only Telewest offers it at £35, yet you'd need to purchase another service from the operator:
It is understood from sources at the operator that this is currently a regional trial; and there are discussions underway about extending this nationally in the long-term. If it were to be rolled out across all ntl franchises, it would effectively equalise the price of 1Mbps cable modem service across ntl:home and Telewest Broadband.
Certainly this would be in line with previous media announcements about the two cable operators teaming up under the "Broadband Cable" banner against DSL providers.
It's also reported that NTL is equalising the middle-tier "silver" downstream service to 600kbps. |
Top 10 Fastest ADSL ISPs - August 2002
By:mark.j @ 8:41:AM - News Comments - SendNews [HERE] / PrintNews [HERE] ADSLGuide has once again published their list of the Top 10 fastest broadband ADSL ISPs:
1 - Zen Internet 426 Kbps
2 - Freedom 2 Surf PLC 426 Kbps
3 - Nildram 422 Kbps
4 - Eclipse Internet 420 Kbps
5 - One.Tel 419 Kbps
6 - Freeserve 416 Kbps
7 - Demon 415 Kbps
8 - BTOpenworld 406 Kbps
9 - PlusNet 396 Kbps
10 - PIPEX Internet Limited 368 Kbps |
The FRIACO Intelligent Network Charge
By:mark.j @ 8:29:AM - News Comments - SendNews [HERE] / PrintNews [HERE] FRIACO, the system that allows the majority of dialup ISPs to offer comparatively affordable unmetered access, could see a change to its intelligent network charge.
Oftel has REPORTED receiving complaints about the current level of the IN charge for FRIACO, thus the regulator is now investigating:
On 26 May 2000 the Director General made a Direction, which at paragraph 4.3 permitted BT to make a "reasonable additional charge" for any Intelligent Network services, needed to route FRIACO calls, provided by BT to other operators. These provisions were extended to apply to Single Tandem FRIACO services in a Direction published on 15 May 2002.
Having received complaints about the current level of the IN charge for FRIACO, Oftel is investigating the level of that charge. Oftel considers a modification to BT’s licence is necessary to meet Oftel’s policy objectives on this matter. Oftel intends to publish a consultation document setting out the proposed licence modification, together with a draft of the Direction to amend the May 2000 Direction and a draft determination setting the proposed charges, by early October 2002.
End users (ISP subscribers) need not worry about any of this; however others should note that any comments must be in by 20th September 2002. |
News - September 4,2002
Propelling The Broadband Bandwagon
By:mark.j @ 2:36:PM - News Comments - SendNews [HERE] / PrintNews [HERE] UK telecoms regulator Oftel has uploaded a new publication entitled 'Propelling The Broadband Bandwagon', which is designed as a piece of strategic policy research.
It looks at a number of issues including as the UK governments attitude toward broadband services and so forth.
You can download it HERE, however please be aware that it's very long and written in Adobe Acrobat format (.PDF). |
Gio Internet ISP Launches ADSL
By:mark.j @ 2:29:PM - News Comments - SendNews [HERE] / PrintNews [HERE] The unmetered dialup ISP Gio Internet has today announced the introduction of broadband ADSL services and a spiffy new webpage design (same one we previewed before):
Gio Internet today launched its much awaited ADSL services along with its new website.
Gio Internet's offering includes:-
Home 500 @ £24.95 incl VAT
SoHo 500 @ £59.95
BusNet 1000 @ £89.95
BusNet 2000 @ £129.95
For more information please visit http://www.giointernet.com or call 0870 922 4000 |
Broadband Keeps Wanadoo Afloat
By:mark.j @ 1:10:PM - News Comments - SendNews [HERE] / PrintNews [HERE] France Telecom's ISP, Wanadoo, which is otherwise known as Europe's second largest ISP and the group behind UK ISP Freeserve, has reported a narrower first half net loss.
Its net loss fell to £25Million from 102 million euros in the year earlier period. "I confirm our goal to reach a net profit in 2003 if things remain constant," Wanadoo Chairman Nicolas Dufourcq said in a conference call on Wednesday.
Europe's second largest ISP revealed a core profit (EBITDA / earnings before interest), tax, depreciation and amortisation of 28 million euros in the first half, lifted by the growth of its domestic broadband and directories businesses and via an ongoing cost-cutting campaign.
Wanadoo, whose stock has lost more than 15% of its value this year, also said it expected to reach positive operating free cash flow in 2003.
Apparently Wanadoo's focus in 2002 will continue to be on the UK market, where it operates the loss-making ISP Freeserve, and the integration of newly-acquired Spanish ISP eresMas, rather than on new acquisitions. |
Broadband ADSL Wireless Modems?
By:mark.j @ 8:56:AM - News Comments - SendNews [HERE] / PrintNews [HERE] Wouldn't it be nice if you could kill two birds with one stone by including Wi-Fi (Wireless) networking in an ADSL or Cable Modem? Well apparently Conexant Systems is to do just that.
The communications chipmaker plans to add Intersil Wi-Fi chips to the semiconductors it builds for high-speed cable or digital subscriber line (DSL) modems:
Such an integrated product will help manufacturers to build a set-top box that creates its own wireless network instead of just connecting to an outside wireless network. Normally Wi-Fi networking chips are located in hardware that hangs on a ceiling or wall and provides access within a 300-foot area.
"(It is) the next step in the evolution of Wi-Fi," said Intersil spokesman Ron Paciello.
Paciello said these new kinds of Wi-Fi modems should start to surface by the end of the year. Using them, customers could, for example, make telephone calls over the Internet via a television, or use one device to send digital TV signals and computer games wirelessly to different computers or TVs, Conexant spokeswoman Gwen Carlson said.
It was only a matter of time before somebody thought of doing this, although as the ZDNet item states, you'll have to wait a few months yet. |
ASA Slaps BT For Telewest Complaint
By:mark.j @ 8:48:AM - News Comments - SendNews [HERE] / PrintNews [HERE] The Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) has NOT upheld several complaints made by BT over two of Telewests recent advertising letters:
1. challenged whether mailing (a) misleadingly implied that BT Together was BT's cheapest package;
Conclusion: The Authority concluded that the mailing did not misleadingly imply that BT Together was BT's cheapest package.
2. objected that the claim "Telewest gives you more for less" in mailing (a) misleadingly implied that BT offered no advantages over and above those offered by the telephone service element of Telewest's basic package;
Conclusion: It considered that the advertisers had made clear the basis of comparison and concluded that they had shown they offered more services than the complainants.
3. challenged whether mailing (b) misleadingly compared the advertisers' service with the cost of line rental with the BT Together package only and
Conclusion: The Authority concluded that, because the advertisers had made the basis of comparison clear, the mailing was not misleading.
4. challenged whether mailing (b) unfairly denigrated BT's trademark and services.
Conclusion: The Authority considered that, in the context of a competitive market, the tone of the advertisement was light-hearted. It concluded that the mailing did not unfairly denigrate BT.
You can read the full piece HERE, although no doubt Telewest will have a smile on their faces today. |
Telewest Denies Job Cutting Report
By:mark.j @ 8:39:AM - News Comments - SendNews [HERE] / PrintNews [HERE] The UKs second largest cable operator, Telewest, has today denied reports that it's planning to shed a further 1,000 jobs and cut capital spending by a third as part of its restructuring:
Telewest is in the midst of a complex restructuring and is preparing to reorganise its debts by swapping debt for shares.
The firm is due to seek shareholder approval on Wednesday for the sale of its 17% stake in Scottish media group SMG.
"We currently have no plans for any more job cuts other than those we've talked about," a Telewest spokeswoman told Reuters news agency.
The BBCNews item reminds us of how Telewest cut 1,500 jobs earlier in the year. |
Easynet ISP Reports Losses
By:mark.j @ 8:31:AM - News Comments - SendNews [HERE] / PrintNews [HERE] The pan-European ISP Easynet has today reported increased losses in the first half of the year despite a strong rise in group revenues. Apparently pre-tax losses for the six months to the end of June were £53.07m up from £10.59m a year ago.
Loss per share widened to 47.9p from 38.4p a year ago but revenues for continuing operations increased 46 per cent to £41.6m.
Easynet also said it had moved into EBITDA profitability in July and added it was confident it would meet its year-end targets for revenue, EBITDA and cash. |
Fix For Fujitsu FDX-310 Sync Problem
By:mark.j @ 8:25:AM - News Comments - SendNews [HERE] / PrintNews [HERE] ADSLGuide reports that those whom received their free Fujitsu FDX-310 ADSL modem from PIPEX may have experienced problems, such as the modem loosing synchronisation every few minutes.
Thankfully there's now a 'possible' fix HERE, however you should only try it if you're a PIPEX customer and have been seeing said problems. |
BTO Launch Plug & Go - Line Only ADSL
By:mark.j @ 8:21:AM - News Comments - SendNews [HERE] / PrintNews [HERE] UK ISP BTOpenworld has announced the launch of Plug & Go - Line
Only, which is a special package for converting a customer's home phone into a high speed broadband ADSL connection:
BT OPENWORLD OFFERS CUSTOMERS GREATER CHOICE WITH 'LINE ONLY' BROADBAND
BTOpenworld has expanded its consumer broadband portfolio with a lower cost, self-install solution which comes without hardware.
The ISP's Home 500 Plug & Go - Line Only product is designed to give customers increased choice over the make-up of their broadband connection. Their home phone will be converted to a high speed broadband line, with customers free to source their own compatible equipment, i.e. an ADSL modem (with USB connection) and telephone filters.
The Line Only option will provide home users with a high speed broadband internet connection for just £65.00 including VAT. Monthly rental charges are £29.99 a month including VAT.
BT Openworld will also continue to offer Home 500 Plug & Go with modem and telephone filters included, as well as an engineer-install option. The ISP currently has more than 120,000 consumer broadband customers, and has seen sales more than double since the initial launch of Plug & Go in March 2002.
Duncan Ingram, senior vice-president of consumer at BT Openworld said: "Our aim is to make BT Openworld the first choice for consumer broadband by developing a range of products to meet different customer needs. This will include a choice of equipment options, speeds, and bundled content and applications.
The launch of the Line Only option is an important step in this direction. It gives users the freedom to get connected and choose the equipment that matches their own criteria, without having to pay extra for bundled, standard hardware."
For more information on Home 500 Plug & Go - Line Only, please visit
http://www.btopenworld.com
It looks as if BTOpenworld is finally catching up with what other ISPs have been offering for sometime, pity about the price. |
News - September 3,2002
PlusNET Touts Broadband Success
By:mark.j @ 3:34:PM - News Comments - SendNews [HERE] / PrintNews [HERE] Popular UK ISP PlusNET has today issued a new press release remarking upon the success of their two week old broadband ADSL Starter Packs:
Lowest cost 'Get-Started with Broadband' pronounced huge success
PlusNet's new ADSL starter packs prove a hit with the customers
PlusNet, the first choice for low cost and high value Internet connections, today announced the remarkable success of their ADSL Starter Pack launched just two weeks ago to compliment their existing range of high-speed Internet accounts.
"We know everybody wants broadband Internet. Now we've not only made it simpler for you to get great value high-speed Internet, we've made it so attractively priced we reckon you can't get cheaper," said Alistair Wyse, Technical Director of PlusNet Technologies Ltd. "With our ADSL services starting from only £17.86 and now with hardware cost price from £24.99, it's no wonder more and more people are coming to PlusNet."
Buying your hardware from PlusNet works out even cheaper than if sourced independently from PC vendors and retailers. With their already established position in the mature ISP marketplace, this makes PlusNet the obvious choice - for both those already 'in the know' and those new to the 'Net.
Starter packs include everything you need in order to get started with broadband ADSL Internet: your telephone line activation, 2 ADSL line splitters and the option of internal modem, external modem or a network-compatible router. Not only that but PlusNet fully support the hardware supplied, as well as the service provided, making PlusNet truly the one-stop shop for ADSL.
"Since launch we have already seen a 35% average increase in total number of people signing up to broadband Internet," explained Wyse. He continued, "Of our new broadband customers, over 45% are choosing to opt for the ADSL Starter Pack options. This we think is phenomenally successful and goes beyond the figures we had forecast."
You can find out more about PlusNet's Starter Packs and sign up today for their great range of broadband ADSL services for Home and Business at http://www.plus.net |
Scotland Hosts Powerline Forum
By:mark.j @ 2:49:PM - News Comments - SendNews [HERE] / PrintNews [HERE] Powerline, the under trial technology used for delivering broadband Internet access via power cables, is to get yet another boost.
SSE Telecom is to host a major Powerline discussion forum to help promote and gain support for the technology:
SCOTLAND TO HOST MAJOR POWERLINE COMMUNICATIONS FORUM
SSE Telecom is to host a major international forum in Edinburgh in September to bring together manufacturers, utility companies and research organisations in the field of powerline communication technology (PLC). PLC offers an opportunity to establish broadband communications using the most wide-spread, pre-existing infrastructure – the electricity network, delivering service through house and office wiring to any standard power sockets. SSE Telecom is pioneering affordable broadband services in rural areas with PLC projects in Campbeltown and Crieff.
The forum “Powerline Communications – the World in your socket!” is expected to attract around 60 key delegates from Europe, America and Asia. The event will be held in central Edinburgh from the 11th to the 13th of September.
Scottish and Southern Energy was a founding member of the original Powerline Communications Forum, which had its inaugural meeting in Crieff, in 1999.
Dr Keith MacLean, Director of SSE Telecom, said: “We are very pleased that the plcforum has accepted our invitation to bring this event to Scotland. PLC technology is an exciting opportunity to utilise the electricity network for broadband communication. Here in Scotland, with our partners Scottish Enterprise, Highlands and Islands Enterprise and Perth & Kinross Council, we are implementing pilots in Campbeltown and Crieff with the intention of establishing that PLC can be used to bring broadband services to rural towns and villages in Scotland very much in line with the aspirations of the DTI and Scottish Executive’s Broadband strategy.
I look forward to hosting the event and I am sure that Edinburgh, with traditional Scottish hospitality, will be a very popular choice for delegates from Japan, Europe and the USA who are working throughout the world to promote PLC. The event will allow us to share experiences and compare technological advances in PLC from around the world.”
While Powerline does have a number of problems to resolve, especially in the UK, this is still another promising step in the right direction. |
Growing UK Cable Modem Shipments
By:mark.j @ 2:42:PM - News Comments - SendNews [HERE] / PrintNews [HERE] Cable Modems, the broadband adaptors used by cable operators such as NTL and Telewest to deliver ISP and TV services, recorded a high rate of growth in the shipment market last year:
Dataquest found that in 2001, the EMEA (European, Middle East and Africa) cable modem market grew 48 per cent (compared to 155 per cent in 2000) to around 1.4 million units. Revenues topped $190 million in 2001, down on the year due mainly to a fall in the price of cable modems.
Motorola, Com21 and Terayon - the largest cable modem vendors in EMEA - accounted for more than four out of five shipments in 2001.
Looking ahead, Gartner forecasts that shipments in the EMEA cable modem market will almost triple to almost four million units by the end of 2006 compared to 2001.
On the flip side and The Register reports that 2002 will see the first revenue DECLINE for xDSL equipment in EMEA since 1998, yet this will improve. Cable Modem shipments are predicted to record a 34% growth in 2002. |
Zipcoms Uptime Guaranteed SDSL
By:mark.j @ 11:17:AM - News Comments - SendNews [HERE] / PrintNews [HERE] Zipcom, an independent UK telecoms operator, has launched its new business HighwaySDSL (symmetrical digital subscriber line) service, which is priced at £399 per month for 2Mb/s (both ways):
Zipcom launches uptime guaranteed business SDSL
Zipcom, the independent UK telecoms operator, is making SDSL (symmetrical digital subscriber line) even more affordable with the launch of its HighwaySDSL service, which not only provides the same connection speed as other similar services, but also offers exceptional service quality at a lower price.
Zipcom’s HighwaySDSL service, priced from £399 per month for 2Mb/s takes advantage of Zipcom’s independently owned and managed national network.
Included in the £399 per month headline price - is the cost of installation, a fully managed router and a comprehensive Service Level Agreement (SLA) guaranteeing 99.92% uptime, so there are no hidden charges. This is an issue worth looking into when making comparisons to other SDSL products on the market.
Zipcom is the only SDSL provider to guarantee this level of service. Many other providers make an additional charge of up to £595 per year, for a limited support package, which offers very little financial compensation in the event of failure to meet agreed service levels.
Zipcom also offers each customer a dedicated account manager, providing a single point of contact for all enquiries.
Zipcom’s SDSL service is currently being rolled-out across Points of Presence (PoPs) in Manchester, Leeds, Birmingham, Slough, Ealing, Coventry, Reading, Oxford, Aylesbury, Bolton, Stockport and Luton. A nation-wide roll-out is planned, driving forward the availability of next-generation broadband services to businesses outside central London.
Grahame Purvis, CEO of Zipcom comments, “We are expecting a huge demand for this new service. By providing SDSL at very competitive prices, without compromising on quality of service or SLAs, Zipcom is making next generation technology available to all UK businesses.” |
SurfAnyTime ISP Suspends Registrations
By:mark.j @ 11:10:AM - News Comments - SendNews [HERE] / PrintNews [HERE] The unmetered dialup ISP SurfAnyTime has unfortunately been forced to suspending new registrations to their service due to "Affinity totally screwing up a network upgrade".
Thankfully this is only reported as a temporary measure and their 128Kbps ISDN package/platform, which is independently run, is completely unaffected:
Over the past few weeks, our customers have been experiencing a deterioration in their service.
As our customers will know, we are not in the business of provided sub-standard service and together with Affinity Internet, are working to return to our high levels of connectivity. We have already begun migrating users to a new platform, this in turn will free resources for other users.
To help this process run as smoothly and quickly as possible, we have taken the responsible decision not to accept any new FRIACO registrations until the service levels return to their usual high standard.
We apologise to any prospective customers who wished to join, once our migration is complete, our service will be better than ever !
This decision has been made by SurfAnytime, not Affinity Internet.
This would explain their recent addition to our ISP complaints page; hopefully things will be back to normal soon. |
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