May 24, 2002 - May 29, 2002
News - May 29,2002
NTL Bosses Paid Bonuses?
By:mark.j @ 4:15:PM - News Comments - SendNews [HERE] / PrintNews [HERE] Despite helping to drive the UKs largest cable operator into the ground, it has emerged today that NTL bosses paid themselves almost $2m in bonuses:
According to documents obtained by the FT, CEO Barclay Knapp received a $561,138 bonus, along with the chairman George Blumenthal. CFO John Gregg received even more, netting $591,250 in extra payments.
These bonuses were awarded as a debt restructuring in April left NTL shareholders out in the cold.
Now wasn't that nice of them? More @ Silicon. |
E-Commerce Minister Removed
By:mark.j @ 4:09:PM - News Comments - SendNews [HERE] / PrintNews [HERE] The E-Commerce Minster, Douglas Alexander, has found himself out of the position following today’s Cabinet reshuffle and no replacement has been announced:
The Department of Trade and Industry was unable to confirm that Alexander was vacating the e-commerce brief, but a spokeswoman did indicate to ZDNet UK News that the move was likely to have taken place.
It is not yet clear who will replace Alexander, who many saw as a surprise appointment last year, but an announcement is expected soon.
More @ ZDNet. |
TW blueyonder Extends 1Mbps Trial
By:mark.j @ 4:01:PM - News Comments - SendNews [HERE] / PrintNews [HERE] DigitalSpy is reporting that Telewests broadband and unmetered dialup ISP, blueyonder, has extended its 1Mbps cable modem service trial by two weeks:
The extra time has been given to "process the overwhelming amount of feedback" received from customers in the trial area. 1,500 triallists have signed up for the service, filling the operator's quota.
The company's Head of Internet Services, Chad Raube, said: "We always knew our blueyonder customers were passionate about their internet, but the 1Mb trial has been a really positive experience. Around 90% of those involved have told us their expectations have been met or surpassed.
We are now even more confident that, if we get the service quality and the pricing right, a 1Mb residential service will offer a very exciting enhancement for customers who yearn to go even faster." |
Yahoo Messenger Security Flaw
By:ross @ 3:54:PM - News Comments - SendNews [HERE] / PrintNews [HERE] The latest version of Yahoo's instant messenger software (YIM) contains a series of holes which could allow a hacker to take over a user's PC.
The vulnerabilities in the software, which is used by up to 60 million people, allow the unauthorised execution of programs on a YIM user's machine via buffer overflows or injections of Java or Visual Basic script in the instant messenger content tabs.
Yahoo has already released a patch here but this will temporarily restrict the functionality of the software until the company secures the full version.
Source: Silicon |
IMPORTANT: ISPr Systems Offline
By:mark.j @ 3:11:PM - News Comments - SendNews [HERE] / PrintNews [HERE] UPDATE: I've managed to gain access to the backups and have recovered enough to keep ISPr updated, unfortunately things will be slower for a couple of weeks until I can recover everything onto a new system, which I don't have ATM.
My E-Mail is now operating for any new messages, although any sent after around 11am could have been lost.
Unfortunately all of ISP Reviews E-Mails, essential data, contacts and links have been destroyed . This was caused by a massive failure of the primary server; it has not recovered and is unlikely to within the next 12-24 hours bar miracle.
In other words only Ross and Dan will be able to make any kind of normal news update as I have no way to access my essential files or folders and they will most likely be completely lost. Hopefully if Richard is still alive then he can also help out.
Note that none of this affects the site itself, it simply means that I’ve lost all essential ‘local’ files to ISPr's operation – everything. I can’t do proper news updates or.. well.. anything.
It could take several days or more to resolve this problem, although as it stands I can’t get into the main HD to save the essential data files, thus I can’t even begin a recovery procedure. In 15-20 years of using computers I’ve never seen such an unusual and destructive problem as this. |
AlphaPhe ISP Preps ADSL Service
By:mark.j @ 9:13:AM - News Comments - SendNews [HERE] / PrintNews [HERE] The unmetered dialup ISP AlphaPhe appears to have begun promotion for its future broadband ADSL services, due to go live on 4th of July 2002.
Interestingly the details on the ADSL registration page now appear to have vanished, although Keith managed to grab the details before that occurred:
The AlphaPhe.Net ADSL Trio
On or around The 4th of July 2002 AlphaPhe.Net will launch its much-awaited ADSL offerings. There are three ADSL packages to choose from, each of them carrying a full compliment of value added features. There's a package for those that don't want to be tied into a long contract, one for those that don't want to pay set-up fees and/or hardware costs up front, and even one for those that want to use their own hardware.
In addition, users will also receive completely FREE access to our 24/7 unmetered access number, whilst their ADSL order is being processed and installed.
As a special limited introductory offer, we are currently accepting pre-launch sign-ups, with a massive 25% discount for the first three month's access. This promotion is only for a limited number of users, we want to stay in business you know... :-)
Details from the missing ADSL page:
ADSL Package 1: £75* per quarter (£25* per month)
Set Up Fee: £50.00
Minimum Contract - 3 Months
PLEASE NOTE: THIS PACKAGE DOES NOT INCLUDE AN ADSL MODEM OR OTHER HARDWARE. IT IS DOWN TO THE USER TO PROVIDE ALL HARDWARE
ADSL Package 2: £75* per quarter (£25* per month)
Set Up Fee: £50.00
ADSL Modem Cost: £65.00
Minimum Contract - 3 Months
PLEASE NOTE: THE INITIAL COST OF THIS PACKAGE INCLUDES AN ADSL MODEM AND MICROFILTER
ADSL Package 3: £105* per quarter (£35* per month)
Minimum Contract - 12 Months
PLEASE NOTE: THE COST OF THIS PACKAGE INCLUDES AN ADSL MODEM, MICROFILTER, AND SETUP FEE. HENCE THE HIGHER QUARTERLY PAYMENT THAN THE OTHER 2 PACKAGES
Note that you'll need to make an initial payment for the first quarter subscription, which can vary slightly in price depending on whether you use a credit card or other payment method. |
Nildram Details Satellite ISP Trial
By:mark.j @ 8:54:AM - News Comments - SendNews [HERE] / PrintNews [HERE] Following on from BTs announcement below and the details from Eclipse yesterday, today it's the turn of Nildram, who've issued a press release on what they'll be doing with BTs wholesale satellite ISP trial:
Nildram selected for High-Speed Satellite Trial
Nildram, one of the UK's leading providers of Broadband ADSL Internet access, have today announced their participation in newly launched High-Speed Satellite Trial from BT.
Internet users who have been unable to get a Broadband ADSL connection because of their geographical location, can now transform their existing internet access by adding a high speed, 'always on', internet download capability with speeds up to 256kp/s, via a 65cm satellite dish. In addition users can select a higher download speeds up to 4mbit/s for specific tasks when needed. Files can be delivered even when the user is 'offline', providing the PC and receiver are left switched on. Satellite is a variable bit rate (VBR) service, designed for single PC users. It is ideal for applications requiring large data downstream download, such as email, text, graphics, video and audio etc.
Key Features
The Satellite service provides fast internet service with a basic download speed of up to 256kbp/s. Bandwidth Management enables users to select one of four optional preferred speeds, for even faster data download during an internet session. Optional speeds are 512kbps, 1Mbp/s, 2Mbp/s or 4Mbp/s, charged on a pay-as-you go basis. An on-line service supports audio and video streaming and, off-line, emails will continue to be received, even when the PC is not connected to the internet, providing the PC and receiver are switched on. Popular web content will be automatically updated and cached off-line on users PC. In addition, a Request For Download service permits non urgent files and large information sources to be downloaded during certain hours of the day from any web site onto the end users PC free of charge.
Anyone interested in learning more about the Satellite Trial can register their interest by e-mailing satellite@nildram.net to receive details as soon as they are published.
Iain Ogilvie, Nildram's Marketing Manager comments: "We are pleased to have been selected for the trial as it reinforces Nildram's commitment to providing High-Speed Internet access across the UK." He continues: "Satellite connection will enable faster Internet access for those that, up until now, have been too far from an ADSL enabled exchange -we believe it will prove to be popular!" |
Data Retention Plans In Trouble
By:mark.j @ 8:50:AM - News Comments - SendNews [HERE] / PrintNews [HERE] Apparently the European Parliament's privacy invading plans to retain personal data from online activity for lengthy periods could be in danger of failing, which can only be a good thing:
According to Statewatch a number of EU governments are working on a draft Framework Decision to make it binding on all 15 EU states to implement a new law requiring the retention of traffic and location data - as soon as opposition in the European Parliament is overcome.
A letter, protesting the proposals, has been endorsed by 16,206 signatories, including individuals and 40 civil liberties organisations from 15 countries. Campaigners are urging MEPs to vote with their conscience - and oppose the controversial amendment.
The EU Communications Data Protection Directive includes proposals on spam and cookies, themselves controversial subjects, but wrangles over these subjects have receded as the focus has moved onto the controversial subject of data retention.
No doubt we'll be hearing more on this soon, although to allow such an unregulated system is a crime in itself. More @ The Register. |
BT Announce Wholesale Satellite Trials
By:mark.j @ 8:45:AM - News Comments - SendNews [HERE] / PrintNews [HERE] Much as expected, BT has officially announced the trials for its new wholesale Satellite ISP services and also reduced some of the costs!:
BT SATELLITE INTERNET TRIALS TO START ON MAY 31
BT Wholesale confirmed today that trials of its new internet satellite service - capable of delivering fast Internet to customers right across the UK - will begin on May 31.
The six month trial will involve six independent satellite service providers, which together with BT will look at customer usage and demand for the service. The trial will allow always-on receipt of e-mail from the major UK internet service providers, as well as fast download of music, photos and other documents.
Paul Reynolds, chief executive of BT Wholesale, said: "We are absolutely committed to bringing the latest communication services to as many people as possible on the best terms possible. This satellite solution enables us to offer affordable high-speed connections where it is impossible with our other technologies.
Our aim is that it will become part of the framework that will build up to enable broadband Britain."
The satellite service providers selected to work on the trial include: PlusNet; Eclipse Internet; izR Solutions; and KB Media.
The wholesale price for the trial will be £10 a month rental to service providers, with a one-off connection charge of £360 for the equipment and installation of the dish at the end user's site for most sites.
It's certainly nice to see the wholesale priced reduced by a further £5, which would make it more competitive with some existing One-Way solutions.
The service itself will use a 65cm dish and is an 'always-on' style broadband service; even if the government’s official line is that you're not on broadband until speeds are above 384Kbps (Patricia Hewitt), or something ridiculous like that.
Online gamers need not apply; Satellite services have never been good for multiplayer due to the lengthy relay times. Even the fastest digital solutions can take 250/300ms to respond. |
THUS On Broadband Road (Hole) Tax
By:mark.j @ 8:37:AM - News Comments - SendNews [HERE] / PrintNews [HERE] THUS Telecom, the group behind ISPs such a Demon Internet, has attacked the government over its highly controversial tax on those needing to dig up roads in order to install a broadband link.
The measures could see operators such as NTL, which uses underground fibre optic cable links, forced to pay up to £500 for every day they spend carrying out the work. This could easily be passed on as an extra cost to consumers and has been dubbed the "Hole Tax".:
Thus has calculated that the measure could raise its installation costs by nearly 40 percent, and the company claims that telcos would be forced to either pass this cost on to their customers in the form of higher prices, or rein back their network rollout.
The scheme is being trialled in Middlesborough and Camden in London and -- as ZDNet reported earlier this month -- there are growing concerns that adopting the plan nationwide could damage the rollout of high-speed Internet services.
"We at Thus calculate that if the regulation had been in force last year the cost of installing our equipment would have been 37 percent higher," said Bill Allan, chief executive of Thus, in a statement.
While we can understand both sides of the problem, the simple fact is that customer prices would have to go up in order to sustain payments of such a hefty tax, invariable damaging a fledgling technology.
The move was supposed to help limit utility companies causing traffic delays, although much like the governments proposed road toll system, it penalises everybody for what must be done (essential) regardless of cost. Wonderful, more stealth taxes from Labour. More @ ZDNet. |
Intel - LLU Essential To EU Broadband
By:mark.j @ 8:25:AM - News Comments - SendNews [HERE] / PrintNews [HERE] While most seem to agree that local loop unbundling (LLU) is rapidly becoming a lost cause, Intel (chip giant) still believes it’s an essential requirement for consumer broadband:
Gordon Graylish, director of the Intel's EMEA communications group, said: "It's something that we can't back away from. We think local loop unbundling is essential for ensuring a competitive European broadband market."
Speaking at the same conference, Forrester analyst Lars Godell, said: "Whatever Intel thinks, LLU is a dead end in Europe, and there have been court cases recently in America which could see LLU becoming a dead end there too."
The LLU process, which sees alternative companies provide broadband by placing their own equipment in local exchanges owned by the incumbent telecoms companies such as BT, has been a dismal failure in Europe.
The Silicon item finishes up by noting how only 800,000 lines have been unbundled across Europe, which includes just 200 or so from the UK. |
News - May 28,2002
Tele2's Broadband Scheme - The Truth?
By:mark.j @ 3:33:PM - News Comments - SendNews [HERE] / PrintNews [HERE] Remember Tele2's Bringing Broadband 2 You plan? The one where you're supposed to get 100 clients interested within a 15km radius and they'll then bring fixed wireless broadband to you.
If so then you may like to know that the offer isn't all that it seems, we'll let one of those involved explain:
I have emailed the address given on the bringingbroadband2you website and received no reply in over a month. I did get a reply from the PR company who said they have sent a press release to the local press, but I never saw it, nor did they give me a list of the papers the release went to which they promised they would.
I have also spoken to a Tele2 rep whom stated that they ‘require at least 100 clients on the BUSINESS rate’ before they will consider bringing broadband to you. A slight difference in price there (£60+ per month difference actually).
Just thought your readers who are desperately rallying to get 100 subscribers should know that it may be an exercise in futility.
Typically the note about this only being for 100 'BUSINESS RATE' customers isn't stated on the site, indeed only the £39 per month offer is mentioned in any great capacity. |
BTO & Intel Offer SME Broadband
By:mark.j @ 3:22:PM - News Comments - SendNews [HERE] / PrintNews [HERE] BTOpenworld are teaming up with the Intel, the CPU giant, to offer combined PC and broadband access packages:
BTOPENWORLD AND INTEL TEAM TO OFFER SMEs BROADBAND SOLUTION
A joint venture between BTopenworld and Intel will enable resellers to provide business customers with a combined package of Intel® Pentium® 4 processor-based PCs and a choice of broadband Internet access services from the BTopenworld range. The special deals will be launched at the Birmingham Intel Channel Conference on May 28, 2002.
Tony Harris, president Business Internet Services at BTopenworld said: "Intel Pentium 4 processor-based PCs are the perfect fit with our services. This high-performance platform unleashes the full potential of broadband Internet access by bringing an enhanced Internet experience, faster video and audio, and richer 3D graphics. The package simplifies the sales proposition for dealers by enabling them to offer high-performance PCs and add real value through the provision of high-speed Internet services. This combination of hardware and broadband connectivity has been proven to boost productivity and improve customer contact, while controlling Internet costs. Utilising Intel's reseller channels, BTopenworld anticipates more than 30,000 orders over the next 12 months."
Under the new programme, Intel Product Integrator resellers (IPIs) can offer their customers a choice of BTopenworld's broadband services for single or multi-users. In addition to benefiting from reseller financial incentives, dealers will also be able to offer their customers six months' free access to the BTopenworld Internet Business Pack. The pack provides everything a small business needs to create an online presence including a static IP address, a .co.uk domain name and access to advice through BTopenworld's online resource centre. Extra incentives are also being offered to the first 300 IPIs to sign-up.
Mark Whitby, director for Northern Europe at Intel said: "Working with BTopenworld we have put together a package that makes it easy for our dealers' customers to combine high-performance processing with super-fast Internet access. We believe that broadband Internet access can revolutionise the way small and medium enterprises do business and this initiative is just one part of Intel's overall investment to encourage the take-up of broadband in the UK."
In addition to all of the benefits of high-speed Internet access, which can be up to 40 times faster than traditional dial up access, businesses can also be confident that they will derive long-term benefits from their investment. The Pentium 4 processor-based PCs provide headroom for new applications in the future and the BTopenworld broadband products include progressive upgrade paths as business requirements change.
Dealers interested in signing up to the marketing programme should visit http://www.intel.seminars.net/emea for details of the three UK Intel Channel Conferences.
To learn more about Intel Channel Membership programmes, visit
http://program.intel.com/integrator/na/en/resource/program_overview.htm |
Parents Place Confidence In The Web
By:mark.j @ 3:17:PM - News Comments - SendNews [HERE] / PrintNews [HERE] The latest research from BTOpenworld has found that the Internet is a good educational resource for both parents and students alike:
NEXT GENERATION SET TO FIND KNOWLEDGE ON THE NET
Parents place confidence in the web to raise children's intellect
Nearly half of all parents feel that the Internet is just as important as traditional resources for their child's learning.
Research from BTopenworld shows that 48 per cent of parents think that the Internet is now as useful as books for their child's intellectual development. 45 per cent consider it more useful than television. Many parents are also looking to the web for advice. 38 per cent of parents actively seek tips from the Internet to help them raise their children.
The research, carried out on Internet users by BMRB on behalf of
BTopenworld, polled 549 parents with children aged one to five years. Only a fifth of those surveyed didn't consider the web an important educational resource. The results demonstrate how the Internet has matured into a valuable, credible and interactive learning tool, as well as a key reference point for help with everyday issues.
Those in higher education also rely on the web to get them through college. 94 per cent of 179 university students polled use the Internet to research assignments and more than half believe they would find it difficult to get a degree without it.
Duncan Ingram, senior vice-president of BTopenworld said: "Our research reveals that the Internet is fast overtaking more traditional methods of learning. Students have been using the Net as a primary research tool for some time. Now parents are also turning to the web to help their younger children with schoolwork, and are themselves relying on the Net to provide valuable advice on parenting. As broadband takes off, content gets richer and resources become more interactive, I'm confident that the web will become an indispensable learning tool in most households." |
OFCOM Won't Help Rural Broadband
By:mark.j @ 3:10:PM - News Comments - SendNews [HERE] / PrintNews [HERE] Those of us living in rural areas will continue to suffer from a lack of broadband under Oftels replacement, OFCOM. At least that's what the regulators current director general, David Edmonds, seems to think:
Anne Picking MP, a member of this committee, asked Edmonds whether he thought OFCOM will be better able than Oftel to ensure that people living in remote areas of the UK are offered the chance to get a broadband Internet connection.
In response, Edmonds said that he did not believe it would. "In short, the situation won't be any worse," Edmonds said. He added that under the universal service rules, such areas would continue to get a basic telephone service for the same price as the rest of the country -- even though it costs more for BT to build and maintain the necessary infrastructure in remote parts of the UK.
Picking demanded to know whether Edmonds thought his assessment was satisfactory, but the director-general politely pointed out that it is up to the government to decide what services should be available to the whole of the UK population.
Perhaps if BT increased the RADSL range from 5KM to the 6.5KM that it should be able to support then some of us would at least have a better chance of getting broadband. More @ ZDNet. |
EU Wants Financed Broadband Rollout
By:mark.j @ 3:02:PM - News Comments - SendNews [HERE] / PrintNews [HERE] In what many will see as a strong policy shift, the European Commission (EC) has suggested that EU governments use regional aid or other financial incentives to boost the take-up of broadband access.
In its "eEurope 2005" report on how to foster information technology, to be unveiled this Wednesday, the EU executive will put broadband Internet access on top of its agenda.
Although competition is driving Internet connection costs down, broadband remains generally expensive in the EU with less than 2% of households having fast Internet connections against 13% in the USA.
Without broadband, which is 25 times faster than a standard phone line, industry cannot easily offer consumers advanced multimedia Internet services such as videos, graphics or musical files.
The report on Monday stresses that any aid should be targeted to remote and underdeveloped areas where the creation of a broadband network would not be commercially viable.
"Member states in cooperation with the Commission should support, where necessary, deployment (of broadband) in less favoured areas and where possible may use structural funds and/or financial incentives," the draft said.
Structural funds, accounting for roughly a third of the nearly 100 billion euro EU budget, are given to help economic development in poorer and peripheral regions of the 15-nation bloc. The EU already supports IT projects in all member states.
The strategy, the first comprehensive plan to foster broadband, is expected to be endorsed by EU leaders when they meet at a summit in Seville, Spain, in June. Somehow we doubt this is going to improve the rural allocation of ADSL in the UK, BT simply wouldn't agree. |
e-Voting Contravenes Human Rights?
By:mark.j @ 2:54:PM - News Comments - SendNews [HERE] / PrintNews [HERE] A new study by the De Montfort University has found that voting via the Internet, text message or phone could contravene the 1998 EU Human Rights act / legislation:
Part of the act guarantees a right to secret voting and some experts believe the traditional polling booth is the only way to ensure that secrecy.
An e-voting trial was carried out in Liverpool during the May elections. Dr Lawrence Pratchett, reader of local democracy at De Montfort University, told icliverpool: "Remote voting cannot be made secret and there seems to be no way of getting round it.
The lawyer who helped us with this study believes that one individual making a complaint to the European Court of Human Rights could scupper all the evoting plans."
Obviously this is a ridiculous situation and it should ultimately be down to the individual to choose how or in what way they choose to vote and whether the chosen method is secure or not. More @ Ananova. |
Next-Gen Wireless LANs Arrive - UK
By:mark.j @ 2:44:PM - News Comments - SendNews [HERE] / PrintNews [HERE] Intel has finally introduced its new 802.11a based wireless LAN (Local Area Network) products in the UK, which should be up to five times faster than existing technology:
802.11a operates at 5.2GHz, unlike 802.11b which operates at 2.4GHz. It offers connections at up to 54 Mpbs, nearly five times as fast as 802.11b.
The devices will be available in the UK, Belgium, Denmark, the Netherlands and Sweden, as well as France, where the system was demoed with a major deployment at the Cannes film festival.
Access points and notebook computer adapters available now, and adapters for desktops should be available in the third quarter of the year. Dual-mode 802.11a and 802.11b adapters are expected on the market at the end of June.
Of course those preferring to use cables will no doubt find the money better spent on a shiny new 1Gigabit PCI Ethernet card, not that you'd actually need it. More @ Silicon. |
Eclipse Reveal Satellite ISP Trial
By:mark.j @ 2:37:PM - News Comments - SendNews [HERE] / PrintNews [HERE] ADSLGuide is reporting that the broadband ISP Eclipse has jumped ahead of BTs official announcement to issue details of their BT Wholesale Satellite based services trial HERE:
Satellite access adds high speed download capability to customers' existing internet access and enables 'always on' download connectivity, at speeds up to 60 times a conventional telephone line. Satellite is a variable bit rate (VBR) service, designed for single PC users. It is ideal for applications requiring large data downstream download, such as email, text, graphics, video and audio etc.
* Fast internet service with a basic download speed of up to 256kbp/s.
* Bandwidth Management enables users to select one of four optional preferred speeds, for even faster data download during an internet session. Optional speeds are 512kbps, 1Mbp/s, 2Mbp/s or 4Mbp/s, charged on a pay-as-you go basis.
* On-line service supports audio and video streaming
* Off-line emails will continue to be received, even when the PC is not connected to the internet, providing the PC and receiver are switched on
* Popular web content will be automatically updated and cached off-line on users' PC
* Request For Download service permits non urgent files and large information sources to be downloaded during certain hours of the day from any web site onto the end users PC free of charge.
HOW TO REGISTER
To register your interest in the Eclipse Internet Satellite Broadband trial please send an email with your details to satellite@eclipse.net.uk
For those who register now, Eclipse Internet will release further information regarding our trial as it becomes available.
BT is expected to confirm the official details of their new wholesale Satellite ISP services, which should be similar in price to Wires-Only ADSL, any day now. |
BTO Clarify 'No Frills' ADSL Position
By:mark.j @ 8:32:AM - News Comments - SendNews [HERE] / PrintNews [HERE] In one of yesterday’s news items we noted the following paragraph, which had a few readers concerned:
On the access side, Ingram claimed the 'no-frills' broadband product to be launched by BT Retail later this year, would not impact on openworld's plans, even though the arrangements for openworld subscribers moving across to the service had not yet been worked out.
Typically the last sentence had a few people confused since it appeared to contradict the one directly above. Thankfully we were able to get the following response from BTOpenworld:
There are no plans to change the status of BTopenworld. BT Retail's role will stimulate the market for broadband access and create a wider choice for customers and ISPs like BTow.
BTopenworld is, and will continue to be, BT's mass-market ISP. Like other ISPs we will be keen to study BT Retail's proposals as things progress, to see where we can work together.
However, we will also continue to offer ISP services and to deliver compelling broadband Internet services like our games and music destination sites.
In other words it would appear as if BTO was referring to anybody whom might ‘choose’ to change to a 'No Frills' service, it won't be compulsory and existing ISP services will remain. Hopefully that should clear up any confusion, hopefully. |
14 More Exchanges Enabled - ADSL
By:mark.j @ 8:14:AM - News Comments - SendNews [HERE] / PrintNews [HERE] ADSLGuide is reporting that for the third time in just over a week BT has managed to enable yet another group of exchanges, this time 14:
Shefford (SMSFD)
Faversham (NDFAV)
Troon (WSTRO)
Great Missenden (SMGM)
Sandy (SMSA)
Ipsley (WMIPS)
Boreham (EMBOR)
Knutsford (MRKNU)
Cwman (SWCRS)
Rowstock (SMROW)
Dorchester (STDORCH)
Stourport (WMSTU)
Evesham (WMEV)
Worcester Central (WMWR) |
News - May 27,2002
UK2.NET Announce Sub £20 ADSL
By:mark.j @ 3:17:PM - News Comments - SendNews [HERE] / PrintNews [HERE] The cheap domain and ISP service, UK2.NET, has today announced their sub £20 (£19.99) per month broadband ADSL service:
STOP PRESS...ADSL...UK2..-..SENSATION
ADSL @ 19.99 pounds per month ONLY
We are not kidding. We'll give you ADSL for
19.99 POUNDS ONLY
Don't make the mistake of getting ADSL elsewhere We are working feverishly at putting the finishing touches to our incredibly low cost ADSL offer. We have one of the most reliable network systems in the UK to be able to guarantee a fast and secure roll out throughout the country.
Make sure not to miss out on the 19.99 pounds offer and don't forget to tell your friends.
ADSL IS 10 TIMES FASTER THAN ANY MODEM
Not only are the download speeds many times faster, but more importantly the ping times are typically 20-25ms to our system where the design of modems make pings of 100+ms. This is especially important if you are doing work over the net or playing online games.
We are now installing the maximum ADSL capacity of 155mbit using SDH resilience for maximum safety and reliability.
POWER BROADBAND TO THE PEOPLE
Unfortunately we can't find an exact location for the ADSL service on their website. |
The Brinscall Broadband Campaign
By:mark.j @ 2:58:PM - News Comments - SendNews [HERE] / PrintNews [HERE] Yet another broadband campaign website has launched, Broadband 4 Brinscall:
The aim of this site is to lobby for the ADSL enablement of the BT exchange located on Churchill road off Railway road Withnell.
If we do succeed in persuading BT to upgrade the exchange this will allow unmetered, always on, high speed internet access to anyone with a telephone number starting with 0125483 and who live within 5.5 Km or 3.4 miles of the exchange. To check how far away you are from the exchange click here.
The area that meets the above criteria consists of Abbey Village, Brinscall, Higher Wheelton, Wheelton, Withnell, Withnell Fold and parts of Heapey.
It has been rumoured that BT require approximately 100 households for it to be economically viable to upgrade an exchange. The most recent data I can find on total population for the wards of Withnell and Heapey/Wheelton dates back to mid 1998. At this time the total population was approximately 3700 and 1700 respectively.
Note that the Tele2 wireless service requires 100 interested clients before moving into an area, BT needs something bigger (200, 300?). |
BTOpenworld Speaks Of Profitability
By:mark.j @ 2:49:PM - News Comments - SendNews [HERE] / PrintNews [HERE] When BTOpenworld first started operating as an ADSL only ISP it was recognised that the service could take two or three years before reaching profitability.
Today BTOs senior VP, Duncan Ingram, has stated that the ISP is aiming to hit profitability in its narrowband operations by the end of 2002, although broadband (ADSL) may take a couple more years:
The loss-making division, following the reduction in wholesale ADSL charges carried out by BT Wholesale at the beginning of April, is also to launch a push for higher-value subscribers on the back of new content offerings, with new services designed for consumers with high-speed access to be announced "imminently".
The push, which follows openworld's acquisition of six-year old content firm dotmusic, which had 1.7m users of its download services, from United Business Media for around £1m in March, and computer games site Games Domain last October, will also accompany the removal of older products that are not expected to become profitable.
On the access side, Ingram claimed the 'no-frills' broadband product to be launched by BT Retail later this year, would not impact on openworld's plans, even though the arrangements for openworld subscribers moving across to the service had not yet been worked out.
We're somewhat concerned about that last sentence referring to the 'No Frills' package, "even though the arrangements for openworld subscribers moving across to the service had not yet been worked out."
Moving across? It sounds as if BTOs existing ADSL ISP access customers could be forced onto a weaker BT 'No Frills' Broadband product? It's probably just an error on netimperative.info's part since that'd be suicide for BTO, although we'll try to clarify the exact meaning ASAP. |
Klez.H = Biggest Virus Ever
By:mark.j @ 2:39:PM - News Comments - SendNews [HERE] / PrintNews [HERE] Apparently experts have proclaimed the Klez.H E-Mail worm (virus) to be the, "biggest computer virus of all time.":
Email filtering firm Message Labs has now logged 775,000 copies of the mass-mailing worm.
That means it has now overtaken SirCam at the top of its hall of infamy. Virus specialist Alex Shipp said the worm's success is worrying because SirCam had been considered a one-off.
He said: "Klez has shown us that highly sustainable viruses will continue to appear."
Unfortunately E-Mail viruses aren't going to go away, make sure your protected and know how to recognise a false message. More @ Ananova. |
Norfolks Broadband Campaign Site
By:mark.j @ 8:40:AM - News Comments - SendNews [HERE] / PrintNews [HERE] The campaign that started with a simple petition for broadband in the Norfolk area has today informed us of their new website:
Broadband Norfolk is an organization setup to campaign for broadband access for the whole of Norfolk.
Broadband Internet is a name for high speed internet connections that allow people to connect to the Internet instantly, have instant access to high quality audio and video, use their phone line while connected to the internet, send and receive emails very quickly and allows near instant downloading of web pages.
There are quite a few different kinds of broadband Internet access but the three main ones are ADSL, Cable and Wireless.
Broadband Norfolk believes it is important for everyone to have access to broadband Internet connections. Studies have shown that the majority of businesses would like to upgrade to broadband if it was available and broadband Internet access has been shown to benefit children's education.
Broadband Norfolk does not want a situation to appear where businesses, schools and colleges in Norfolk are disadvantaged from their counterparts in cities because they don't have access to broadband Internet connections.
Broadband Norfolk hopes to achieve broadband access for the whole of Norfolk through the aide of a petition showing BT there is a demand for ADSL in Norfolk and hope to get companies and the local government interested in helping fund BT upgrade Norfolk's telephone exchanges.
Broadband Norfolk also hopes to get NTL to rollout their cable modem broadband access to the cabled areas of Norfolk that have yet to receive it and try to get NTL to expand their cabled areas in Norfolk.
Visit Here: http://www.broadbandnorfolk.co.uk |
Kalnet4U To Offer Eurobell Unmetered
By:mark.j @ 8:36:AM - News Comments - SendNews [HERE] / PrintNews [HERE] We've reported on this before, although until now nothing much has changed on Kalnet4u's (1stNET ISP) website. They've been advertising the following off-peak unmetered service for Eurobell's cable customers for quite some time, yet never launched it:
1stNet Eurobell: £15 per month + £15 set-up fee
This Service is available for Eurobell customers in Plymouth, Torbay and Exeter. Calls will be charged at Eurobell local rates. This means FREE evening and weekend Internet access. You also get all the features listed for 1stNet Standard.
The good news is that Kalnet4u have today felt the need to update us on the status of this offer, which is as follows:
We will start to take registrations for a Eurobell freephone off-peak Internet access package in the next couple of weeks! |
Gio's Unmetered 256K ISDN & NTL Update
By:mark.j @ 8:27:AM - News Comments - SendNews [HERE] / PrintNews [HERE] To date the only UK ISP to officially offer any kind of ISDN channel bonding service above 128Kbps has been Freewire, which supports up to 4 64Kbps (256Kbps) bonded channels on a free 0845 local call rate (LCR) dialup.
It now looks as if the unmetered dialup ISP Gio Internet could be about to do a similar thing for four (quad) ISDN channels (256Kbps), only based on an unmetered service.
The ISP is already registering 'interest' for such a product HERE, although it's ridiculously expensive to have two ISDN lines installed, not to mention a logistical / technical nightmare. Few people own such a setup.
I've also been informed by Keith, one of our forum moderators, that the NTL package is going to be the same price as the BT service - £7.99 PM. NTL recently made their networks more accessible, thus hopefully such a service would last longer than it has done under previous attempts. |
News - May 26,2002
ISP Review Weekly Update
By:mark.j @ 9:32:AM - News Comments - SendNews [HERE] / PrintNews [HERE] It's the EXTENDED bank holiday from next weekend and so expect ISPr to be somewhat idle between Saturday and Tuesday, although all should be back to normal for Wednesday. This last week was very much taken up by gawping at the Doom3 shots and videos (E3), although I did find time for ISPr as well =).
Firstly we replaced our front page survey / poll system with one that's easier to manage, although that's about the only difference.
We also updated the old news, articles and reviews search engine on the archives page, it'll now allow you to search the archives by the dated order they're stored in and not all at once - much faster.
We're currently working on replacing the current news system with something similar, yet more flexible and up-to-date. Not to mention that the 'Reader ISP Reviews' code and layout should now be completed, we're just finalising payment and will soon launch a public test - stay tuned.
Finally there'll be another, yet smaller, forum upgrade in the very near future to fix a few bugs with the new code and better seal up the odd security glitch. |
Gio Internet ISP Preps NTL Access
By:mark.j @ 9:17:AM - News Comments - SendNews [HERE] / PrintNews [HERE] Keith, one of our forum moderators, has pointed out that the unmetered dialup ISP Gio Internet is also almost ready to launch its NTL access product.
The service, which allows NTL users to connect to Gio's ISP packages, is apparently set to start taking registrations within 2 weeks. |
News - May 25,2002
AlphaPhe ISP Service Update
By:mark.j @ 8:39:AM - News Comments - SendNews [HERE] / PrintNews [HERE] AlphaPhe is another unmetered dialup ISP to announce a new package and issue a service update:
OUT OF HOURS 0808 USAGE
Package 2 and Package 5 users.
Ever needed to access the Internet during the day, but don't want to pay BT local rate call charges?
Our new 'Out Of Hours' service enables package 2 and package 5 users to use the 0808 access number outside their allowed access times for a charge of 2p per minute.
Compared to BT weekday daytime local rates this equates to a considerable saving.
* A 10 minute call to the 0845 number at BT weekday local rates would cost: 39p
* A 10 minute call to the 'Out Of Hours' number would cost: 20p
This equates to a saving of 19p on a 10 minute call to the AlphaPhe.Net access number, that's nearly a 50% saving!
The 'Out Of Hours' service is provided on a post-pay basis with a £10.00 limit, when your bill for 'Out Of Hours' access reaches £10.00, you will be sent an email requesting payment, then all you need to do to pay is to log-in to the account section of the AlphaPhe website and click on the 'Out of Hours' link and follow the on-screen instructions, if we do not receive payment within 3 days of sending the email, we will temporarily suspend your account until payment has been received.
To enable your account for 'Out Of Hours' access, just login to the 'Account' section of the AlphaPhe.Net web site, then click on 'Account Details' then tick the 'Out of Hours' checkbox.
50% INCREASE IN FRAICO PORTS
Over the last few days it has been brought to our attention that a very small quantity of users have been experiencing sporadic engaged tones, so we are pleased to inform you that yet another upgrade is on its way!
Over the next 5-6 days, you will see a 50% increase in our FRIACO ports, we are constantly upgrading our service as and when necessary to overcome these engaged tones and we do apologise if you were one of the very small number of people that were unfortunate enough to encounter these. |
Gio Launch 128Kbps Unmetered ISDN
By:mark.j @ 8:34:AM - News Comments - SendNews [HERE] / PrintNews [HERE] After a lengthy delay the NeonHippo linked unmetered dialup ISP Gio Internet has finally announced the launch of its unmetered 128Kbps ISDN packages:
Gio Internet's much awaited 128K ISDN services will be available from 30th May.
The 128K services include:
Gio Ignite @ £19.95
Gio Ignite plus @ £27.95
Gio Ignite Gold @ £39.95
Gio Opium @ £25.95
Signups will be restricted for Gio Ignite to first 5000 users.
Gio Internet will also have optional extras such, Fixed IP address, increased cut off time.
Details available at http://www.giointernet.com/unmetered |
EU Internet Bill Erodes Privacy
By:mark.j @ 8:27:AM - News Comments - SendNews [HERE] / PrintNews [HERE] Civil liberties groups have rightly attacked the planned European Union (EU) laws to regulate electronic mail, which they believe could give police forces too much power over personal information.
The bill is the final element of a package to modernise EU telecommunications law and aims to protect the confidentiality of electronic communication such as e-mails and Internet transactions and to protect consumers.
But privacy advocates say provisions regulating police access to electronic data are too vague and could lead to large-scale storage of data for long periods of time.
This would be potentially damaging for the EU's prized privacy rights and also costly for telecoms operators.
"Wide data retention powers for law enforcement authorities, especially if they were used on a routine basis and on a large part of the population, could have disastrous consequences for the most sensitive and confidential types of personal data," a coalition of 40 civil liberties organisations said in a letter sent to European Parliament President Pat Cox.
The 626-member assembly is expected to cast its final vote on the bill on May 29. To become law, the bill needs joint approval by parliament and EU governments. Unfortunately the civil liberty groups will likely be ignored by the aging politicians as usual, aren't we supposed to be a democracy? |
News - May 24,2002
Online Committees Herald Breakthrough
By:mark.j @ 3:04:PM - News Comments - SendNews [HERE] / PrintNews [HERE] The government has begun streaming parliamentary committee hearings over the Internet and will soon allow members of the public to submit their views by email:
E-democracy campaigners are celebrating a potentially important breakthrough that will allow UK citizens to use the Internet to help shape government policy.
The Communications Bill was the first piece of legislation to be subject to such online consultation when the Joint Committee on the Draft Communication Bill began began hearing evidence on Thursday. By logging on to http://www.parliamentlive.tv, viewers could watch as the committee heard evidence from the Independent Television Commission, the Broadcasting Standards Commission, and the Radio Authority.
In future, every such pre-legislative scrutiny committee will have its evidence sessions broadcast online in this way.
Of course just because you can send in your E-Mails doesn't mean to say that the people on the other end will listen. More @ ZDNet. |
Broadband Competition? What's That?
By:mark.j @ 2:57:PM - News Comments - SendNews [HERE] / PrintNews [HERE] The IDC (Research Company) has dubbed the idea of competition in the broadband market as a joke. The groups broadband development report found that the technology is taking off in Europe, yet remains in the hands of a few incumbent telco's such as BT:
The research company attributes the rise of high-speed internet services to aggressive marketing rather than competition.
The local loop unbundling process is simply too complex and politically problematic to create a competitive broadband access market within a reasonable timeframe, the report said.
More than four per cent of European homes across Europe are now connected to broadband. Over 68 per cent of these are through telephone lines, while 30 per cent use cable and two per cent use satellite and fixed wireless.
The VNUNet item goes on to state how the failure of local loop unbundling (LLU) has forced rivals to be dependent on wholesale services offered by the incumbent company. |
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