October 25, 2002 - October 30, 2002
News - October 30,2002
EcosseTel Ends Unmetered ISP Service!
By:mark.j @ 9:51:AM - News Comments - SendNews [HERE] / PrintNews [HERE] Good god, two in one day, there's certainly no shortage of major ISP news today. Much as the subject suggests, EcosseTel has sent out a new message to customers announcing the closure of its unmetered dialup service!
This would certainly explain why their services have been all but off the air for the past few days, an announcement on their site reads:
CLOSURE OF FRIACO SERVICE
Following a meeting of the Board of Directors of both companies, Ecosse Telecommunications Ltd and EcosseTel Internet Ltd on Monday October 28th it was decided to withdraw our unmetered FRIACO service with immediate effect. This decision was reached with great difficulty and has been brought about mainly by a customer owing the company in the region of £160,000 and the mutual ending of the Fast24 reseller contract which was worth around £30,000 a month to the company. In particular the £160,000 not being paid to the company has forced the company's FRIACO service to become unviable. We have issued a winding up petition against the ISP involved in the English courts and as the matter is now 'sub judice' we cannot comment further on the matter.
Although we still have a small number of FRIACO ports available from other companies these will cease when the current payment for these runs out, probably by the end of October. An 0845 local rate number will still be available for all customers to access their email services which are not effected in any way.
The company has decided to issue pro-rata refunds to all customers using the date of 18th October 2002 as the termination date. Please be patient for these refunds as we have only two staff processing them and it will take a while for them to be processed. However we expect to have issued all refunds to either customers' original credit/debit cards or by cheque by the mid to end of November. Please note no other claims for 'compensation' will be entertained apart from the refund for the unexpired portion of your monthly/quarterly or annual subscription for the unmetered service.
Further information will be posted here as it becomes available. We would like to thank everyone who has used our low cost unmetered access service over the last two years and to apologise for any inconvenience the closure of the unmetered service has caused. It is upsetting for us as we have worked hard to be at the forefront of unmetered internet access in the UK, but not being paid by customers has proved to be the death knell for this service.
Rumours about this have been flying around our EcosseTel forum for the past two days and we had been attempting to validate them.
EcosseTel is not surprisingly another ISP with a turbulent existence behind it, often changing price and services to better improve its offerings until its now evident demise.
Those wishing to discuss the situation further can do so in our associated forum - HERE. |
Bloomleys Wholesale NTL Unmetered
By:mark.j @ 9:38:AM - News Comments - SendNews [HERE] / PrintNews [HERE] The Cambridge based UK Internet access Wholesaler and VISP supplier, Bloomley UK Ltd, has today launched a new wholesale NTL friendly unmetered dialup offering for budding ISPs:
Bloomley UK Ltd, a Cambridge based UK Internet Access Wholesaler and VISP Supplier today announce their Wholesale service aimed at providing true flat rate for NTL customers. The service is offered on a similar basis to FRIACO where a subscriber has a toll-free number to access the web; this has so far been restricted to AOL only.
Bloomley are now able to provide, either via a VISP service or as a Wholesale Access Service offered on a Per-user or Port basis.
This will enable ISP's to offer a flat-rate service to subscribers who have an NTL telephone line with a flat rate base for the first time, removing the need to offer services on a potentially damaging 0800 service.
Bloomley can also offer FRIACO, ADSL, 0800, 0845 services on a similar, low-entry-cost contract.
For further information on this new product please contact us via http://www.bloomley.com |
NTL Slices 1Mbps Broadband Fee!
By:mark.j @ 9:33:AM - News Comments - SendNews [HERE] / PrintNews [HERE] The UKs largest cable operator, NTL, has cut the cost of its 1Mbps broadband cable modem service by a stunning £15, yet this only applies to those signing up before the end of the year (2002):
The cable company has reduced the monthly fee of the 1Mb service to £34.99 and is waiving the £75 installation fee until 31 December 2002.
NTL claims the service offers speeds up to 1024Kbps, which will allow a typical 5MB MP3 music file to be downloaded in 44.4 seconds.
Bill Goodland, director of internet at NTL said: "This is the nearest thing to surfer's paradise. There has never been a better time to sign up."
The Web-User item notes how this brings NTLs service into closer sync with that of a similar offer from rival Telewest. What we wouldn't give to be covered by cable right now.. |
Brief Fast24 ISP Service Update
By:mark.j @ 9:26:AM - News Comments - SendNews [HERE] / PrintNews [HERE] The UK unmetered dialup ISP Fast24 certainly appears to be doing a good job of keeping its customers informed and have just issued yet another service update on our forum:
1. BT have now confirmed that they have fixed all 11 areas that should have had to the new 080899200 number but were faced with 'number unobtainable'
2. The south wales issue has been tracked down, and nortel are fixing it currently (if it has not already been fixed). Nortel took up the issue mid afternoon, and as a result it should be resolved at latest by mid afternoon.
3. Cambridgeshire connection issues: we need more CLI's (telephone numbers) of people who are having difficulties in the anglia region, as we only have 5 currently. Please PM me if you have experience low connection speeds in the area in question. |
ET Global Solutions ISP Closes!
By:mark.j @ 9:23:AM - News Comments - SendNews [HERE] / PrintNews [HERE] According to a new report on ADSLGuide, which was ultimately sourced from .Net magazines forum, the Gio Internet backed and much troubled ADSL offering ISP, ET Global Solutions, has ceased trading:
Paul Douglas (Editor, .net) says that they "have been informed by a director of ET Global Solutions that they have ceased trading and their Web site has now been closed down. Anyone who was considering taking up their ISP offerings should check with ET Global Solutions before making any payment or should make alternative arrangements. If you have already subscribed for services from ET Global Solutions, but have not received your products/services, you should contact ET Global Solutions or your credit card company."
Abdul Khaliq, a director of ET Global Solutions and Gio Internet has confirmed that ET Global has gone into receivership. In response to our queries regarding the rumoured relationship between the two companies and his position, he said:
"Gio had been handling the billing relationship for ET Global Solutions for the first few months for ET Global and as a result received calls from unhappy customers of ET Global Solutions. It was at this stage I went on as Director to assist ET Global, however this was in vain as ET had already amassed substantial debts.
Gio Internet is a separate company and is NOT liable or responsible for the relationship ET Global Solutions customers (though Gio's name was on the bills for ET Global Solutions customers).
Unfortunately it appears that customers were billed for their contracts, including an upfront cost for those customers setting up ADSL access. This money was collected by Gio and subsequently, according to the terms of the relationship, passed onto ETGlobal Solutions. We now know that ET Global never made any payments and therefore the customers accounts were not activated."
It's never nice to see an ISP go, although the troubles seen with ETGS have been widely known about for sometime and clearly the service was having trouble improving things.
Gio Internet will now take over the ETGS customer base and those whom have already been billed for ADSL access will get two months free (on top of the 3 month initial contract) on Gio's controversially priced £17.99 per month service. |
The First Mobile Internet Access Statistics
By:mark.j @ 9:15:AM - News Comments - SendNews [HERE] / PrintNews [HERE] The Mobile Data Association (MDA) has released what is believed to be the UKs first survey of mobile Internet use and found some interesting results.
Of the 48 million total subscribers claimed by four network operators (o2, Orange etc.), more than 25 million phones are Internet-ready, yet only around 11 million Internet pages are downloaded per day (340 million per month - September 2002).
The 11 million daily page impressions reinforces a generally held view that most people are not regularly surfing the Net on their phones, perhaps due to the general disappointment with the first generation wireless application protocol (WAP).
But improved phones are now being promoted by Vodafone, Orange, mmO2 and Deutsche Telekom's T-Mobile as they attempt to provide easier access to mobile Internet pages while also repeating the surprise success of text messaging with picture messaging.
"The ever-increasing range of content and services available to a variety of consumers has been apparent through the figures announced today, demonstrating that growth is not restricted to text alone," MDA Chairman Mike Short said in a statement.
In addition to page impression figures, the MDA said it would also soon release quarterly statistics on the number of WAP enabled handsets available on the networks. |
Hutchison UK To Delay 3G Roll-Out?
By:mark.j @ 9:07:AM - News Comments - SendNews [HERE] / PrintNews [HERE] It's being reported that despite the recently launched semi-public trial of 3G broadband wireless mobile phone services by Hutchinson, their primary roll-out could still be delayed:
A spokesman for the company was unable to categorically say whether Hutchison 3G would launch services before the end of 2002.
Hutchison 3G had previously said that it intended to have paying customers in the UK before the end of the year, following the user trials that it initiated in early October 2002.
Unfortunately the Europemedia item doesn't go into much detail, yet it's not the first time we've heard such a rumour. It'll be a telling sign whether or not Hutchison chooses to respond. |
Broadband4Britains Local Hero Success
By:mark.j @ 9:01:AM - News Comments - SendNews [HERE] / PrintNews [HERE] The broadband Internet access campaign group, http://www.broadband4britain.co.uk">Broadband4Britain, has been touting the success of its 'Local Heroes' initiative, which many will remember from earlier in the year:
One of the main reasons for the Local Hero campaign is to shoot down BT's claims about a lack of interest. If these Local Heroes can stir up demand for broadband then, William says, "the stock excuse, which is 'we would move faster if demand was greater'" will no longer be relevant.
Already 150 people have signed up to be a Local Hero - keeping broadband on the news agenda both locally and nationally. In many cases they are also contacting their MPs and central government to publicise the plight of the UK's dial-up backwaters.
One Local Hero is Trevor Sherman, who works from his home which is connected to the West Haddon exchange in Northants. Over time he had grown so frustrated at the lack of broadband availability that he took up the fight and signed up with Broadband4Britain. As well as working full-time, he now dedicates much of his time to the campaign - and urges others to do likewise - pointing out that if you want broadband then you have to fight for it.
More @ Silicon. |
News - October 29,2002
Alcatel Ships 20 Million xDSL Lines
By:mark.j @ 2:47:PM - News Comments - SendNews [HERE] / PrintNews [HERE] The French telecommunications equipment manufacturer and maker of earlier UK ADSL modems, Alcatel, has shipped a record of 20 million broadband DSL lines:
Alcatel (Paris: CGEP.PA and NYSE: ALA), the world leader in broadband access, today announced it has reached a major deployment milestone by shipping 20 million digital subscriber lines (DSL), nearly four times that of its nearest competitor. With more than 70 DSL operator customers worldwide and a global market share of 37.3 percent, Alcatel has proven the success of its technology and the popularity of DSL.
The 20 million lines encompass the full range of DSL solutions including asymmetric and symmetric digital subscriber lines (ADSL, SHDSL) to deliver standards-based broadband services to residential and professional subscribers. Both are supported by the Alcatel 7300 Advanced Services Access Manager (ASAM), which is the world's most widely deployed broadband access platform, and combined DSL/POTS lines on the Alcatel Litespan Next Generation Digital Loop Carrier (NGDLC).
"We think DSL will carry on growing strongly," says Tim Johnson, publisher of point-topic.com. "Point Topic reported nearly seven million DSL subscribers were added worldwide during the first half of this year. This means that DSL is already a mass market medium in the leading countries, and others are catching up rapidly. With all its technical and market advantages, we see DSL leading the development of a broadband world."
Alcatel's extensive list of broadband customers includes some of the largest service providers around the world such as Bell Canada, BellSouth, British Telecom, China Telecom, France Telecom, SBC, Telefonica, Telstra and Verizon.
"DSL is the dominant broadband technology for service providers to offer new revenue generating services and Alcatel is leading the charge," says Michel Rahier, President of Alcatel's broadband networking activities. "We have reached this significant milestone in partnership with our customers. Alcatel remains committed to the continued delivery of a broadband access portfolio that enables our customers to offer high-speed services their subscribers want and will pay for." |
SwiftSat Launch New Satellite ISP
By:mark.j @ 2:32:PM - News Comments - SendNews [HERE] / PrintNews [HERE] SwiftSat, a new Isonetric backed broadband satellite ISP, has today released the official press release for its new service launch, which has already been previewed in earlier news items:
Broadband internet access available to anyone anywhere from SwiftSat
SwiftSat, working with established independent satellite broadband provider Isonetric Broadband, has released a product to compete directly with ADSL. The one-way satellite broadband system will be available to everyone regardless of their proximity to an ADSL enabled exchange or the quality of their phone lines/cabling.
The £29.99 per month system will provide users with up to 1mbps downstream bandwidth enabling them to access broadband content on the internet. This can include e-mail, web browsing, streaming video, movies, music, downloads and much more interactive content. The system is currently one-way with information requests being sent by the users current modem connection and receives the information at high speed through their satellite dish. Users will also be able to access free to air digital television channels and digital radio. The product offers unlimited data transfer, and the user will get an average of 400kbps (bursting to 1mbps) download speed which reduces slightly depending on the volume of data downloaded within a calendar month. This offers users who do not download large amounts of data an enhanced browsing experience.
The hardware can be purchased for £249.99 and there is an additional charge of £44.99 for installation. SwiftSat will attach a 60cm satellite dish to the customers property and run a cable to the users computer. The user can choose USB connectivity or utilise a PCI card. Once the user has then run the intuitive set up software their broadband connection is up and running. The system is available on a 12 month contract. The hardware/installation costs can be paid upfront or there will also be an option to spread the costs throughout the 12 month contract.
SwiftSat are setting up offices with 800 sales staff throughout the UK who will be on hand to answer any questions that may arise and visit residential properties to discuss customer requirements.
SwiftSat have completed trials with over 250 clients and the product will be available for install from 01/11/02
http://www.swiftsat.com
Please do remember that ‘unlimited data transfer’ is not as clear cut as some of these One-Way Satellite ISPs would have you believe. It tends to mean unlimited websites and e-mail transfers, but not downloaded files such as compressed game demos or video etc. |
Orange Touts Mobile Data Revenue
By:mark.j @ 1:29:PM - News Comments - SendNews [HERE] / PrintNews [HERE] Orange, the UK mobile phone operator, has today reported some promising financial results with a 12.8% rise in overall revenues for the first 9 months of the year.
However more interesting is the rise in data revenues (Mobile based Internet access), which is no doubt partly related to their early adoption of MMS (picture messaging) compatible GPRS phones and services:
While still some way off its target of deriving 25% of its revenues from data services by 2005, the operator's UK arm also saw 14.2% coming from that area in Q3, up from 14.1% in the previous three months and 10.9% in the same period in 2001.
In a statement, deputy CEO and COO Graham Howe said the results showed improving quality of the operator's customer base, and pointed towards further potential gains from the new, advanced devices and services it is introducing to capitalise on GPRS.
The company last week launched a new smartphone, the SPV, based on Microsoft and aimed at capturing a share of the market for picture messaging, viewing video clips and mobile internet access.
More @ netimperative.info. |
AOLs Missing Broadband Strategy
By:mark.j @ 1:20:PM - News Comments - SendNews [HERE] / PrintNews [HERE] The latest findings from Forrester Research have predicted that AOL could stand to lose a good chunk of its global subscriber base if it fails to develop a compelling broadband offering:
Charlene Li, analyst at Forrester Research, said: "18 per cent of dial-up users of AOL are interested in switching to broadband."
AOL "hasn't come out with a coherent strategy" to grow its broadband subscriber base, she said.
Broadband continues to be one of many strategic questions swirling around AOL these days. The online division of media giant AOL Time Warner has seen its online advertising revenue plummet this year, sending the company's stock down more than 60 per cent and sparking an investigation by the Securities and Exchange Commission over its accounting practices.
The Silicon news comes shortly after the chairman of AOL Time Warner, Steve Case, suggested to senior executives that the company could spin off its America Online unit.
Clearly AOLs v8 client software hasn't had the impact the ISP would have hoped for. |
Christmas To Bring Strong Online Sales
By:mark.j @ 9:15:AM - News Comments - SendNews [HERE] / PrintNews [HERE] Research group Gartner has predicted that Europe could easily become the leading region for online (Internet) sales in the run-up to Christmas:
It reckons online sales will reach $15.77bn - up a massive 75 per cent on last year.
North America should perform almost as well, notching up around $15.66bn in online sales in Q4.
Together, Europe and North America will account for more than 80 per cent of all online sales in Q4.
The Register reports that global online sales are forecast to increase by almost 50% from $25.74bn to $38.2bn in the same period this year. |
BT Launch Internet Micro-Payments
By:mark.j @ 9:11:AM - News Comments - SendNews [HERE] / PrintNews [HERE] BTWholesale has launched a new Internet based micro-payment technology that could allow ISPs to charge customers via their traditional phone bill etc.:
BT WHOLESALE LAUNCHES MAJOR ADVANCE IN INTERNET MICRO-PAYMENT TECHNOLOGY
BT Wholesale today announced the launch of Internet Payments, the most easy to use, comprehensive and reliable solution for online micro-payments.
The technology allows service providers to collect payment from online sales of content in a much simpler way than ever before. Instead of using credit cards, end users can pay for online content using their fixed line or mobile phone bill. It has also been announced that Opera Telecom, a leading provider of premium SMS services, has become the first reseller of this service.
Opera Telecom has already signed an agreement with GMTV to provide the service for the competition page on the GMTV website. As revenues dwindle and competition intensifies, market expansion remains a key business driver for service providers. The service requires no capital expenditure on the service provider's part, as it allows them to pay as they grow without investing in engineering or training. In addition, no operational expenditure is required as system management, help desk and billing is included in the service.
This means that branded services can be launched within weeks of a commercial decision. Internet Payments benefits the end user as well, by providing a simple system, which requires no registration or credit card details. The system is also fast, requiring only two clicks to access content, with the customer billed directly on their phone bill from the service provider or Internet Service Provider (ISP).
Internet Payments is the most comprehensive web payment scheme available. Users pay for content via a dialler which routes calls through a premium rate switch. However, if users do not have a dial up connection, they can pay via a PIN number-based solution or via premium-rate text messaging. Internet Payments is also the only solution that works on broadband or on an international basis.
Stuart Horwood, Managing Director BT Wholesale Markets commented, "There has long been a need to solve the problem of micro-payments on the Internet, with many companies having tried to solve this conundrum and find a simple and reliable way to pay for Internet content. We believe that BT Wholesale Internet Payments will put service providers in a position to solve this problem and take advantage of the revenue opportunities that exist in the micro-payments marketplace."
Gary Corbett, Managing Director Opera Telecom, said, "When BT Wholesale came to us with Internet Payments, we immediately recognised its potential for the SME market, who need to move into new markets fast, and with little investment."
The attributes of the services are:
* A software dialer linked to internet access and premium rate numbers
* A self service dialer factory to reduce management overheads
* White label service enabling resellers to brand dialer themselves for their own reseller
* The ability to strengthen and extend existing accounts by introducing new incremental revenue streams whilst increasing "stickiness" of end Resellers
* Pay as you go ASP model - no capital investment for the resellers
* Monthly revenue payouts to resellers and service partners
Service providers interested in finding out more about Internet Payments can call Freefone 0800 671 045 or visit http://www.btwholesale.com |
Timewarps 830 Free ADSL Activations
By:mark.j @ 9:01:AM - News Comments - SendNews [HERE] / PrintNews [HERE] In celebration of their merger with the Fraser Eagle Group, UK ISP Timewarp Internet are giving away 830 free ADSL activations on a ‘first come, first served’ basis:
Help us celebrate the merger of Timewarp with the Fraser Eagle Group
Fraser Eagle was established in 1919, that is 83 years ago and in celebration of this merger, Timewarp are giving away 830 free ADSL activations on a ‘first come, first served’ basis. This is a saving of £58.75 including VAT on our normal charges. The monthly price will be £27.99 including VAT. |
ISPs Care More About Money SHOCK
By:mark.j @ 8:57:AM - News Comments - SendNews [HERE] / PrintNews [HERE] The DMW Group, a tech consultancy firm, has today, with the release of their latest study, told us what we already knew.
The study found that customers are suffering because service providers, hit by the telecoms downturn, are too preoccupied with their own finances, never mind service quality:
That's the conclusions of a study by tech consultancy DMW Group which found multinational companies are suffering major network service problems because telcos are taking their eye of the ball.
DMW Group commissioned The Yankee Group to investigate how senior executives at large UK companies felt about the levels of service they were receiving from their carriers. The findings ranged between damning and ambivalent, with most of those surveyed expressing frustration with current levels of performance.
In particular, service providers have failed to deliver in the two areas their corporate customers value most highly - reliability and customer service, the survey found.
Sadly there's nothing unusual about this; Even before the economic downturn ISPs and Telco's valued hard currency over service quality, it's a contradictive tradition that will no doubt continue until standards are set. More @ The Register. |
News - October 28,2002
The Positive Take - 3G Mobile Phones
By:mark.j @ 2:33:PM - News Comments - SendNews [HERE] / PrintNews [HERE] Here's a welcome change of pace from all of those doom and gloom reports regarding future 3G broadband wireless mobile phones and services.
New research from The Thinking Box, a London-based consultancy focussed on consumer projects, has reported that 3G services will do better than anybody thinks and take 50% of the EU market by 2007:
3G will be helped to success by consumers' insatiable appetite for applications that allow them to communicate with one another. This will drive early 3G expansion through peer-to-peer applications such as video calls and multimedia messaging (MMS), the report said: "Applications based on self-generated content will meet instant success".
Text messaging will disappear to be replaced by Mobile Instant Messaging (MIM), offering a mobile version of the popular PC-based instant messaging services. Video calls will also be important, the firm said. "The interviewees were truly amazed by the possibility of 'video call': they couldn't believe that this spectacular innovation would be available in the next few months in their country," it said.
Thinking Box downplayed the notion that applications such as Web browsing and m-commerce would be a central driver for 3G, although these would add "a crucial extra 15 percent... to mobile operators' turnover" by 2007.
It's certainly nice to see a positive take on 3G for once, although if operators don't price within an affordable bracket then it could all be for nothing. More @ ZDNet. |
Researchers Warn Of Future Virus
By:mark.j @ 1:44:PM - News Comments - SendNews [HERE] / PrintNews [HERE] Specialist anti-virus researchers have today warned of a new type of Internet based worm (virus) that could attempt to infect us all in the future:
According to the research paper, How to Own the Internet in Your Spare Time, this next-generation of computer virus could infect more than nine million servers in fifteen minutes.
The worm would carry knowledge about a specific server's vulnerability and allow automated denial-of-service and file destruction via remote control.
Scientists behind the research have dubbed the theoretical virus, the "Wharhol worm" after Andy Warhol's memorable quote that, in the future everyone will be famous for 15 minutes.
The Web-User item isn’t surprising as many have predicted such destructive attacks before, although we’ve yet to witness one advanced enough to do it in such a short space of time. |
Blueyonder & The Carphone Warehouse
By:mark.j @ 1:37:PM - News Comments - SendNews [HERE] / PrintNews [HERE] UK cable operator Telewest has teamed up with The Carphone Warehouse, a major supplier of mobile phones, in order to better promote the joys of broadband cable-modem based Internet access:
Telewest Broadband and The Carphone Warehouse launch nationwide broadband initiative
Telewest Broadband has joined forces with The Carphone Warehouse in a major push by both companies to promote broadband in Britain. The deal will see Telewest Broadband's blueyonder internet service available in 137 Carphone Warehouse stores from October 2002.
Charles Burdick, managing director, Telewest said: "This launch is another step towards Telewest's goal to make broadband access as simple as possible. We are continuing with our aim to put the customer first and be the leading provider of broadband services in the UK.
I'm delighted to commence our high street activity with such an innovative communications company as The Carphone Warehouse."
Charles Dunstone, Chief Executive at The Carphone Warehouse said, "Broadband is a significant step forward for the internet and a category that we are keen to enter into and offer to our customers. By combining our skills and success with Telewest's blueyonder service, we believe this initiative will help boost the take-up of broadband in the UK."
High-speed shoppers can purchase a pocket-sized pack for £25, which includes installation by a broadband technician and contains a CD-ROM with tips, demos and information about high-speed, broadband internet content. |
UKs First Internet-Only TV Channel
By:mark.j @ 1:27:PM - News Comments - SendNews [HERE] / PrintNews [HERE] The UKs first Internet based TV channel, which has been in development for 6 years, has finally launched.
Know as Worldart Media Television (WAM TV), the service transmits alternative arts & entertainment 24hours a day around the globe:
The internet channel, which is only available via broadband or ISDN has developed from the Edinburgh Festival Revue, which has been transmitting the Fringe in August every year since 1998 to a world wide audience.
Paul Blyth - WAM TV CEO says "It has taken many years for us to gather and produce over 5000 hours of original material. WAM TV is a great example of how new technology allows the distribution of television on a scale previously impossible. We are the UK's first internet TV station and I am sure this is the first of many. It gives the viewer a truly different approach to television".
No other TV station in the UK has taken the plunge yet, to transmit on broadband only, but WAM TV are confident they are at the forefront of a revolution. "This is not about competing, this is about giving people a real choice in what to watch next. We want to produce something truly different and WAM TV should inspire people to look at what the internet can really offer", says Paul Blyth.
Certainly WAM TV looks set to become a fine example of just what can be accomplished with broadband content. More @ Europemedia. |
Online Gamer Insures His Fingers!
By:mark.j @ 1:18:PM - News Comments - SendNews [HERE] / PrintNews [HERE] According to Telewest, Alex Nikitin, a competitive UK online multiplayer (Internet) gamer, has just insured his fingers for a whopping £375,000!:
Gold Finger - the man with the gaming touch
Internet gaming enthusiast first to insure his fingers
A competitive online gamer, Alex Nikitin from London, is insuring his digits for £375,000, because they have become such vital assets in his quest to conquer the virtual world.
Multiplayer gaming on the internet is now a global phenomenon, with the elite players able to make computer games a full-time profession. The best gamers can earn up to £200,000 a year on the professional circuit, travelling around the world to take part in competitions.
Alex, who is sponsored by blueyonder, the internet arm of cable company Telewest Broadband, will be one of a handful of Brits taking part in this week's World Cyber Games in Korea. Missing a game due to injury could result in him losing his place in the tournament, not to mention valuable earnings.
Alex said: "Qualifying for the World Cyber Games has led me to investigate ways to protect my key assets - my fingers. Online games like Quake and Starcraft are being played faster than ever before, thanks to broadband internet access, powerful PCs and hours of dedicated practice.
That's great news for competitive gamers like myself, but also increases the chances of stress and injury to my fingers and they are the most essential tools of the trade."
Alex won his place at the World Cyber Games by coming second in the UK heats. He had to fund his own trip to Korea, until Telewest Broadband stepped in, and Alex, who normally plays under the name of 'dreg,' will be known as blueyonder.dreg for the duration of the tournament.
Chad Raube, director of internet services at Telewest Broadband, added: "With internet services like blueyonder broadband becoming much faster and games becoming slicker and even more demanding, it's not surprising Alex is insuring his fingers." |
UK ISP Association (ISPA) Turns Five
By:mark.j @ 1:05:PM - News Comments - SendNews [HERE] / PrintNews [HERE] The UK Internet Service Providers Association (ISPA) has today launched its search for the winners of the 5th annual UK Internet industry awards 2003:
The 2003 UK Internet Industry Awards
Celebrating an industry getting better all the time
The Internet Services Providers' Association (ISPA UK) in association with Tarifica @ PBI Media and Internetworks has launched its search for the winners of the 5th annual UK Internet industry awards.
ISPA has been organising The ISPAs, as the awards are now known, since 1999 to celebrate innovation and best practice in the Internet sector.
Part of the event’s strength is in its independence and objectivity. ISPA partners with a research company – this year Tarifica – to analyse the sector and select the shortlists. Independent judges appointed by ISPA select the final winners. The awards also carry added kudos as individuals and organisations in the Internet industry are honoured by their peers.
Each year the event is modified to reflect the ever-changing Internet sector. For 2003 specific emphasis has been put on broadband and the development of applications for the business and consumer markets. As in previous years, senior industry decision makers and Government representatives will be in attendance to recognise the industry’s achievements.
The winners will be announced during a gala dinner on 20th February 2003 at the London Marriott Hotel in London’s Grosvenor Square.
The categories for The 2003 ISPAs are:
Consumer Division
Best Unmetered ISP
Best Consumer Application
Best Consumer Broadband Provider
Best National Consumer ISP
Business Division
Best Business Application
Best Business Broadband Provider
Best Small / Niche market ISP
Best National Business ISP
Best Small Business ISP
Industry Division
Best Hardware Supplier
Best Carrier
Best Broadband Supplier
Best Co-location Provider
Best Search Engine
Special Awards
The Internet Watch Foundation Award
Internet Villain sponsored by ts.com
Internet Hero
Tarifica @ PBI Media has been commissioned to research the Internet industry and produce a shortlist for the coveted awards in the Consumer, Business and Industry Divisions. The eventual winner in each category will be selected by an independent panel of judges.
The ISPA Council will select the Internet Hero and Internet Villain shortlists and the Internet Watch Foundation will select the shortlist and winner for the Internet Watch Foundation Award.
Companies wishing to nominate their company should select which of the above award(s) their company would best qualify and register their company’s interest in consideration for an award with Lagerhammar@pbimedia.com by 7th November 2002.
Anyone wishing to network with the great and the good of the Internet industry should email admin@ispa.org.uk. (Tickets: £80 + VAT for members, £125 + VAT for non-members). Sponsorship enquiries should be directed to pressoffice@ispa.org.uk .
It'll be interesting to see who gets what this year, especially in the consumer ISPs category; awarding ISPs is always a highly tedious activity because such services change like the wind. |
Tiscali Completes Satellite ISP Trial
By:mark.j @ 10:31:AM - News Comments - SendNews [HERE] / PrintNews [HERE] We've just been informed by somebody close to Tiscali's two-way broadband satellite ISP services that the trial has now ended. Those interested in remaining with the service will have until the 18th November (unconfirmed) to say so.
Typically the ISP uses a similar method to that of BTOpenworld (Gilat) and thus prices are near identical @ £59.95 per month and £650 for the equipment.
Rumour has it that some customers have chosen not to continue with the service after finding it to be too slow. We've also heard that Tiscali could be asking for the whole payment in one go rather than over a period of 12 months, something many would find hard to stomach.
We've yet to see an official announcement, but if anybody could confirm this then that would help clarify the situation. |
Wireless ISP Hotspots Get Extra Security
By:mark.j @ 10:10:AM - News Comments - SendNews [HERE] / PrintNews [HERE] This is one for the ISPs; Broadband wireless hotspots, such as those being offered by UK ISP BTOpenworld, could stand to benefit from a new security solution thanks to Network Utilities Plc.:
Network Utilities launches Authentication Solution for UK Wireless Internet Users at Hotspots
Network Utilities today announced the UK launch of Steel-Belted Radius/Hotspot Edition (HSE), a specialized version of their market-leading RADIUS/AAA server that lets hotspot providers such as Internet cafes, coffee shops, hotels and airports, easily and profitably offer wireless Internet access to customers, while eliminating the overhead associated with customer provisioning and billing.
This product allows hotspot providers to tap into the larger user authentication provisioning and billing infrastructure already in place on the Internet. It enables them to offer customers Internet access via their own existing Internet accounts, and eliminates the need for customers to subscribe to and pay for Internet access at every hotspot they visit.
“This no-hassle access allows hotspot providers to add value and differentiate themselves from their competitors, and, as a result, build business,” said Michele Lewington, managing director of Network Utilities.
“Steel-Belted Radius/HSE is a key addition to the market,” said Barry Bomzer, vice president of marketing at Nomadix, Inc, one of the leading developers of mobility technology. “Along with our Hot Spot Gateway 25, it removes the barriers of entry for hotspot providers, making it easy for them to become part of the fabric of the Internet and move away from the administrative hassles associated with being a standalone shop. Ultimately, this benefits users, as they will be able to access the Internet from anywhere.”
To gain these benefits, existing hotspot operations need only add Steel-Belted Radius/HSE to their infrastructure, and to put in place a settlement relationship with a popular Internet access provider or consortium. Start-up operations will need to install wire points and an Internet connection, in addition.
When a hotspot customer connects — using the user name and password associated with his or her existing Internet account — to a wireless access point, that access point forwards the request to Steel-Belted Radius/HSE. The latter then proxies the request to a central RADIUS server located at the offices of the user’s wireless service provider, where the hotspot provider has a settlement relationship. The central server then performs the authentication that permits the connection to be established.
Advantages for hotspot providers include:
• Broad appeal to end users because of ease of use and one-step payment
• Easy revenue collection with the hotspot operator’s share of the wireless access fees being sent in bulk from the wireless service provider, thus relieving the hotspot of the responsibility for collecting usage fees directly from customers.
• Easily handles both browser- and 802.lx-based access, ensuring compatibility with today’s environment, and (for customers who prefer to connect via 802.lx.) it supports the strong 802.lx security method EAP-TTLS.
• Complete time-based accounting of each customer’s usage, ensuring that hotspots are fully compensated for the time each user spends on the network.
• The option for hotspot operators to establish and administer their own user database which can be useful for airports, hotels or other venues that wish to offer wireless Internet connectivity to employees or other static sets of users.
• One-time setup with virtually no administration.
• The time-tested reliability and high-performance of the market-leading Steel-Belted RADIUS/AAA server.
Network Utilities is the exclusive UK supplier of this product, which was developed by Funk Software of Cambridge, Massachusetts. Network Utilities has supported the Funk range of software in the UK for the past ten years.
Steel-Belted Radius/HSE is based on Funk Software’s market-leading RADIUS/AAA server Steel-Belted Radius. It provides powerful and flexible proxy RADIUS capabilities, which allows it to distribute authentication requests to another RADIUS server, which is capable of performing the authentication. It also supports a local authentication database which the hotspot provider may use to store employees’ or other users’ authentication information. It also supports RADIUS accounting, which statistics serve as the basis for usage-based billing. |
Brightview Backs Up ISP Services
By:mark.j @ 10:05:AM - News Comments - SendNews [HERE] / PrintNews [HERE] Brightview, the group behind several UK ISPs such as IC24, has today announced the fruits of their new deal with BIS:
BIS provides Brightview with enterprise storage multi platform backup solution for 600,000 ISP subscribers
BIS is pleased to announce the successful implementation of their Backup service for Brightview, one of the largest Internet service providers (ISP) in the UK.
Brightview's data backup requirements are complex and challenging. A minimum of 1.1 terabytes of data and 52 million files require daily backup. With an average data change of 3.5 million files per day, every file must be available for immediate restoration and it must be possible to restore all files within 12 hours.
As an experienced infrastructure solution provider, BIS understands Brightview's requirements and has built a resilient backup solution to meet their specification. The solution includes backup across multi platform servers, with no operator intervention and no tape cycle management. The solution is constantly monitored and backs up Brightview's data to a resilient storage solution with off-site copies for additional protection. In addition, this solution plays a vitally important role in guaranteeing Brightview's business continuity.
The BIS state-of-the-art co-location facility supports world class, leading edge backup solutions based upon BIS partner's InTechnology equipment to provide customers with a first class, practical backup and restoration service that scales to support increasing volumes of data and diminishing backup windows.
"As an ISP, it is essential for us to have the highest standards of infrastructure, connectivity and backup. We achieve this via strategic relationships with world class partners, such as BIS." Explains Ito Pollak, Chief Technical Officer at Brightview.
"BIS is delighted to have Brighview as our customer, providing them with state-of-the-art infrastructure to deliver a first class service to their customers. Our backup solution provides a world class managed, intervention free service that can cope with large and increasing data volumes and reducing backup windows." Explains Nick Teagle - Chief Technical Officer at BIS. |
EU Preps New Media Piracy Measures
By:mark.j @ 9:58:AM - News Comments - SendNews [HERE] / PrintNews [HERE] Those using the Internet to share illegal music and video (media) files are one of the groups being targeted by new legislative proposals from the European Commission (EC):
The new rules will create tougher minimum standards for each of the 15 EU member states, filling existing gaps and loopholes allowed by the current legal fragmentation. But it will not go as far as imposing mandatory criminal sanctions for pirates.
The music industry claims that rampant piracy, often from music Web sites, has partly accounted for the slowdown in global music sales. Among the hardest hit have been the world's top five music companies: EMI, Universal Music, Warner Music, Sony and BMG.
The proposals are expected to include harmonised procedures for searching, seizure and proof by national authorities and criteria for calculating damages.
More @ ZDNet. |
BTOpenworld Moves Support To India?
By:mark.j @ 9:51:AM - News Comments - SendNews [HERE] / PrintNews [HERE] BTOpenwoe is reporting on the growing rumours that UK ISP BTOpenworld is to move its support department to India, which would end its current contract with ClientLogic and save money:
Our sources tell us that they're internally denying such a move, but that it is being strongly considered - and we've heard from one such source that "it's great when they say they're not doing it as technically they would be exploting the indians, yet they've been taking the **** with us here for ages!"
However, we've also been given information that 4 trainers are over in India at the moment working on the planned change.
Typically this is completely unconfirmed and thereby deemed to be a rumour, which is always best taken with a big grain of salt.
However were such a move to occur then it wouldn't be uncommon, other UK businesses have already done a similar thing. Never the less this is a highly questionable practice. |
NTL Completes Wireless ISP Trial
By:mark.j @ 9:43:AM - News Comments - SendNews [HERE] / PrintNews [HERE] ADSLGuide is reporting that NTLs broadband wireless services trial, which we haven't heard about in sometime, has finished and was deemed successful:
The cable operator is now aiming to boost the number of subscribers by arranging leaflet drops and looking into local promotion. One such incentive is free service until the end of March 2003, after which a fairly competitive £24.99 monthly fee is levied. In addition, the product is advertised at 600Kbps, which is marginally faster than Home & Office 500 ADSL products.
The installation is stated to cost between £99 and £130 depending upon whether a "standard" or "non-standard" procedure is required. Minimum contract term is 12 months.
Unfortunately little is known about NTLs coverage plans for the service and their official NTL Wireless Trial site remains outdated. |
News - October 27,2002
Irelands Broadband Ambitions
By:mark.j @ 9:16:AM - News Comments - SendNews [HERE] / PrintNews [HERE] The BBC is running an interesting news item on Ireland and its high-speed broadband future, which is currently getting off to a rather slow start:
Net penetration in the Irish Republic is quite low with just 34% of the population having a dial-up connection. The government has high hopes and big ambitions for broadband, which has been very slow to take off in the country to date.
It plans to roll high-speed net services out to 67 towns and villages in the next three years with another 127 being connected by 2007. This would, said Minister Ahern, bring pretty much universal access, although he was not able to say what technologies would facilitate such a roll-out.
Critics have questioned whether the government is being over-ambitious in its targets and whether consumers will actually take services up.
Much as we've seen in the UK, consumer WILL lap up broadband services so long as they're affordably priced. |
PIPEX MD Chat Session Summary
By:mark.j @ 9:10:AM - News Comments - SendNews [HERE] / PrintNews [HERE] ADSLGuide has finally published the summary of last Wednesdays live chat with the managing director, David Rickards, of UK ISP Pipex - HERE. We've highlighted a couple of the more interesting moments below:
(Stephen) -- As a pipex customer for 6 months I think you provide a good service. It would be excellent if contacting your support team was easier. Just to get a response from them is an achievement. Do you have any plans to improve this part of your service.
DavidR says:
I appreciate that we have problems in the past, but those are pretty much behind us now. We are returning emails same day and the support queue as we speak is 0 - you should be able to speak to someone straightaway if you call now.
Plus, we'd like to take this opportunity to reveal the first test of a new facility here today. You can use this Web page - http://betatest.pipex.net/headers/sqstat.htm I would stress this is still in test and will be smartened up, but it enables you to see when the best times of the day to call are and what our response is.
(daniel) -- What are PIPEX's plans to improve the channels of communication between itself and customers in the event of outages e.t.c?
DavidR says:
There are many improvements scheduled - a new 'phone system, better updates on the Web site, etc. We agree that this is an area that we need to improve upon. We are looking in the future to provide a "customer newsletter" and host a regular "Q&A" session ourselves.
I can't say we agree with his answer to the first question above, indeed quite the opposite, but it's definitely worth reading the full chat log. |
News - October 26,2002
ISP Review Weekly Update
By:mark.j @ 10:36:AM - News Comments - SendNews [HERE] / PrintNews [HERE] Yes I know, it's not Sunday, however this update is early because a huge storm is set to hit this part of the UK tomorrow (gusts up to 80Mph). Last time this occurred, which was two years ago, we lost power for nearly two weeks, hence the early update.
Much of the week has been spent testing what we hope to be the final revision of our 'Reader ISP Reviews' system. We've done a lot of stress testing and haven't uncovered any new bugs, thus a public implementation can be expected within a week or two.
The future vBulliten forum software was also purchased and initial formatting work started, although it'll take many months before the layout is the way we want and our current software converted etc.
Expect a lot of changes to ISP Review between now and Q2-2003. |
News - October 25,2002
Freedial.biz ISP Launch Date
By:Keith @ 6:05:PM - News Comments - SendNews [HERE] / PrintNews [HERE] Freedial.biz have today made available a timetable on when pre-registered customers are likely to be able to start using the various packages on offer.
For example, if you registered for the unmetered dialup service during September and October then you can expect the service to be available on 8th November.
Broadband users who registered between 1st and 14th October can expect the service around 22nd November. Those who pre-registered will receive an email asking for confirmation to sign-up prior to these dates.
The full timetable is available on their website Here. |
BT Responds - Freeserves Complaint
By:mark.j @ 2:33:PM - News Comments - SendNews [HERE] / PrintNews [HERE] BT has today issued their response to a complaint made by UK ISP Freeserve earlier in the week, which alleged that BTs new BT 'No Frills' Broadband ADSL product is anti-competitive:
Sources within BT have told ZDNet UK News that they regard Freeserve's complaints as "perpetual but redundant belly-aching", and maintain that they are not breaking any rules in the way they are promoting and selling BT Broadband.
Freeserve, though, is adamant that BT Broadband is bad news for the UK's broadband market. It has commissioned an independent report that found that retail broadband prices will fall slower in the UK if BT dominates the market, costing UK consumers £100m over five years.
Armed with this information, Freeserve formerly complained to Oftel about BT Broadband earlier this week. It has also appealed to the Competition Commission in an attempt to have another complaint against BT upheld, even though Oftel has already rejected it.
The ZDNet item reminds us that the reason for Freeserves anti-competitive claim is that they believe BTs existing access to the residential market would give them an unfair marketing advantage, so to speak. |
Alternative Web Browser Support
By:mark.j @ 1:49:PM - News Comments - SendNews [HERE] / PrintNews [HERE] It's not unusual for a website, especially those designed for banks, to only allow online facility access if the customer is using a specific web browser, such as Microsoft's Internet Explorer.
However the growing number of alternatives (Mozilla, Opera etc.) has caused many to become angry at the reluctance of some online services to allow them access due to their chosen software:
Other e-commerce outfits think along the same lines as banks, developers tell us. Unless some breakeven percentage of a customer base uses Linux or Opera, the thinking goes, then clients won't insist their systems are "made compatible".
Developers should follow (of course) platform independent standards, but in the real world many don't. The situation is made all the more difficult by proprietary features in some browsers themselves.
So it's not easy to get it right but there are many organisations who pull off this trick. Kudos to these outfits, which we'll call our Internet saints. Of course there's many who through laziness/incompetence persist in making life miserable for alternative browser/OS users, let's call these organisations Internet sinners.
The Register goes on to list a large number of commonly known companies whom, for the most part, appear less than likely to support anything outside of IE. |
The Secret To Safe Surfing - Be Paranoid
By:mark.j @ 1:37:PM - News Comments - SendNews [HERE] / PrintNews [HERE] Graham Cluley, Chief Technology Consultant at Anti-Virus firm Sophos, has today stated that one of the best ways to stay safe while surfing the Internet is to be paranoid.
The remark came after Sophos admitted getting more calls regarding hoaxes than they did about any one real virus:
"Adopt a paranoid attitude. Don't believe any virus warning from anyone," Mr Cluley advised.
He warned that users often do not follow the basic rules necessary to avoid infecting themselves and others and urged for a bit more online caution.
"Is it worth sharing joke programmes? Rather than share it over the net why not wait until you get down the pub?" he asked.
The BBCs item also notes Mr Cluley as saying that the newer generation of hi-tech mobile phones are likely to be the next big target. |
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