January 21, 2003 - January 24, 2003
News - January 24,2003
BTs Broadband Super Bowl Content
By:mark.j @ 1:27:PM - News Comments - SendNews [HERE] / PrintNews [HERE] BTs broadband sports portal, Sportal.com, looks set to benefit from interactive highlights of Super Bowl XXXVII. The highlights will be screened online in the UK exclusively via the broadband sports network:
Super Bowl XXXVII, which sees the Tampa Bay Buccaneers take on the Oakland Raiders in San Diego, California, kicks off on Sunday January 26, 2003 at 11pm GMT and will be available to all UK broadband subscribers on Sportal.com from 7am on Monday morning. To gain access to the game, sports fans can subscribe to the entire Sportal service for only £4.99 per month or, alternatively, pay a one-off fee of £1.99 for 24 hours access to the network.
In the build-up to the Super Bowl final, Sportal.com is also providing highlights of the NFL play-off games in January plus a range of special NFL programming, including a countdown of the 100 greatest touchdowns ever.
BT's music web site, dotmusic (www.dotmusic.com), has the rights to stream highlights from the Super Bowl pre-game and half time shows. The highlights will be available from Monday January 27 and will include performances from Santana, Beyonce Knowles, Michelle Branch, Shania Twain and No Doubt.
In addition, Sportal.com has successfully acquired UK broadband rights for the National Basketball Association's games, which will also be available on the Stars and Stripes channel. Sportal.com features daily highlights of US pro basketball, and will also provide extensive broadband coverage of March Madness, the hugely popular US college basketball tournament. Sportal.com also has highlights of every game of the recently completed basketball World Series.
It's good to see more use of broadband based Video-on-Demand (VoD) services, although one wonders just how popular the Super Bowl content will be with UK viewers. |
NTL Sacks ntlhell.co.uk Site Hacker
By:mark.j @ 1:19:PM - News Comments - SendNews [HERE] / PrintNews [HERE] Following up our earlier reports on this matter, NTL has now chosen to sack the employee involved in hacking the independent customer site - ntlhell.co.uk:
NTL said: "Following the hacking of an ntlhell.co.uk user forum which took place on 31st Dec 2002, NTL has conducted a thorough investigation and identified the employee concerned.
The employee has been dismissed on grounds of gross misconduct. The employee has five working days in which to consider whether or not to appeal. It is not appropriate that NTL discloses the name or identity of the employee."
Administrators @ nthell.co.uk had written to NTL asking that no one should lose their job, although it's hardly surprisingly that NTL has chosen to take such action. More @ The Register. |
BT Cuts ADSL Exchange Trigger Levels
By:mark.j @ 1:14:PM - News Comments - SendNews [HERE] / PrintNews [HERE] Some truly good news to help round off the week; BT has reduced the broadband trigger levels for hundreds of exchanges, which should speed up the rollout of broadband ADSL services:
BT LOWERS EXCHANGE TRIGGER LEVELS TO SPEED UP BROADBAND ROLL OUT
BT today announced it is speeding up its broadband rollout programme by lowering the threshold levels of customer interest required before an exchange is upgraded for broadband.
Since July last year, people in areas where ADSL (asymmetric digital subscriber line) broadband is not yet available have been able to log their interest through BT Wholesale's demand registration scheme. Under this scheme, when the level of interest hits a threshold linked to the cost of providing ADSL at an individual exchange, BT will upgrade the exchange.
A review of the economics of providing ADSL broadband at local exchanges, based on BT's experience of the first batch of upgrades under the scheme, has now resulted in demand trigger levels being reduced at 388 of them. Trigger levels will also be set for the first time at a further 87 exchanges, with work starting at 22 immediately to provide ADSL.
Paul Reynolds, BT Wholesale chief executive, said: "The registration scheme has helped us guide investment in broadband to match demand. Our growing experience of the actual work involved now allows us to be confident in lowering many of the demand levels at which we will upgrade exchanges for broadband.
This is another significant step in making broadband more widely available."
Last month BT Wholesale announced the streamlining of the registration scheme to speed up the time taken for an exchange to be upgraded once demand reached the threshold required. As a result people can now place an order with their service provider as soon as the trigger is met, simplifying the process for service providers and their customers. Today's announcement continues this momentum.
The broadband availability checker and demand thermometers on http://www.bt.com/broadband will be updated to show the new registration trigger levels today, January 24, 2003. The maximum demand trigger level will now be 550 registrations and triggers have been lowered by as much as 450 user registrations.
BT Group chief broadband officer Alison Ritchie said: "BT is continuing to pursue ways of extending the availability and take-up of broadband in the UK and today's announcement means that more people will have the opportunity to benefit from broadband sooner.
BT believes all the published trigger levels are achievable as the interest in broadband continues to grow. We are continuing to support local campaign groups which are playing a vital role at grassroots level in raising awareness and have made a major contribution to getting some exchanges upgraded."
Before today's changes, the registration scheme had led to 13 exchanges being enabled, with work underway at a further 58. More than 66 per cent of households are connected to the 1132 exchanges now enabled by BT for ADSL broadband.
A table of exchanges moved into build as result of review is available here (Adobe .PDF Format). |
Omne Re-Financing Deal Confirmed
By:mark.j @ 10:08:AM - News Comments - SendNews [HERE] / PrintNews [HERE] It looks as if we can now confirm earlier reports that Omne Communications has finally agreed a re-financing deal. The deal itself has yet to be confirmed and creditors will meet to approve or cancel the agreement at 2pm on 28th January 2003.
The meeting itself will be held at The Merchants Hall, 7 West George St, Glasgow. 75% of creditors must vote in order for the agreement to be accepted. Craig has kindly sent us some of the highlights from a 15 page letter sent out to Creditors:
"agreement between CLS Capital partners and the current owner of the company(Omne Holdings Ltd) and the administrators, whereby OHL will reduce it's stake in the company to 24.5% and CLSCP will acquire the balance of 75.5% of the share capital of the company"
"a total of £4.99 million will be paid by the company to the administrators for the benefit of the creditors"
"This treatment of the OHL debt improves the estimated rate of dividend to the remaining creditors from approximately 6p in the £ to an estimated 20p in the £."
"As a result of the re-financing the company will have £4.12 million funds available"
This could mean that Omne may once again get back to offering competitive broadband Cable Modem services to the public, we'll find out soon enough. |
Esat Complains – Anti-Competitive DSL
By:mark.j @ 9:59:AM - News Comments - SendNews [HERE] / PrintNews [HERE] Esat, the Irish BT operator, has accused Eircom's recently introduced broadband xDSL service of being anti-competitive because the incumbent didn't offer a wholesale version before its launch:
Eircom said on Thursday that it would be introducing a new mass market, low-cost broadband DSL service from March 2003. With an intended monthly charge of EUR45 per month (excluding VAT) for access speeds of up to 512kbs, it is half the cost of similar speed DSL offerings from Esat BT. The minimum speed of Eircom's new product will be 256kbs.
Esat BT however has said that it is "deeply concerned" that is has not been given the chance to match the offering. "Eircom has not given us the opportunity, as we are legally entitled to, to offer this service. This is a breach of the regulatory framework," said Una McGirr, communications director for Esat BT.
McGirr told ElectricNews.Net that the company now intends to challenge the launch of the service through the telecoms regulator ComReg. This is likely to delay its availability.
It's hard not to point out the Irony of how BT now has to witness what it's like when the shoe is on the other foot, so to speak. More @ ElectricNews. |
ISPA Posts 2003 Awards Shortlist (Part1)
By:mark.j @ 9:51:AM - News Comments - SendNews [HERE] / PrintNews [HERE] The UK Internet Service Providers Association (ISPA) has today posted the first part of its shortlist for their forthcoming 2003 Awards:
The Internet Services Providers’ Association (ISPA UK) can reveal today the shortlists in the Special Awards Division of The 2003 ISPAs – The 5th Annual UK Internet Industry Awards in association with Tarifica and InternetWorks. Included in this division are the prestigious Internet Hero and Internet Watch Foundation award categories and the infamous Internet Villain category.
The hero and villain shortlists respectively reflect the people and organisations that have helped or hampered ISPA’s work to defend and promote the interests of the Internet industry.
Nominees for Internet Hero Award - Category sponsored by MessageLabs:
* All-Party Parliamentary Internet Group (APIG): ‘for launching the public inquiry into data retention and access laws’
* Richard Allan MP for Sheffield Hallam: ‘for ongoing support and understanding of the Internet and the Internet industry’
* Hugh Blunkett: ‘for briefing his father David Blunkett, Secretary of State for the Home Office, on privacy fears associated with giving a raft of public bodies in the UK access to private e-mail and mobile phone records’
* Elizabeth France, Ex-Information Commissioner: ‘for her stance on data retention legislation’
* Simon Watkin, Home Office: ‘for doing his best to understand the industry, tech sector interest groups and experts and to subsequently inform discussions within the Home Office’
Nominees for Internet Villain Award - Category sponsored by ts.com:
* BBC Watchdog: ‘for a report on the important issue of spam that was more intent on vilifying ISP's than educating consumers’
* The Home Office: ‘for the Anti-Terrorism, Crime and Security (ATCS) Act and continued delays associated with the Regulation of Investigatory Powers Act (RIPA)’
* Oftel ‘for (amongst a host of other things) failing to ensure expedient local loop unbundling by BT which has hindered both competition in the telco sector and the development of Broadband Britain’
* The Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA): ‘for supporting "right to hack" proposals and other unworkable solutions to curb copyright abuse’
* Telecommunications analysts: ‘for their substantial contribution to the meltdown in the telecommunications and Internet sector’
Internet Watch Foundation (IWF) Award
Nominees for the Internet Watch Foundation Award for Developments in Online Safety – Category Sponsored by Mistral
* BBCi for online safety advice for parents and young people
* Childnet for Kidsmart
* Department for Education and Skills (DFES) for Parents Online
* NCH for NCH IT OK
** WISE KIDS (Wales Internet Safety Education for Kids)
Details of the shortlist for ISP awards should follow within the next few days, we'll keep you informed. |
2002’s Top 10 Most Annoying SPAM
By:mark.j @ 9:43:AM - News Comments - SendNews [HERE] / PrintNews [HERE] Filtering firm Surf Control has today issued a list of what it believes to be the top 10 most annoying junk e-mail (SPAM) messages of 2002:
1. Free adult site passwords
2. Low price drugs (Viagra)
3. Refinance your mortgage
4. Nigerian confidential money transfer
5. Tiny remote control car
6. Best online casino
7. #1 Pasta pot
8. Get out of credit card debt
9. Meet singles in your area
10. Copy DVDs in one click
Unsurprisingly, top of the list were messages with a sexual theme. The most annoying spam purported to pass on to people free passwords for sex sites that usually levy a charge to look beyond the front page.
Next on the list was a pharmaceutical service offering people the sex drug Viagra. Also on the list of most annoying spam messages were those asking people to help get money out of various African nations.
No doubt many of you will already be familiar with at least one of the above messages, so you should be pleased to know that it's only going to get worse =(. More @ BBC News Online. |
News - January 23,2003
BSG Criticises New Ofcom Boss
By:mark.j @ 2:40:PM - News Comments - SendNews [HERE] / PrintNews [HERE] The appointment of former NTL head, Stephen Carter, as Ofcom's new boss has been seriously criticised by a member of the Government's influential Broadband Stakeholders Group (BSG):
In a stinging attack Erol Ziya - a leading campaigner for flat-fee dial-up Net access in the UK and a vocal supporter of ordinary Net users - said the appointment of Mr Carter is "most depressing" and a "victory for big business over consumers".
He claims Mr Carter's appointment will result in consumers being "shafted" and that the interests of the telcos and media giants will be served at the expense of ordinary people.
In an open letter to the BSG Mr Ziya berates Mr Carter and his former company, NTL, for failing to deliver real competition to either BT or Sky, and for ignoring the needs of consumers.
Despite the understandable outburst, Mr Ziya has said that he will give Carter a chance to prove himself as acting within the public good and not through any vested commercial interest.
The Register notes that neither NTL nor Ofcom have chosen to make a comment on the letter, although many probably would agree with Ziya's position. |
MetroNet ISP ‘Dedicates’ To ADSL
By:mark.j @ 1:46:PM - News Comments - SendNews [HERE] / PrintNews [HERE] UK ISP MetroNet has today issued a new press release announcing price cuts and its increased concentration toward offering strong broadband ADSL Internet access services:
MetroNet ‘Dedicates’ to ADSL
MetroNet has been all too aware of the importance of maintaining a quality network and infrastructure in order to deliver an optimum and reliable service to its ADSL customers and has been working over the past few month on ways to enhance its Broadband services all round.
The first phase of this process has been to build and bring online an entirely new network dedicated to ADSL. Unlike most ISPs who have one 'big' network on to which they squeeze all traffic to/from their ADSL and other dialup lines, web, mail and other servers, MetroNet has built a network designed to exclusively carry ADSL traffic with all other data being routed via a separate network with its own infrastructure and multi-homed backbone connections.
"We've worked with many of our existing customers to put into place the kind of improvements that will enable them and customers like them, we would hope, better scope to take maximum advantage of Broadband services using our faster and more scalable ADSL platform with low latency, better and more efficient routing of data and consistently high speeds." Paresh Morjaria, MetroNet General Manager.
Allied to this, MetroNet has taken up the challenge sparked by BT's recent drop in activation fees to extend choice and value with cuts in the start-up costs for new subscribers and on-going monthly service fees for both new and existing customers as well as now offering self-install options across the whole range of speeds.
"We don't believe it's enough just to cut the initial cost of having ADSL and appreciate the need to make the on-going costs leaner for our customers. We want to pass on real cost savings and not simply offset seemingly attractive signup fees now for long term contracts and higher on-going service charges - not least because it's a business practice most people are wise to. So, we've been determined to cut the start up and monthly fees, reduce the minimum contract term of all our ADSL accounts to just 3 months and offer the widest choice of packages we can in a sustainable way - and that's just what we've done."
MetroNet is committed to delivering the best quality of ADSL service by providing consistently reliable connections on a fast and dedicated Broadband network combined with value driven packages from just £25.99 a month.
The changes and upgrades are ongoing. Continuing to develop on this work MetroNet is well positioned to soon introduce an innovative range of ADSL solutions - the first of their type in the UK - as it endeavours to redefine Broadband Service. Full details to be announced on the MetroNet website at http://www.metronet.co.uk in February. |
Broadband Friendly Planning Changes?
By:mark.j @ 1:36:PM - News Comments - SendNews [HERE] / PrintNews [HERE] The government currently uses a number of special planning regulations designed to make sure that all citizens can access basic supplies such as watch, gas and electricity.
Now the Deputy Prime Ministers office (John Prescott) is looking at the possibility of making broadband Internet access a consideration in the planning procedure:
Changes to planning would help bridge the 'digital divide' between broadband haves and have-nots and ensure that government broadband services reach the entire population.
The issue is not new. In February 2001, then-eMinister Patricia Hewitt told a Commons' committee that the relevant department had been asked to consider what changes could be made to planning guidance.
If it avoids the issue any longer, the government will endanger its own electronic service delivery plans, says Labour MP Tony McWalter. 'The government is handicapping itself by not having thought through the implications of its own strategy.'
Of course you'd need to do more than a simple update to the existing planning regulations, otherwise the same old coverage problems would just continue. This should be an interesting one to watch, more @ VNUNet. |
Lawyer – R.I.A.A Can't Fine UK ISPs
By:mark.j @ 1:28:PM - News Comments - SendNews [HERE] / PrintNews [HERE] Fears that the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) would be able to follow up its earlier threats of fining ISPs for allowing customers to download illegal music files have today been dampened.
Stuart Nuttall, of solicitors Fladgate Fielder, has made it clear that the RIAA is unlikely to be able to hold UK ISPs accountable for customers downloading such content:
The move is simply an attempt to look for someone else to blame for falling CD sales, he said. Nuttall indicated that the RIAA is unlikely to be successful in the UK.
"It is part of a trend by the RIAA to hit soft targets. But it flies in the face of economic developments and stops the music industry looking closely at other ways of selling music," explained Nuttall.
But a judge in the US has already given the music industry the power to force American ISPs to name those who trade music files across their servers.
Nuttall rightly goes on to state that despite the recent ruling in the USA, such a thing would be unlikely to happen in the UK.
Physically monitoring the content activity of ISP customers would be taking things to an extreme. The VNUNet item also notes the vast number of legal conflicts that could arise.
Mind you, the present government does seem more than happy to launch a war on other countries without first showing any truly credible proof, so you never know =). |
Plusnet Completes ADSL Upgrade
By:mark.j @ 1:18:PM - News Comments - SendNews [HERE] / PrintNews [HERE] UK ISP Plusnet has today posted a new update on our discussion forum regarding the completion of an important upgrade to their broadband ADSL network:
We are pleased to report that the planned upgrades to our DSL Platform have been completed successfully this morning. All the work detailed in our previous announcement has gone ahead, this means we now have 2 Redback SMS 10000 units terminating our four 155MB pipes. In addition to this we also migrated our BT managed 155MB pipe to terminate on the Redback platform as well as performing upgrades to our core routers.
Completion of this work gives us greater resilience across our DSL service and greater capacity for future expansion. We have further upgrades planned throughout the year including the installation of additional 155MB pipes. Your feedback following this upgrade is most welcome and we would like to thankyou for your patience while the work was completed.
If anybody has any feedback then please post in reply HERE. |
Hundreds Hit By AOLs Security Flaw
By:mark.j @ 1:15:PM - News Comments - SendNews [HERE] / PrintNews [HERE] Apparently hundreds of AOLs ISP customers have been hit by a security flaw that allowed anyone to access an AOL email account with only the account name and not the password:
Few details of the incident have emerged, but AOL spokesman Andrew Weinstein confirmed that the online giant closed the hole yesterday morning.
"We believe only a very small number of accounts - in the hundreds, not thousands - were affected," Weinstein said, adding that the company is still taking stock of the incident to pinpoint what accounts had been targeted.
The incident, first reported by the BetaNews website, apparently was caused by flaws in the software that authenticates international users. The flaws allowed anyone to access an AOL email account with only the account name and not the password. An attacker, then, could gain access to a known account, or, by way of a lucky guess, a random account.
The Silicon item reports that AOL is still attempting to gauge the length of time attackers may have been exploiting the issue for. |
BTO & Liverpool FC To Promote ADSL
By:mark.j @ 9:55:AM - News Comments - SendNews [HERE] / PrintNews [HERE] Liverpool Football Club has teamed up with UK ISP BTOpenworld to target fans with online deals, such as receiving three month's worth of free e-Season ticket access when they sign up to BTO's broadband Internet service:
The football club's e-Season ticket is an online subscription service for premium content, accessed via Liverpool FC's website. The tie-in with BT Openworld lets supporters access match commentary and seven channels of web TV that would normally cost about £12.
As part of the deal, fans will also be able to try out BT Openworld broadband and access club information on two new broadband terminals at Anfield, the club's home ground.
The partnership is being promoted via both organisations' websites, match programmes and the club's magazine. A direct mail campaign and point-of-sale promotions are also planned.
More @ Revolution. |
Workers Move Back To Home Surfing
By:mark.j @ 9:46:AM - News Comments - SendNews [HERE] / PrintNews [HERE] Good news for employers today after a new survey conducted for Amstrad, the electronics group, found that more workers are surfing the Internet from home because bosses are clamping down on personal use at work.
Some 26% of those polled had installed internet access at home to avoid being monitored by managers. Nearly a third claimed to know their bosses read their emails, while 39% said they would be disciplined if caught surfing the net outside their lunch hour.
"Bosses are beginning to realise how much time their employees are spending on personal emails and are really cracking down," Amstrad's commercial director Simon Sugar said in a statement on Thursday.
Despite the risks, workers spend an average of nearly two and a half hours a day on personal emails and the Internet, the survey found. Amstrad said 500 people were questioned in a telephone poll last weekend.
20% of the firms said they monitored employee email and Internet usage every day, compared to 11% 18 months ago. |
Vispas Branded 0845 ISP Solution
By:mark.j @ 9:39:AM - News Comments - SendNews [HERE] / PrintNews [HERE] UK ISP Vispa Internet has today issued a new press release announcing their own wholesale branded 0845 (local call rate) PAYG (pay as you go) service for other ISP's or hosting companies:
0845 Branded Solutions
Vispa is now in a situation to offer wholesale branded web based 0845 PAYG services for other ISP's or hosting companies looking to offer there clients a quality 0845 PAYG solution, still the most popular access to the internet in the UK that continues to grow at a reasonable rate.
We make things simple. There are no monthly charges in providing this service. It includes both monthly admin fees and 0845 port charges which most Telco's will still charge you for. We will even provide very competitive kickback rates and an easy to use web interface to add/delete and monitor users, so an ideal platform and revenue earner for many businesses and smaller ISP's.
Over the past 2 years, 23 partners/companies have taken advantage of Vispa 0845 platform to provide customers with solutions and access systems; some have even used our platform as a backup to a current 0845 service they have in place, only later to find it has proved more reliable than the current supplier.
Now we are offering this opportunity to other smaller ISPs and hosting companies. There are many benefits of outsourcing your 0845 business. Existing 0845 platforms generally will come in 3 models.
1) You will have call answering equipment in house.
2) Your 0845 is terminated at a Telco's own system, normally a CVX system etc
3) Your using a Virtual Internet Solution elsewhere at present.
We can help you make savings on all the above. By removing call answering equipment from an in-house environment you remove the headaches of maintaining, updating and adding to, along with ensuring authentication is ok. All this can prove very costly and time consuming, especially for the smaller team or business. Likewise selling the current equipment will generate a good amount of free revenue.
For those who terminate calls at a Telco's platform, many, if not all will face expensive monthly port charges, normally anywhere between £20-£50 depending on the arrangement. Each month, careful planning on how many ports are required, the minutes you think each port will handle etc. All this before you earn any revenue.. sounds like too much hard work to me and it is!
Finally, for those who use a current Virtual Internet Access solution. Many get contented with what they have, and won't shop around for other solution providers like Vispa. You will, know doubt, be paying a monthly admin fee and have quite a goal to reach the minimum kickback level..sound familiar? For most that's the reality.
It should not be that way.. why not give Vispa a call.. we don't bite and can most certainly offer you advice or guidance to your plans.
If you require any further details email sales@vispa.net or call 08701 624 888 |
Supanet Supports Advance DSL Orders
By:mark.j @ 9:32:AM - News Comments - SendNews [HERE] / PrintNews [HERE] Following on from BTOpenworld, UK ISP Supanet has also confirmed its support for anybody wishing to place advance broadband ADSL orders on exchanges that have yet to be enabled:
supanet takes advance ADSL orders online for exchanges with "go-live" dates
BT has confirmed broadband ADSL "go-live" dates for 41 telephone exchanges. Furthermore, family-friendly ISP supanet is allowing the broadband pioneers on these exchanges to place advance orders for their broadband package online.
supanet is determined to make life as easy as possible for those signing up to broadband and has a fully-automated process for advance orders.
Other broadband suppliers, such as BT Openworld, require customers to contact them by phone. Customers wishing to place an advance order for supanet broadband simply go online at and complete their details.
The ability to place an advance order will mean that broadband ADSL customers will receive all their kit beforehand and will then be able to activate their connection five working days after their local exchange has been updated - the earliest possible activation date allowed by BT Wholesale.
supanet broadband costs £79.99 for the connection kit, consisting of USB modem, sign-up CD, instruction manual and free connection, and has a monthly subscription of £29.99. |
News - January 22,2003
Freeserve ISP Signs New Survey Deal
By:mark.j @ 2:51:PM - News Comments - SendNews [HERE] / PrintNews [HERE] UK ISP Freeserve has today signed a new deal with FIRM (Future Information Research Management), which will allow it to better survey its existing customers and thus plan for the future:
FREESERVE SELECTS CONFIRMIT TO HELP IT STAY UK'S # 1 ISP
Freeserve, the UK's No. 1 for the Internet has selected Confirmit, the market leading web-based survey generation solution from FIRM, to help increase market share and maintain its market leading status. Confirmit enables Freeserve to rapidly create and distribute a range of member satisfaction and preference questionnaires to its members enabling it to meet their demands and measure reactions to existing services in real time, and act upon the results.
Freeserve is using Confirmit for a number of strategic customer satisfaction and member benefits research projects, which are providing valuable data in the battle to stay ahead of its competition. The Confirmit solution has gathered valuable real-time insight on the launch of Freeserve's revolutionary Internet welcome pack, with research showing widespread acceptance and satisfaction.
By continuously monitoring customer demands and responding to them, Confirmit is allowing Freeserve cater for customers' every web requirement from low cost dialup to high speed connectivity and a varied range of channels. This helps to build customer loyalty and will help ensure that Freeserve remains in the coveted number one spot in the UK ISP market. Freeserve is planning a comprehensive plan of internal and external research using Confirmit in 2003. |
ONS Internet Connectivity Report
By:mark.j @ 2:43:PM - News Comments - SendNews [HERE] / PrintNews [HERE] The governments Office of National Statistics (ONS) has today released their latest Internet Connectivity Report (Adobe .PDF Format), this time covering the period up to November 2002.
Typically very little has changed since the previous report for October and some of the statistics appear to be contradictive, thus we'd recommend viewing the information yourselves.
Not unsurprisingly dialup has continued its slow decline with broadband compensating and taking a greater hold over the market. |
Windows Media & BB Content For ISPs
By:mark.j @ 1:54:PM - News Comments - SendNews [HERE] / PrintNews [HERE] Music Choice Europe, a digital-music broadcaster, plans to license Microsoft's Windows Media 9 software as the basis for a packaged broadband music-subscription service targeting European ISPs:
The digital broadcaster plans to market the service to European ISPs (Internet service providers) seeking to differentiate their broadband services and tap new revenue streams, Microsoft said at international music-business trade show Midem yesterday.
Music Choice will offer ISPs a complete package for the secure delivery and playback of high-quality audio through broadband networks, according to Microsoft.
The package will use Windows Media 9 Series and Windows Server 2003 for secure encoding and delivery of content, the software vendor said. It will include the new DRM (Digital Rights Management) support feature available in the Media 9 Series product, according to Microsoft.
More @ MacWorld. |
Firstnet & intY Sign ISP Services Deal
By:mark.j @ 1:48:PM - News Comments - SendNews [HERE] / PrintNews [HERE] UK ISP intY has today announced an agreement with Firstnet Services Ltd to distribute its anti-virus email filtering service and Internet server appliance(s):
Firstnet Adds intY Technology to Portfolio
Agreement Allows Leading Business ISP to Provide Enhanced Internet Solution to SMEs
Specialist managed Internet services vendor intY today announced an agreement with Firstnet Services Ltd, the UK's leading business ISP to distribute its anti-virus email filtering service and Internet server appliance - MailDefender and Exoserver respectively. The agreement will see intY's products sold through Firstnet's extensive range of resellers and also directly to its focused SME customer base.
"Firstnet has established an excellent reputation amongst the UK business community as a provider of total internet solutions," said Justine Cross, Sales Manager, intY. "Their expertise and commitment to the commercial, public and academic sectors will offer intY an invaluable opportunity to further penetrate the small and medium sized enterprises."
The intY ExoServer is a sophisticated easily administered, multi-function system, which connects almost any network to the Internet in a secure and highly cost-effective way. Whilst, the MailDefender is an internet-level anti-virus engine combined with heuristic analysis scanning. Aimed at alleviating email security issues for businesses, Mail Defender provides total protection from email virus attack.
"Firstnet believes in partnering with companies whose products and service add increased value and choice to our channel and customer base," said Bryan Cobley, Development Director and Co-Founder, Firstnet. "As Europe's fastest growing appliance vendor, intY has excellent, cost-effective products which will certainly position us as one of the leading distributors for Internet appliance server technology in the UK whilst increasing the range of Internet appliance products we can offer to our customers."
In addition, Firstnet is also set to announce further details of its Liberty Broadband acquisition sometime within the next day or so. |
Start Your Own Wireless ISP For £300?
By:mark.j @ 1:42:PM - News Comments - SendNews [HERE] / PrintNews [HERE] UK Company Locustworld has developed a cheap and cheerful way of allowing individuals to start up their own mini-wireless ISPs for roughly £300 using Mesh wireless technology!
BT recently scrapped its own trials of Mesh due to the difficulties involved in setting such a thing up, yet apparently it can be done using an easier method:
The software is the key to Locustworld. Written by text-message pioneer Jon Anderson, it configures a group of wireless access points into a coherent "mesh" and connects them to any broadband Internet node available.
Most experts regard the mesh approach as hugely complex, because of the effort needed to set up the mesh. The system used to be known as a "parasitic network" - although the fashionable term these days is "symbiotic" - the idea is that you turn a group of wireless nodes loose, and tell them to introduce themselves to each other.
Then you set up routes through the mesh. It can be fiendishly complex, but Locustworld's mesh does this for you. You just buy the node from them: the current model is £250 plus VAT. The last legal obstacle, according to founder Richard Lander, was the decision by Oftel, allowing people to share their broadband with up to 20 others.
The News Wireless item makes for a very interesting read, although the last thing people need right now is thousands of junior cow-boy operations starting up in every street around the UK.
That said and it's still a wonderful idea, especially for sharing a basic connection and its costs between local friends and neighbors. Of course you'd still need a fast enough 'fixed' connection to share in the first place. |
EzAccess Issues ADSL Service Update
By:mark.j @ 1:31:PM - News Comments - SendNews [HERE] / PrintNews [HERE] UK ISP EzAccess has today issued a brief service update apologizing for the problems on their phone lines. They also include some new information regarding their 128Kbps unmetered ISDN pricing:
The demand for our ADSL (NO ACTIVATION) £19.99 a month package has been immense. We apologise to all customers who have had trouble with our phone lines. We are in the process of changing over Customer service numbers.
Our ADSL Package is now well in subscription targets. The promotion will continue for the next few weeks: and we urge any users to sign-up as soon as possible.
We will also be revising the pricing structure of some of our Dial-Up packages. This will include our ISDN 128K Package; which will be brought in to line with other ISP pricing structures: it is estimated that our ISDN 128K Dial-up will be available for £19.99 a month and our AnyTime package will be available to all ex-ISP customers for £9.99 a month, for a limited time. |
O2 Delays 3G Launch Until 2004
By:mark.j @ 1:26:PM - News Comments - SendNews [HERE] / PrintNews [HERE] O2, formerly known as BTCellent, has chosen to delay the rollout of their 3G (UTMS) broadband wireless mobile phone services until the second half of next year.
The announcement came following Oftels decision to cut the cost of fixed-to-mobile and mobile-to-mobile phone calls:
However, O2 stuck to its threat, made in October, that it would seek alternative ways of recovering the lost revenues and that consumers would bear the brunt of the decision through other charges.
Measures O2 plans to take include a delay in the launch of commercial 3G services until the second half of 2004, the deferment of tariff reductions it claimed to have been planning and the acceleration of cost cutting programmes across its business, including further reductions to handset subsidies.
The netimperative.info item states that other operators, such as Vodafone and '3', still intend to launch their 3G services sometime this year. O2s choice to delay 3G could ultimately do them more harm than good. |
One.Tel ISP Sees Major Downtime
By:mark.j @ 10:13:AM - News Comments - SendNews [HERE] / PrintNews [HERE] The latest UK unmetered dialup offering ISP to suffer a major network outage appears to be One.Tel, which has have been largely out of action for the past few days.
Customers whom have been able to contact the ISP report support staff as relating the problem to a downed Firewall, while the website itself simply states the following:
We are currnently aware that some customers are experiencing problems with connectivity, browsing and e-mail. Our engineers are working to resolve these problems as soon as possible and we apologise for any inconvenience caused.
Thankfully the ISPs broadband ADSL offerings appear to be unaffected, although that will come as little consolation to the many dialup users affected.
Typically you can find a lot of chat on this subject in our One.Tel Forum HERE. |
V21s Offer To Ex-UKStamp Customers
By:mark.j @ 9:58:AM - News Comments - SendNews [HERE] / PrintNews [HERE] UK ISP V21 has today issued details of its latest offer, which is being directed at customers of the now closed unmetered dialup service from ISP UKStamp:
V21 offer to ex-UK STAMP customers
Due to the closure of the 0808 FRIACO arm of UKSTAMP, V21 would like to make the following offer to all existing UKSTAMP customers.
V21 would be pleased to welcome you to our service and as we are so confident in our service we will offer you a special deal of 5 months access on our Lite plan for only £29.97 saving you 2 months subscription fees. All you need to do is follow the link below and sign up.
https://secure.v21.co.uk/user_signup/index.asp?smp_id=1&spo=1 |
Starbucks Increase UK Wi-Fi Rollout
By:mark.j @ 9:53:AM - News Comments - SendNews [HERE] / PrintNews [HERE] The UK wing of famed coffee chain Starbucks has chosen to increase its rollout of broadband wireless LAN (Wi-Fi) hotspots at four more stores:
Three are located in London -- at Farringdon, Fenchurch Street and Soho's Wardour Street -- and one on Colmore Row, Birmingham.
These hot spots will allow customers to surf the Web, check email and download files at high speed for free, as long as they have an 802.11b-compatible laptop or PDA.
Back in August last year, Starbucks set up its first two UK Wi-Fi hot spots, both in London. This was part of a global rollout of high-speed wireless Internet services, in partnership with T-Mobile and HP.
Recent changes to UK law mean that such operators will soon be able to take advantage of the 5Ghz spectrum (802.11a) as well. More @ ZDNet. |
BT Scraps GamesDomain Multiplayer
By:mark.j @ 9:47:AM - News Comments - SendNews [HERE] / PrintNews [HERE] BT has apparently chosen to scrap the multiplayer (online gaming) aspect of its GamesDomain service/portal on 17th February 2003:
The Games Domain Multiplay service was aimed at PC gamers, providing a range of servers and community features for popular online PC games. However, senior staff at the company had warned over six months ago that reluctance among PC gamers to pay for online gaming could result in the death of the service within a matter of months.
Meanwhile, GAME Plc has recently launched its new Game.net service, based on the veteran UK online gaming service Barrysworld. The new system charges gamers £12.95 per annum for access, with a number of other premium services available at additional charges.
It's hard to see how any commercial multiplayer services, bar massively multiplayer online RPGs, can last in a market that's increasingly dominated by faster and free residential broadband run servers. More @ The Register. |
BTO Supporting Advance ADSL Orders
By:mark.j @ 9:42:AM - News Comments - SendNews [HERE] / PrintNews [HERE] UK ISP BTOpenworld has issued a new press release announcing that it is now possible to take advance orders for broadband ADSL on exchanges that are not yet enabled:
Advance Orders For Broadband From BT Openworld
BT Openworld is pleased to announce that advance orders for its broadband products can now be made on exchanges which have confirmed build dates for ADSL enablement.
BT Openworld can now take orders on the following exchanges that have confirmed 'go-live' dates*:
Shaw, Greater Manchester Danbury, Essex Bradford-On-Avon, Wiltshire Tottington, Greater Manchester Merthyr Tydfil, Mid Glamorgan Wymondham, Norfolk Inverness, Highland Ivybridge, Devon Matlock, Derbyshire Bursledon, Hampshire Alton, Hampshire Worle, Avon Olney, Buckinghamshire Borough Green, Kent Heath Hayes, Staffordshire Berkswell, West Midlands Helensburgh, Strathclyde Wivenhoe, Essex Kilsyth, Strathclyde Dinnington, South Yorkshire Frodsham, Cheshire Codsall, Staffordshire Chepstow, Gwent Goring, Oxforshire Worthing Swandean, West Sussex Stanley, Co Durham Wide Open, Tyne & Wear Glasgow Newton Mearns, Strathclyde Fernhill Heath, Hereford & Worcester Steyning, West Sussex Bideford, Devon Caerleon, Gwent Cheslyn Hay, Staffordshire Clitheroe, Lancashire Great Yarmouth Town, Norfolk Kirby Muxloe, Leicestershire Newhaven, East Sussex Ramsey, Cambrdgeshire Westhoughton, Greater Manchester Yaxley, Cambridgeshire *All correct at 21.01.03.
By placing an order at this early stage broadband users can ensure that they are up and running as soon as possible once their exchange goes live and can also take advantage of the special offers and savings which BT Openworld are currently running on both home and business products.
These savings are being offered across a wide range of products from BT Openworld and will apply to new orders received before March 31 2003. Home user's start up costs will be reduced by up to £100 whilst business customers can save up to £260.
For full details of the current promotions visit http://www.btopenworld.com/broadband. Customers wishing to advance order broadband for home use call us on 0845 601 5187. Customers wishing to advance order broadband for business use call us on 0800 328 2780. |
News - January 21,2003
UKStamp ISP Closes Unmetered Dialup
By:mark.j @ 2:09:PM - News Comments - SendNews [HERE] / PrintNews [HERE] UPDATE - 2:29pm: One of our readers, David, shot off a concerned message to the ISP and received the following response: "The application was processed in good faith, with no intention of shutting down the service, but due to dwindling numbers of customers, we had to re-evaluate our plans.
After the 14 day guarantee, unfortunately the setup fee is non-refundable. You will continue to get service until we shut down."
ISP UKStamp has begun sending out e-mails to customers of its freefone (unmetered) Internet dialup service informing them that the package is to be discontinued as of 17th February 2003!:
Due to the increasing demand for ADSL and broadband causing a decrease in market share, UKStamp has decided to discontinue the freefone internet dialup service as of 17th February 2003.
We have decided to progress the company by expanding our server hosting facilities, with ADSL planned to follow in March 2003.
All advance payment customers will receive a full refund from 18th February 2003. Card payments will be taken pro-rata on the usual payment date to last until 17th February. Customers paying by standing order should cancel their standing order with their bank.
All customers who have paid a deposit (NOT set up fee) will have this refunded.
All refunds will be processed/refunded by Friday 7th March 2003
We thank you for your past custom and hope that you will soon find another ISP.
Ps: You will be informed shortly of any refund due by email.
THERE IS NO NEED TO CONTACT US REGARDING THIS EMAIL
The shock move appears to have angered some readers and confused others, not least because the ISP didn't even bother to consult its existing customers first. They could have at least attempted to agree a customer transfer with another/similar ISP.
Many had felt that UKStamp's days were numbered from day one, largely due to the services questionable economics. |
Freebroadband (FreeBB) ISP Responds
By:mark.j @ 1:48:PM - News Comments - SendNews [HERE] / PrintNews [HERE] Not surprisingly a lot of you have been interested in the foundation behind freebroadband (FreeBB); the forthcoming ISP we reported on yesterday - HERE, which plans to offer a truly free broadband Internet access service.
Very little is known about the proposed ISP except that FreeBB.co.uk ("FreeBB") is a trading name for 'World of Profit Limited', which seems like an ironic title given the premise.
Either way we shot off a quick message and an individual named Bev Harrison was kind enough to respond and go into a few further details:
Thankyou for your email regarding our offer of free Broadband Internet access. Our offer is legitimate and we are keen to keep our business plan confidential to avoid compromise. Nevertheless, in order to assist you and your readers, we have decided to disclose some further details to you.
You will be aware that we have initially sought to establish how many people would be interested in receiving free Broadband Internet access and as you would expect, there has been a great deal of interest from the public.
Our next phase, in April 2003, will be to provide free internet access to eligible members of the public. This phase firstly necessitates the customer having the means to receive cable connection to their home, or to be in a position to have cable connection to their home from the street within which they live.
Secondly, we are currently developing a Web Browser, which will be delivered to our members and provide links to other selective internet sites. These sites would be chosen by us based on the savings offered to our members on products or services which they would ordinarily purchase.
This plan will benefit our members in two ways:
a) Free Broadband access to the internet;
b) The offer of products or services at highly competitive prices.
The public will be under no pressure whatsoever to take up this offer, however we feel that the benefits to them would be considerable when one considers the cost of Broadband Internet access and the time spent by members of the public searching the internet for reasonably prices goods or services.
The only real hint of the service itself can be extracted from Harrisons remark regarding the requirement of a cable line. From this we can conclude that the service isn't ADSL based and is most likely to be supplied via NTL, Telewest or perhaps even Omne.
Unfortunately there's simply not enough information to raise our confidence in their business plan and their pre-registration page seems to lack basic security measures. We'd urge continued caution until more details are revealed. |
Vispa To End Special Unmetered Offer
By:mark.j @ 1:21:PM - News Comments - SendNews [HERE] / PrintNews [HERE] UK ISP Vispa Internet has today issued us with a new press release reminding people that only ten days remain for anybody wishing to subscribe and take advantage of their special 40% unmetered dialup discount:
The final 10 days!
Well all great offers finally have to come to end, and this offer has been no exception. However while others have already taken advantage of award winning Vispa, there is a few days left to join the exclusive club!
Vispa, one of the UK's longest running ISP's to offer 'fixed rate' Internet Access is now giving away the chance to save over 40% on your first months subscription to Connect Anytime for only £8.99. With a minimum contract of only 1 month, this is an ideal way to try out our services without the fear!
We are not cutting corners either. All the normal quality offerings and features are available. These include Unlimited Email Addresses, 25Mb Webspace, Usenet, Webmail, Tucows Mirror, Domain Name Hosting, Users Account Control System and SMS instant messaging services.
To take advantage of this offer, customers can go to http://www.vispa.com/products-uconnect-standard.php
It's time to spread the word; there is an ISP that puts customers first. Vispa understands that everyone's level of experience is different, and our operators all acknowledge this, therefore a chat with us will be in your language and not ours! Even if you need advise, give us a call on 08701 624 888.
Historical Background
Quality is something Vispa prides itself in. During 2002 we have pushed forward this commitment. We now take ports from two suppliers (NTL and BT) which have ensured that we always had backup circuits via another carrier. A third is being added shortly for total peace of mind. Likewise our own core network is multi-homed, so if one transit provider is having problems we can switch to ensure our customers are not offline.
To use Vispa's Flat-Rate services, customers must have a BT telephone line. This offer is only available for the first month of connection. A recurring fee of £14.95 per month on the specific package thereafter will apply. See web site for further details and terms and conditions.
If you require any further details email sales@vispa.net or call 08701 624 888 |
AOL UK Cuts Broadband ADSL Costs
By:mark.j @ 1:13:PM - News Comments - SendNews [HERE] / PrintNews [HERE] AOL UK has today become the latest ISP to cut the cost of its broadband ADSL services by offering a free connection and first month of service:
AOL Broadband now available free for a month
From today until the end of March new broadband customers can experience their first month on AOL Broadband without paying a single penny for the subscription or for activation of the service.
AOL Broadband, which offers an exclusive content package, email and instant messaging, free helpline and parental controls, is just £27.99 per month for the rest of the 12 month subscription period.
Karen Thomson, chief executive of AOL UK, said: "For one all-inclusive fee AOL Broadband brings consumers all the benefits of a high-speed connection plus an exclusive package of content, easy-to-use email, instant messaging and community features. By bringing a free month concept to broadband we believe we have an unbeatable all-round offer."
The modem pack required for AOL Broadband costs £85 (plus £10 p&p for telephone or online orders). Unlike some providers, AOL does not charge an activation fee for its broadband service. |
FairADSLs Cheap Business Broadband
By:mark.j @ 10:16:AM - News Comments - SendNews [HERE] / PrintNews [HERE] FairADSL, the UK broadband ADSL offering ISP well known for its £18.99 per month service, has launched an additional two SME business SOHO offerings:
The following three fairADSL services are available NOW
fairADSL HOME, 50:1 Dynamic IP which is priced at £18.99/month
(managed P2P bandwidth)
fairADSL SOHO, 50:1 Dynamic IP which is priced at £25.99/month
(open P2P bandwidth)
fairADSL SOHO, 50:1 with Static IP which is priced at £29.99/month
(open P2P bandwidth)
FairADSL appears to have more or less re-named a residential connection and offered it to businesses, although a true 20:1 option costing £59.99 per month will soon be launched complete with a three month contract.
The VNUNet item reports that installation costs are £33 plus the cost of the modem. |
SBCs Key Internet Patent Challenge
By:mark.j @ 10:02:AM - News Comments - SendNews [HERE] / PrintNews [HERE] Oh god, not again. First BT tried to claim the patent for Hyperlinks and lost; now SBC Communications, a major American Telco and ISP, wants the rights to links that stay visible on the page during navigation:
The US patent in question, number 5,933,841 and titled "Structured Document Browser" was issued in 1999 and hasn't been tested in court. It is part of patent law that 'prior art', where the patented idea was previously published, can invalidate a patent.
However, ascertaining the validity of a patent is a costly and lengthy affair, and if it holds then SBC stands to claim licence fees from virtually every company in the US that puts links in frames on their Web sites.
So isn't that wonderful, another commercial company out to exploit a fundamental design aspect of many Internet Sites. Here's to hoping that they don't win and end up looking very silly in the process. More @ ZDNet. |
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