Entanet Takes On BT - Calls For Help
Posted: 07th Jun, 2006 By: MarkJ
Network operator Entanet has issued a public statement of intent against BT, highlighting their concerns over the pricing of IPStream Centrals, among other issues. The provider has also called on ISP's to join in the campaign:
Hi all,
Following a number of conversations with people about the pricing of IPStream Centrals its come to the point where something needs to be done. So I'm soliciting support for a formal petition to Ofcom to review the pricing and promises that have been made by BT.
Why are we doing this?
1. BT have snook a major change in the product definition
No longer can an ISP use the term contention to describe their products, now they must use the term 'end user experience'. Whilst this change may seem innocuous the end user is now told that their 2Mbps MUST run at 400kbps or better 24/7 or its a fault.
This means that once where an ISP could afford to provision 40kbps on their central (2000Kbps at 50:1) they must now provision 10 times as much bandwidth or their customers will walk.
There has been no financial compensation to service providers to aid in this sudden change in product definition.
2. The costs BT are charging service providers for IPStream Centrals are too high
I have done several calculations and, based on real figures, struggle to get costs to even half those that are being charged by BT (and that's allowing for a 20% profit margin) for both install and relative bandwidth prices.
3. The average use per subscriber is increasing
Whilst BT continue to deny the fact, many service providers are seeing bandwidth usage per subscriber increase (hence the increase in AUP/FUP/Allowances). Whilst it would be naive to think that an ISP shouldn't be held responsible for this, the rapidity of growth is quite frightening (and the BBC are still to launch their full watch again service over p2p later this year...)
What about LLU?
Most service providers would welcome the opportunity to discuss an alternative wholesale supplier of IPStream like services, but as yet none exist and with the current market conditions it will be years before a credible alternative does.
Ofcom don't seem to grasp this fact and only require that the competition exists at a end user level rather than higher up the chain.
What do we want done?
1. BT to reduce the IPStream Central Price to £100/Mbps
2. BT to reduce the IPStream Central installation charge
2. BT/Ofcom to recalculate the MST based on new product definitions and above pricing changes
3. BT/Ofcom to review the freeze of IPStream Prices
4. BT/Ofcom to review the costs of BES services in light of 1. above
5. BT to provide 622 Centrals on a much shorter lead time - 30 working days
6. BT to look at increasing/introducing multicast on IPStream
7. BT to look at increasing 622 Capacity to 1G
8. Ofcom to investigate the lack of LLU competition at a wholesale level
Can't ISPA do this itself?
Due to the diverse membership of ISPA there exists a natural barrier (i.e. all the major LLU providers are members and so is BT) to a common policy. Rather than set-up an organisation for a single issue (never saw the benefit of doing that). I'm setting up a website where interested parties can gather and discuss what actions to be taken.
Please either sign up at http://www.serviceprovider.org.uk/ or let me know by email if you are interested in taking part in this 'campaign' (sorry please see membership criteria before signing up to the website) please can you also forward this to anyone you think might be interested.
Have a good weekend (of if it's Monday, hope you had a good one)
J
- --
COO
Entanet International
Its refreshing to see an ISP opening up said problems in order to bring about change. Matters, such as the 400Kbps issue mentioned in no.1, have proved to be a crucial quality of service stumbling block when ISPs attempt to highlight problems with ADSLMax technology.
Hi all,
Following a number of conversations with people about the pricing of IPStream Centrals its come to the point where something needs to be done. So I'm soliciting support for a formal petition to Ofcom to review the pricing and promises that have been made by BT.
Why are we doing this?
1. BT have snook a major change in the product definition
No longer can an ISP use the term contention to describe their products, now they must use the term 'end user experience'. Whilst this change may seem innocuous the end user is now told that their 2Mbps MUST run at 400kbps or better 24/7 or its a fault.
This means that once where an ISP could afford to provision 40kbps on their central (2000Kbps at 50:1) they must now provision 10 times as much bandwidth or their customers will walk.
There has been no financial compensation to service providers to aid in this sudden change in product definition.
2. The costs BT are charging service providers for IPStream Centrals are too high
I have done several calculations and, based on real figures, struggle to get costs to even half those that are being charged by BT (and that's allowing for a 20% profit margin) for both install and relative bandwidth prices.
3. The average use per subscriber is increasing
Whilst BT continue to deny the fact, many service providers are seeing bandwidth usage per subscriber increase (hence the increase in AUP/FUP/Allowances). Whilst it would be naive to think that an ISP shouldn't be held responsible for this, the rapidity of growth is quite frightening (and the BBC are still to launch their full watch again service over p2p later this year...)
What about LLU?
Most service providers would welcome the opportunity to discuss an alternative wholesale supplier of IPStream like services, but as yet none exist and with the current market conditions it will be years before a credible alternative does.
Ofcom don't seem to grasp this fact and only require that the competition exists at a end user level rather than higher up the chain.
What do we want done?
1. BT to reduce the IPStream Central Price to £100/Mbps
2. BT to reduce the IPStream Central installation charge
2. BT/Ofcom to recalculate the MST based on new product definitions and above pricing changes
3. BT/Ofcom to review the freeze of IPStream Prices
4. BT/Ofcom to review the costs of BES services in light of 1. above
5. BT to provide 622 Centrals on a much shorter lead time - 30 working days
6. BT to look at increasing/introducing multicast on IPStream
7. BT to look at increasing 622 Capacity to 1G
8. Ofcom to investigate the lack of LLU competition at a wholesale level
Can't ISPA do this itself?
Due to the diverse membership of ISPA there exists a natural barrier (i.e. all the major LLU providers are members and so is BT) to a common policy. Rather than set-up an organisation for a single issue (never saw the benefit of doing that). I'm setting up a website where interested parties can gather and discuss what actions to be taken.
Please either sign up at http://www.serviceprovider.org.uk/ or let me know by email if you are interested in taking part in this 'campaign' (sorry please see membership criteria before signing up to the website) please can you also forward this to anyone you think might be interested.
Have a good weekend (of if it's Monday, hope you had a good one)
J
- --
COO
Entanet International
Its refreshing to see an ISP opening up said problems in order to bring about change. Matters, such as the 400Kbps issue mentioned in no.1, have proved to be a crucial quality of service stumbling block when ISPs attempt to highlight problems with ADSLMax technology.
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