Alliance Challenges Datastream Prices
Posted: 21st Oct, 2003 By: MarkJ
The Broadband Industry Group, which consists of Brightview, Cable & Wireless, Centrica, Energis, Freeserve and Tiscali, has banded together in an effort to take on BT and have non-BT ADSL (Datastream) prices cut:
"Oftel should recognise that current regulation is hindering effective competition," the Broadband Industry Group says in a policy statement on its Web site. It demands that "conditions should be placed on BT about how they set the price of DataStream, its functionality and levels of customer service."
Several DataStream customers have recently claimed that BT is acting unfairly by charging excessively for Datastream, compared to the IPStream products that BT sells directly to ISPs. This row kicked off when BT made significant reductions in the price of its business IPStream products, without making similar cuts to its Datastream range. BT caved in and cut Datastream rates in May, and again last month, but a complaint over the issue is still being investigated.
The Broadband Industry Group wants BT to be forced to change the way it sets Datastream pricing -- a move it claims would see broadband prices fall for British businesses and consumers.
The group itself isn't due to be formally launched until next month (November), although clearly that hasn't stopped them firing the opening salvo at BT. More @ ZDNet.
"Oftel should recognise that current regulation is hindering effective competition," the Broadband Industry Group says in a policy statement on its Web site. It demands that "conditions should be placed on BT about how they set the price of DataStream, its functionality and levels of customer service."
Several DataStream customers have recently claimed that BT is acting unfairly by charging excessively for Datastream, compared to the IPStream products that BT sells directly to ISPs. This row kicked off when BT made significant reductions in the price of its business IPStream products, without making similar cuts to its Datastream range. BT caved in and cut Datastream rates in May, and again last month, but a complaint over the issue is still being investigated.
The Broadband Industry Group wants BT to be forced to change the way it sets Datastream pricing -- a move it claims would see broadband prices fall for British businesses and consumers.
The group itself isn't due to be formally launched until next month (November), although clearly that hasn't stopped them firing the opening salvo at BT. More @ ZDNet.
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