MSE News: Rural areas set for cheaper broadband

Former_MSE_Guy

This is the discussion thread for the following MSE News Story:

"Proposals state BT must cut the price it charges other internet providers to use its lines which should mean lower bills ..."

Read the full story:
Rural areas set for cheaper broadband

minerva_windsong

I live in what could be described as a 'rural area', and I don't want cheaper BT prices. What I want is more choice of ISP, but I can't have that until we have the right type of exchange. That's what I think needs to be done.

Strapped

Never mind cheaper, I'd settle for just decent broadband (>1MB).

macman

minerva_windsong wrote: »

I live in what could be described as a 'rural area', and I don't want cheaper BT prices. What I want is more choice of ISP, but I can't have that until we have the right type of exchange. That's what I think needs to be done.

Wrong. You can use any (non-LLU) ISP you wish on a Market 1 (BT exclusive) exchange.
The BT prices referred to are the wholesale prices. This will reduce the retail prices charged by non-LU ISP's who resell the BT Wholesale service.

StressedSam

I live in a rural area but was given the impression by Sky that I would be able to use their normal broad band service. I had to have Sky to have TV as there is no signal on the old aerial and free view/cable are not available here. I therefore signed up for a package and was told the broadband part would cost £5 a month.
After having the TV installed I was told the internet would be connected during the next week. When I was sent my first bill I was charged £17 for the Broadband. When I complained I was told it was because we were outside of the network area, and if I wanted to complain I should complain to BT for not upgrading their lines!

macman

StressedSam wrote: »

I live in a rural area but was given the impression by Sky that I would be able to use their normal broad band service. I had to have Sky to have TV as there is no signal on the old aerial and free view/cable are not available here. I therefore signed up for a package and was told the broadband part would cost £5 a month.
After having the TV installed I was told the internet would be connected during the next week. When I was sent my first bill I was charged £17 for the Broadband. When I complained I was told it was because we were outside of the network area, and if I wanted to complain I should complain to BT for not upgrading their lines!

You don't have to have Sky-if you can get Sky, you can get Freesat -for nothing.
Your broadband is the dreaded Sky Connect (non-LLU). When you checked your number online on the sky site it would have told you which service was available and the price.
It's not BT that upgrades the exchange-it's the ISP that pays to have an LLU facility in the exchange. If they aren't going to get sufficient customers on that exchange, then they won't LLU it. Nothing to do with BT.

Ken68

Plus Net is part of BT and probably everywhere. Also it's the cheapest. So I see no problem.

System

So does that mean that ISPs will have a new set of products with the reduced cost? I don't see it somehow. I just don't see ISPs going to the trouble to sort their users out between Market 1 and the rest. Everybody will still get charged the same and ISPs make a bit more of a profit off their users on Market 1 exchanges.

macman

I don't think so, ISP's already differentiate on non-LLU charges. For example Plusnet have a 2 tier rate.

System

I understand that but you do not have to take the LLU service just because it is available from your exchange. You can stick with the normal BT wholesale product.

Plusnet would have to have a 3 tier system. LLU, BT from an LLU exchange and BT from a BT only exchange

minerva_windsong

!!!!!! wrote: »

So does that mean that ISPs will have a new set of products with the reduced cost? I don't see it somehow. I just don't see ISPs going to the trouble to sort their users out between Market 1 and the rest. Everybody will still get charged the same and ISPs make a bit more of a profit off their users on Market 1 exchanges.

That's what I was trying to get at - for instance, at my postcode I can have O2 and a range of others, but I have to have Access as opposed to the cheap prices that O2 advertise. When I said I wanted more ISP choice, I meant I want more ISP choice at the prices advertised. Hence it's the exchange that needs sorting, I presume to become an LLU exchange, which is why I'm not bothered about BT cutting prices.