Blogs - BT

Monday, March 8th 2010

As well as working to provide faster broadband connections to consumers across the UK, both BT and Virgin Media are regularly working to expand their digital TV offerings.

The past week has seen both add new channels to their services, which could prove key to consumers when they look to switch deals.

Virgin Media is set to add high-definition (HD) version of the E4 and Film4 channels to its offerings in the coming months. The introduction of Film4 HD this summer is also an exclusive for the company, meaning movie fans looking for the best in British and US film-making could benefit.

Wednesday, March 3rd 2010

When it comes to broadband speeds, no one could deny that Virgin Media has had a major hand in upping the UK average. The company has a long history of topping speed tests and has continued the trend this month in the latest Cable.co.uk figures for February.

With an average speed of 8.4Mbps, Virgin Media is comfortably setting the pace when it comes to connections, with rival bundle provider Sky lagging behind by a whole 1Mbps.

Orange came third with an average connection speed of 6Mbps, while O2 and Be's shared infrastructure generated a figure of 5.6Mbps.

BT completed the top five with an average of 4.1Mbps, but there is little doubt where the power lies when it comes to speed in the UK.

Friday, February 19th 2010

What's in a name? Well, BT obviously thinks there is something, as it chosen to change the titles of its range of dual-play home phone and broadband bundles.

Get Connection, Home & Away and Unlimited have been scrapped and in their place have come Talk and Surf, Talk and Surf Plus and Talk and Surf Unlimited.

However, anyone who thinks their broadband deals have just been given a fancy new title will be happy to hear there has also been a slight rejig in pricing.

Talk and Surf is priced at £7.49 a month for the first three months and includes 20Mbps broadband, a 10GB download allowance and unlimited weekend calls in the UK.

Wednesday, February 10th 2010

For the past few years, the world of fibre optic broadband has been dominated by the likes of Virgin Media. Earlier this year, BT joined the exclusive club with the launch of its Infinity service, but its latest plans look set to be potentially market-changing.

Earlier this week, BT's chief executive Ian Livingston told the Financial Times that it has been talking to Ofcom about potentially opening up its underground infrastructure for rivals to use.

It is thought that such a move could allow companies to lay cables without having to dig up pavements.

Monday, February 8th 2010

While the relationship between different internet service providers can be pretty frosty at times, there are signs that the issue of fibre optic broadband provision could bring them closer together.

The Financial Times has revealed that BT is considering opening up its own underground network of tunnels to rivals, which would then be able to run their own super-fast services through the ducts.

Such a move would be a big boost for many broadband providers, as they would be able to avoid the potentially costly task of digging up pavements to install such networks.

Fees would be involved in the offering, which would be used to boost BT's introduction of a high-speed broadband network.

Tuesday, January 26th 2010

Fresh from launching fibre optic cable broadband services for homeowners, BT has gone and done the same for businesses.

The new BT Business Total Broadband Fibre service is offering companies the chance to enjoy download speeds of up to 40Mbps through four packages priced from £30 a month.

A connection charge of £75 is included on all of the deals, along with an unlimited usage allowance and a BT Business Fibre Hub wireless router. Upload speeds of up to 10Mbps, which are thought to be the fastest available in the UK, are also available on two of the packages.

Friday, January 22nd 2010

When it comes to household fibre optic broadband services, few companies have really had an impact to rival Virgin Media. The company's high-speed connections - which offer the fastest connection speeds in the UK - have marked the company out from other providers for several years, but it looks like all that could soon change.

BT's announcement of pricing details for its own fibre optic broadband service are likely to catch the eye of many, but will the so-called Infinity platform really become a strong rival to Virgin Media's offerings? It's early to say, but the initial signs are pretty good.

Monday, January 18th 2010

Sky's monopoly over top sports coverage has long been a frustration to football fans who cannot afford it, but it has also had a significant impact on the popularity of rival digital TV services.

Take BT Vision for instance. While it offers on-demand TV and films - and also recently launched a new energy-efficient set-top box - just 436,000 people are subscribing to it. One of the big reasons behind the low figures – Sky has over nine million customers – is thought to be the lack of top sports coverage.

However, Ofcom could change all that if it succeeds with its efforts to force Sky to offer its premium sports and movie channels via rival platforms, such as BT Vision.

Friday, January 15th 2010

Demand for fibre optic cable broadband in the UK seems to be at an all-time high at the moment, but two regions which are more interested in the technology than most are Suffolk and Norfolk.

Some controversy has formed over whether broadband provider BT's efforts to introduce super-fast internet services are currently ignoring the areas, after the Eastern Daily Press revealed that none of the latest batch of exchanges to get the technology are in either region.

While business leaders have suggested the issue could lead many companies to move away from the areas and damage the local economy, BT has recently hit back in an interview with the Yarmouth Mercury.

Monday, December 21st 2009

What will the year 2012 mean to you? Well, for most people in the UK it is expected to be a time of celebration, due to the London Olympics. However, a recent film suggested we should not get too excited, as the world could end. So, should we be excited or terrified of the year?

BT has suggested that it will be a time for optimism and wants to offer an extra boost. According to the Financial Times, the company is intending to ensure its fibre optic broadband network is up and running by June 2012, a month before the Olympics kicks off.

Tuesday, December 8th 2009

While it has not been uncommon to see broadband providers at each other's throats this year – usually over advertising – every so often they nobly decide to come together for the greater good.

It is unclear whether the upcoming festive period has inspired BT, Virgin Media and Orange, but it is a fact that their latest project could provide a boost to us all in the near future.

BT Wholesale is working with Orange and Virgin Media on a new network called Content Connect. The concept is based on the idea that media companies should pay for video content to be stored on a broadband provider's network as opposed to the internet, the Guardian reports.

Wednesday, November 11th 2009

For a while now it has seemed that the likes of BT, Virgin Media and Sky have a monopoly on arguments over advertising claims, what with their recent quarrels over marketing.

However, another two broadband providers have now decided to square up to each other in relation to the issue.

This time it is 3 and Orange, with the former choosing to complain to the Advertising Standards Authority over the latter's suggestion that it owns the UK's biggest mobile broadband network.

According to the Times, 3 believes it has the largest and has stated the claims in Orange's promotions could potentially mislead customers.

Friday, October 16th 2009

While so many of us in the UK now take broadband access for granted, a voice has emerged which suggests we should maybe stop and think how lucky we are.

According to Steve Robertson, the chief executive of BT Openreach, "very few technologies" have taken off as quickly or as impressively as the internet services, as around a decade ago no one had access to it.

In a column published by the Daily Telegraph, he added however that there is "a great need" for web services to be improved, particularly in the use of technology such as fibre optic broadband.

But how is it possible for such high-speed services to be established? The expert stated that there is only one answer: collaboration.

Wednesday, September 30th 2009

With all the recent talk over illegal filesharing and who should foot the bill for tackling the problem, it seems that one major broadband provider has inadvertently revealed its stance on the issue.

Carphone Warehouse chief executive officer Charles Dunstone has revealed that its TalkTalk subsidiary is developing a new range of parental control systems that will allow adults to give certain websites an age rating similar to those seen in cinemas.

The certification process is likely to see sites rated from universal to 18, he told the Financial Times, while he suggested that the process could even help in the fight against the use illegal filesharing technology in the UK.

Monday, September 28th 2009

While settling down to watch Strictly Come Dancing this weekend, you may have had your view of the sequins and glitter blocked by a reminder that you need to retune digital TV equipment later this week.

However, if you're receiving all the channels you need – and let's be fair, how many people really need QVC – what is the point in digging out the manual for your set-top box or BT Vision just to rejig your settings?

Well, it has been claimed that, from the afternoon of September 30th, coverage of Five across the UK will be boosted to ensure over 500,000 Freeview households have the channel for the first time.