If you have read the interview with SatDrive, you’ll notice that it is mentioned that folk whose exchanges aren’t upgraded to ADSL are coming to the conclusion that they won’t ever be…….

So let’s see how many folk aren’t…………

I checked up on the BT website about the availability of ADSL countrywide. They give a map with their own figures about what percentage are able to get ADSL.

BT is claiming that over 67% of the country can get their service and I was really dismayed to read an interview with one of the regional chiefs (Scottish) in a “quality” Scottish newspaper that people should stop whinging about availability and concentrate on the fact that there is only a 4% take-up in areas that are enabled.

That maybe so , but it isn’t really helpful when BT have claimed that over 170 exchanges will never be viable for upgrade and haven’t put a figure on over 4000 exchanges. This is with a figure of over 6000 exchanges in total…….in other words over two thirds aren’t enabled!!!!! And if there are already 170 exchanges marked as unviable ……….what does this tell you about the ones they haven’t surveyed? Whinging about availability?????

Here’s their breakdown of figures, I’ve only put the figures down for home and schools………

Scotland

 Home:  39%
Schools : 29%

Wales

Home : 31%
Schools: 19%

Northern Ireland

Home : 47%
Schools: 41%

North West England

Home: 67%
Schools: 66%

North East England

Home: 70%
Schools: 64%

Yorkshire & Humberside

Home: 57%
Schools: 53%

West Midlands

Home : 67%
Schools: 61%

East Midlands

Home: 58%
Schools: 53%

East England

Home: 57%
Schools: 58%

South West England

Home: 47%
Schools: 42%

South East England

Home: 74%
Schools: 73%

London

Home: 100%
Schools: 100%

I , personally, love the figures for London……100% !!!

Amazingly enough, there are quite a few on the ADSL forums complaining that they can’t get ADSL………..and they stay in , would you believe it, London!!!!!!

Britain has just passed the one million mark for broadband users……..a large percentage of these are on cable. BT has tied up with quite a few others to promote broadband………pity we can’t get it then, isn’t it?

For BT chiefs to pat themselves on the back about ADSL rollout deserves some answers. I’d start with “ what grasp of reality do you have” !!!! Answers to the questions…….when are they actually going to upgrade exchanges countrywide?

Why do they find it as expensive to upgrade exchanges and have such a high number of users guaranteed BEFORE they upgrade?

The simple solution to the problem is to remove the network from BT control and instigate a program of upgrades to the network.

BT has failed miserably and (according to OFTEL documents) has systematically dragged its heels every step of the way.

The main problem is what do we replace BT with?

Do we renationalise the network?

In fairness, the only reason that everyone can get a phone line is because it was a nationalised industry. Can you imagine how many people wouldn’t have a telephone if the rollout of exchanges was just commencing nowadays? Sorry folks, there are under 10000 homes in your area, so none of you can get a telephone………

To say that I am disillusioned with BT is a very great understatement. I’d really love to see this Company crash and burn. To treat customers they way they have exposes all the risks that a monopoly entails!!!

The majority of Britain will never get broadband unless there are major changes to the way the network is handled. Another way to get broadband for everyone is to give lots of money to BT to upgrade all exchanges. Reading the previous paragraph above shows what I think of this idea. I’d rather do without than allow BT to expand their monopoly. I want their monopoly removed not extended. I’d love to see a separate holding company for the network with EVERY Telco allowed access to it.

BT has now decided to institute access limits to their dialup customers on their “anytime” account. This means you CAN use your “Anytime” account literally anytime, but better not stay on too long……..their new figure is now down to apprx. 5 hours a day. Considering it takes roughly an hour to download an update through their congested network……..you’d better hope your software doesn’t need updated very often!

BT has also started making rumbling noises about ADSL usage and is threatening to institute download limits. Hullo…………isn’t the point of broadband the fact that you can transfer large amounts of data quickly???? Seems a bit pointless if you can’t actually do what you got broadband for……….

I could point out that Virgin have promised that there will be no limits on their broadband account.

I urge everyone to look for alternatives to BT. Anything which helps to stop BT in its tracks is good for Britain. Even a slight reduction to their income may help change their minds. If you look at BT’s figures for internet access, they aren’t nearly the best deal. People should look around before they decide who to go with.

I’ll restate it, we need to rid the network of BT control!!!!!

IF BT didn’t have the network, I can reasonably predict that they would be a minority business in a very short time. Their whole business is there because they were given the network!!! They have managed to take the British telecomms from being the best in the World to the bottom of the top ten !!!!

Look at their web page about alternatives to ADSL. A couple of trials and no rollout of any of them except for two way satellite access ( yup, for £1000) you can get a slow satellite connection. It would make you sick !!!!!

Government interference is not only needed, but desperately needed. It is their aim to make Britain into Broadband Britain. If they look at Korea as an example, they can get some clues about how to achieve it. It took lots of money invested and lots of different networks competing to achieve it. It can be done, but it needs political will to actually deliver.

I’ve partially exhausted my ire this time…….so I’ll finish with this…….

We need rid of BT control of the telephone network!!!!!!!!