Individual Eleven – The World's Cyberbrain

… people that are within the re-cabling remit, and if you aren’t then I guess you’re stuffed. Because even though BT has FINALLY decided to implement it’s new fibre optic network, there’s no guarantee they are going to go as far as the rural areas where there isn’t a nearby ADSL exchange let alone anything else. Although this is a step in the right direction, we are so far behind the times it’s unreal. Call me sceptical, but British Telecom have promised in the past and failed to deliver… unless, Ofcom provides the added pressure and impetus to push this along, regardless of BT’s hesitancy due to financial and boardroom reasons.

Personally, I can’t stand BT as a company. Their customer service is dire, you will be lucky to talk to somebody who is fluent in English (because like any other money grabbing enterprise, they outsource to the cheapest bidder to the detriment of service). They also have a monopoly on the PSTN infrastructure and almost every other telecommunication network there is. Of course, there is cable, such as Virgin Media and other competitors but they do not own the majority of the copper cabling do they. History will now come full circle, as BT will own the future fibre optic infrastructure as well. Which means they can charge whatever they want to service resellers, will we see Local Loop Unbundling for fibre in the near future?

Our entire telecommunications network is at the mercy of one company, surely this is against some kind of anti-competitive ruling. One would think so, but trying to turn back the clock and putting it back into the hands of the state will never happen. What’s done is done, and since the privatisation this is the end result which we all have to live with.

If they can boost my speed past the 2mbps mark then I will be over the moon, even though technically 24mbps is available but only in certain areas i.e. London and other major towns and cities (not to mention you have to be close to the exchange, the problem I have right now). I just hope the bean counters don’t put a stop to something that can benefit so many people and businesses across the country, yes BT will probably take several years to recoup the investment but that’s part of being a business. As the responsibility of our network rests on BT’s shoulders, they should be obligated to push our country to the forefront of technology instead of trying to hold us back.

Miscellaneous BT, fibre optic internet, Ofcom

I was reading an article on the BBC about broadband in every home by 2012. For a start, the government have been going on and on about this for years and every time they push the date back. I would like to know how they are going to persuade British Telecom to invest in more ADSL exchanges in rural areas, where dial up is still prominent. Around 10 years ago, BT put forward a proposal to install fibre cabling to replace the ageing copper lines. Unfortunately, this was turned down; if this were implemented back then we would not be in this position. Now the cost has risen exponentially and with cut backs across all sectors, I am less than optimistic about this deadline.

In stark contrast, Korea is looking likely to have 1Gbps broadband by 2012. Right now, I would love to get 10 meg let alone 1 gig. Research and development in our country is almost grinding to a standstill, and even if the implementation was successful at what cost to us? And what happened to SDSL in the UK? Yes, I would like to have the same upload speed as my download, and it was marketed as the next big thing at the time. Now it seems to have faded into the unknown for residential customers, of course it is an option for businesses but why not more widely available for everyone. Fibre internet is available in certain areas, but I can’t get anything higher than 2mbps unless I move more centrally in town.

I had a brief look at the report issued by the government (any longer than brief would probably bore me to an early grave), and one of the things they want to address is internet piracy, with the consultation of a digital rights agency. Please, are they going to DRM the internet? I can just see it now, I have to pay £1 for a website I want to view to be unlocked. Will all our activities be monitored online, whether innocent or otherwise? This amongst other things in our world, just means we are taking one-step closer to a totalitarian nanny state. It may not be as dramatic as 1984, but the signs are there.

Miscellaneous British Telecom, Broadband Britain, BT