[Merged] Ntl move into LLU unbundling

Shaun · 21-09-2004, 12:10

I'll believe it when I see it but Simon Duffy has been spouting to the FT that they intend to roll out LLU unbundling to 300 exchanges across the country next year:

Quote:

Originally Posted by El Reg

NTL chief exec Simon Duffy told the Financial Times, that it's cheaper to invest in local loop unbundling (LLU) than physically rolling out cable to extend its own network.

Sums it up really, cheap and cheerful!

Well seeing as they haven't managed to get their ADSL product up and running (AFAIK) yet I'll believe it when I see it!

http://www.theregister.co.uk/2004/09/21/ntl_llu/

Ignition · 21-09-2004, 12:39

The ADSL product is up and rollout is mostly complete as far as I know.

Also don't forget who supplies Virgin.net's ADSL connectivity.

As far as cheap and cheerful goes, hey if it delivers the service I certainly won't going to complain. Rolling out HFC to that sort of area costs a hell of a lot more than 65 million quid.

Cabling your average city can comfortably cost more than that when you take into account the major cost, civil engineering.

If it delivers a good service to those who take it up, who are we really to complain about how that service is delivered. If Simon Duffy is announced its' release to the FT that pretty much says that the money is allocated and waiting to be spent.

Fair play really, don't see what the issue is.

Graham F · 21-09-2004, 12:43

http://www.theregister.co.uk/2004/09/21/ntl_llu/

**Paul M** · 21-09-2004, 12:45

Quote:

Originally Posted by dellwear

Sums it up really, cheap and cheerful!

Why is it cheap & cheerful ? It's exactly what many ADSL providers do.

bob_builder · 21-09-2004, 13:58

They have basically announced that they are not going to bother cabling any more streets as it is far cheaper to run over BT lines.

So anyone who is waiting for them to run a cable up their road from the main line running past the bottom of their road will have a very long wait...

Shaun · 21-09-2004, 14:12

Because they can't afford to extend their own network, after all they gave all their money to C&W et al.

Ramrod · 21-09-2004, 14:16

Just realised that I've duplicated this thread....doh!

**Russ B** · 21-09-2004, 15:07

Nothing has been mentioned about this at work (my job is tech support to the ISPs, of which NTL will be if this story is correct) but I'll keep asking around and will post back if I dig anything up.

Ignition · 21-09-2004, 17:21

Quote:

Originally Posted by Russ D

Nothing has been mentioned about this at work (my job is tech support to the ISPs, of which NTL will be if this story is correct) but I'll keep asking around and will post back if I dig anything up.

I thought the ADSL Assurance people were in Walsall and Wolverhampton or is that just the networky people?

Do you work for BT Retail or BTWholesale?

Just curious because you mentioned:

Quote:

So hopefully cableforum.co.uk will have another means as to help customers but this this time those of BT's Broadband service.

**Russ B** · 21-09-2004, 17:28

I'm in Wholesale. My offer meant that I can advise people of planned maintenances and whether any current outages/problems have been brought to BT's attention and an estimated time of resolution.

scrotnig · 21-09-2004, 18:48

Quote:

Originally Posted by Paul M

Why is it cheap & cheerful ? It's exactly what many ADSL providers do.

Because when any other rolls out ADSL, it's great news for the consumer and what a fanastic company they are, and so much better than ntl.

When ntl do EXACTLY the same thing, they are 'cheap and cheerful' and not providing a decent service to anyone.

ntl will never be right in some people's eyes, I have long since given up even bothering to challenge such opinions.

**Rob** · 28-09-2004, 12:18

The Register yesterday had an interesting story about BT networks and Local Loop Unbundling. NTL are apparently to abandon further investment in cable

The article includes:

Quote:

NTL promised to put DSLAMs into 300 of the 1300 or so telephone exchanges owned by British Telecom, spending Ã‚Â£65m ($117m) in the process. It will continue to deliver television services, high speed internet and telephony to the homes passed by its digital cable systems, but it will not build out any more infrastructure using that technology. The company says that it is too expensive.

Ok many would argue that cable investment hasn't been that strong for a long while, but this article, nodoubt founded on some truth, says a lot for the future of cable networks, which in my view should have been able to wipe the floor with the combined offerings of BT and Sky.

KevAmiga · 28-09-2004, 12:24

:-(

Ignition · 28-09-2004, 12:37

BT only have 1300 exchanges :o blimey they've DSL enabled up nearly 3000 of them, where did they steal the others from?!?!

Escapee · 28-09-2004, 12:39

Strange as it may sound, I wouldn't be suprised to see ntl splitting up the company and selling off their networks. The company would then concentrate on being an ISP and content provider.

When you consider that they are not spending diddly squat on maintaining the HFC network and not caring about how bad a state it gets into, it doesn't sound so bizare. They have turned into a callcentre company, the whole operation is now controlled by callcentre people. I wouldn't be suprised if they wanted to get shot of what they dont understand.

Do they have their head in the sand, or have they got a joker up their sleeve!