BT to manage T-Mobile network

[Stuart C]

http://www.theregister.co.uk/2007/07...obile_bt_deal/

T-Mobile and BT have struck a deal so that BT will manage the interconnections between T-Mobile's base stations and it's core network.

Initially, they will use leased lines to connect the base stations, but, ultimately, as BT switch on 21CN, they will be upgrading the base stations to connect to the network via Ethernet. This will give them greater bandwidth which they can use for streaming media, and various downloads.

Obviously, we, the consumer, won't see much, if any advantage initially, but it will be interesting to see what services they offer.

[Chris]

The only service I'd like to see them offer is to plant a few more masts and improve their network coverage. There's no excuse for the frequently patchy service their network provides these days - this isn't the heady days of Mercury 1-2-1, it's a mature 2g network that's been around for over 10 years.

I get fed up looking at some of the good deals offered by the virtual networks they carry and then realising I can't have them because the coverage where we live is non-existent (and yes, it's a bit remote, but the other three networks manage it).

FYI. Virgin Media provide T-Mobiles Core Fibre Network.

[Shaun]

Personally I'm just about to leave T-mobile. Not because of network issues, around here the coverage is great but because they're withdrawing all their offers and not telling us what the new ones will be.

Saying that switching networks is so easy on PAYG these days there's no reason to stick with one network.