Last Mile connection in the UK

[KGD87]

Hi

I'm writing a school essay and have got a question concerning last mile connection cost with regard to the UK.

Let's assume there is an end customer who has not been connected to any Street Cabinet. He/she decides to get connected (by Coax, Fiber, whatever) in order to acquire Internet service / Fixed Phone Service. The question is: Who/what institution pays for such an investment? Is it Operator providing the service, BT Openreach, customer himself/herself ?

Furthermore - are there any sources about responsibility of different BT units for providing the infrastructure in the UK?

Best Regards,
K.D.

[philce]

Hi

I'm writing a school essay and have got a question concerning last mile connection cost with regard to the UK.

Let's assume there is an end customer who has not been connected to any Street Cabinet. He/she decides to get connected (by Coax, Fiber, whatever) in order to acquire Internet service / Fixed Phone Service. The question is: Who/what institution pays for such an investment? Is it Operator providing the service, BT Openreach, customer himself/herself ?

Furthermore - are there any sources about responsibility of different BT units for providing the infrastructure in the UK?

Best Regards,
K.D.

BT and Kingston have a USO that says that they must provide service for a resonable cost. Virgin etc can just walk away

http://stakeholders.ofcom.org.uk/consultations/uso/main/

There are several threads on this board posting high costs for installation of BT lines.

[Ignitionnet]

Where installation of a new line costs £3400 or less, BT sets a standard charge. Where installation will cost over £3400, BT requires the customer to pay the excess costs (plus its standard connection charge).

Charge is presently 88GBP + VAT - this is charged by Openreach to operators. The charge they then pass to consumers is an entirely commercial decision. They may choose to swallow the charge in return for a contract tie-in (per BT Retail) or pass it on in full.

---------- Post added at 17:13 ---------- Previous post was at 17:12 ----------

There are several threads on this board posting high costs for installation of BT lines.

Well there are plenty complaining about the standard installation fee, nothing about exceptionally high charges so best not to look too deeply for those.

[philce]

Charge is presently 88GBP + VAT - this is charged by Openreach to operators. The charge they then pass to consumers is an entirely commercial decision. They may choose to swallow the charge in return for a contract tie-in (per BT Retail) or pass it on in full.

---------- Post added at 17:13 ---------- Previous post was at 17:12 ----------



Well there are plenty complaining about the standard installation fee, nothing about exceptionally high charges so best not to look too deeply for those.

Here's one, a bit old, but relevant none the less.

http://www.cableforum.co.uk/board/65/33624422-1500-to-install-a-bt-line.html

[Ignitionnet]

Thanks - wonder how that one ended up. Very few lines break the 3.4k threshold.

[Chrysalis]

interesting, an isp quoted me £150 for sim install, seems they got a margin on that price then unless BTw charge extra for it at wholesale.

[KGD87]

Charge is presently 88GBP + VAT - this is charged by Openreach to operators. The charge they then pass to consumers is an entirely commercial decision. They may choose to swallow the charge in return for a contract tie-in (per BT Retail) or pass it on in full

So... it is Openreach that is responsible for laying wires and BT Openreach charges an operator that will provide a given service to tend-customers - did I get it right? This is what I wanted to assess...

Is there any source in which it is confirmed?

Thanks!

[Ignitionnet]

So... it is Openreach that is responsible for laying wires and BT Openreach charges an operator that will provide a given service to tend-customers - did I get it right? This is what I wanted to assess...

Is there any source in which it is confirmed?

Thanks!

Yes - go to Openreach's own website (http://www.openreach.co.uk/orpg/home/home.do) - they tell you about them.

For example their 'About Us' section (http://www.openreach.co.uk/orpg/aboutus/aboutus.do):

Our customers are Communications Providers - the companies end users choose to provide telephone, internet, and more recently television services to their home or business.

We supply Communications Providers with products and services that are linked to the nationwide local access network. We also work on their behalf to ensure that the tens of millions of people across the UK have reliable local access to the telephony and internet services they offer.

Then there's the FAQ for End Users. (http://www.openreach.co.uk/orpg/aboutus/enduser_a.do)

Q. How do I get help with my telephone line or Broadband service?
A. If you have a problem with your phone or broadband service, or an issue about the work that has been done at your premises by an engineer, please raise this with your service provider (the company that bills you for the service).They will liaise with Openreach as necessary.

And other information.

Openreach are a part of the BT Group, and were born from BT's requirement to give equivalence of access to all operators to comply with the Enterprise Act of 2002. (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Enterprise_Act_2002)

They operate independently of the rest of the BT Group and are considered functionally separated - they remain a part of the company but deal with the rest of the company in the same manner they deal with other operators. BT companies order products from Openreach in the same way all other companies do, report faults in the same way, liaise in the same way.