A new initiative to support the provision of unmetered internet
access in the UK and to provide greater choice for consumers has
been confirmed this week by telecoms watchdog Oftel. It involves a
new BT wholesale product, ST FRIACO.
BT will be required to offer other operators a new wholesale
unmetered Internet access product known as ST FRIACO (Single Tandem
Flat Rate Internet Access Call Origination) from 26th February
2001.
Under the new arrangements, operators will be able to offer
consumers unmetered internet access by connecting with BTs network
at its main regional exchanges for a flat rate annual fee.
ST FRIACO is an addition to the current FRIACO product which
Oftel has required BT to provide since June 2000. BT’s sluggish
rollout of FRIACO was much criticised by its competitors.
The current FRIACO product conveys internet calls to BT's local
exchanges. ST FRIACO conveys them across BT's network to the
operator’s own telephone network.
Oftel says that increasing the range of wholesale products
available to operators should boost competition in the provision of
unmetered access and will mean that a greater number of consumers
will be able to get unmetered internet access more cheaply and
easily than before.
Operators will be able to compete more effectively with BT and
each other in offering a greater variety of unmetered Internet
access services, some of which might not otherwise be available to
consumers.
Oftel has admitted that, in the short term, capacity at the main
exchanges will be limited. Therefore the decision includes measures
to ensure that BT's network is able to handle the anticipated
increased amounts of Internet traffic and that capacity is used as
efficiently as possible.
BT will also be required to take steps to ensure that all
reasonable demand for ST FRIACO can be met without limitation from
February 2003.
Detail of
Oftel's Determination on future interconnection arrangements for
dial-up Internet in the United Kingdom
