'Bare wire' deal for cheaper broadband

BT plans to provide a more open market in access devices from December 2001 in one of a number of moves designed to entice more people to broadband.

Users have little choice over the ADSL box you get today. Under the so-called 'bare wire' scheme, they will be able to choose from a range of approved devices just as they have a free choice of dial-up modems, although the ADSL kit is likely to be sold or leased by a service provider.

Tom Saville, BT broadband marketing manager, said: "Competition among device makers is bound to push down prices." It will also vastly increase user options. Broadband access devices are more varied than dial-up modems because they pack features like routers and wireless or wired hubs that help spread access round a home or office.

Also coming in are plug-and-play installations which avoid a costly engineer's visit. And BT plans to extend the reach of ADSL, drawing in more potential users by limiting data rates to the capacity of each link.

The telco is facing stiff competition from cable companies NTL and Telewest, which both offer cheaper broadband deals. But broadband take-up has been slower than expected for several reasons, including the chicken-and-egg scenario that has dogged the web from the start: you won't get the content until you get the users; and you won't get the users until you get the right content.

Another factor is the advent of toll-free dial-up access which offers some of the freedom of always-on services.

Talking at Network 2001, Saville revealed that BT is talking to at least one provider about offering low-speed ADSL links like NTL's 64K cable-modem deal, which gives an always-on connection slightly faster than a toll-free dial-up link at much the same price.

"We are willing to consider anything that will increase the take-up of this technology," he said.

Meanwhile, a startup called Aramiska has announced that early next year it will offer two-way broadband access by satellite at prices "competitive" with land links. The service, which will be available in places where ADSL and cable don't reach, will be targeted initially at businesses.

Satellite links to date have mostly relied on slow land lines for the uplink.

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