5 years ago... Oftel warns MPs over slow DSL take-up

It didn't get much better...

03.03.99: Oftel has warned that ecommerce in the UK is being stifled by the slow deployment of high-speed internet access technologies such as DSL (digital subscriber line).

Senior executives from the UK telecoms regulator issued the warning to MPs at a meeting of the Trade and Industry Select Committee.

Oftel is due to complete a consultation document on 10 March looking into the barriers faced by BT rivals that want to offer products based on DSL technology. "BT's large share of the access market over copper loops means that any mass deployment of DSL technology will depend on the availability of access through BT's network," it said in a written statement.

Oftel's statement said that if such barriers exist, "one solution, which is also being considered by other EU countries, is to allow others access to BT's local loop to enable them to deploy DSL technologies."

03.03.04: Well if it was slow five years ago then it became positively backwards during the years that followed as the government and BT combined to make the UK roll out of broadband as painful as possible.

The most controversial aspect of the roll-out row has been the furore which surrounded the provision of broadband to rural areas.

Residents and businesses in the sticks have cried foul over the past few years as BT claimed rolling out services wasn't cost effective. That assertion led to the implementation of trigger levels - the point at which enough interest had been shown in having broadband to make BT think enabling specific exchanges could prove profitable.

Now BT claims broadband services will hit 90 per cent availability across the country within the next couple of months and recently announced it had signed up the two-millionth customer to broadband. The incumbent expects to hit five million ADSL customers by 2006.