Easynet first to access BT exchanges

Pan-European ISP Easynet is claiming the accolade of becoming the first operator in Britain to connect a DSL customer to its own equipment within a BT exchange.

The unbundling by Easynet, as part of industry wide trials, took place in Battersea at the BT exchange on Tuesday. Justin Fielder, local loop unbundling manager for Easynet, said in a statement: "This is the successful culmination of many months work by Easynet, the Industry Trials Group, OFTEL and BT. "BT managed to deliver the copper loop on time and at acceptable quality, enabling us to service our first trial customer." The Easynet trial follows the connection of unbundled customers in Belfast last month to distant co-location equipment. Further connections to Easynet at both Battersea and its two other trial exchanges in Edinburgh and Leeds are expected. Last week, Redstone Telecom said it is to push ahead with building its own exchanges next to BT's buildings, despite Oftel slashing the deadline for unbundling to April.