Out-Law News 1 min. read
22 Mar 2002, 12:00 am
Local loop unbundling refers to the opening to competition of the part of an incumbent’s telephone network that connects buildings to local exchanges, also known as the last mile. EdNET is one of only five remaining companies to be part of the Oftel/BT local loop unbundling Industry Negotiating Panel.
The six-year old ISP says it can operate in exchange areas with a broadband subscriber base of less than 100 customers, whereas BT needs literally thousands to justify enabling an exchange for DSL (digital subscriber line) services.
To promote its new services, the company has launched a new site, broadbandscotland.net. Its Managing Director, Aydin Kurt-Elli said today:
“With BT only recently agreeing to new terms for access to exchanges nationwide, we and other ISPs will be able to DSL-enable exchanges with terms nearer our own business models, rather than BT’s own agenda. Whilst most ISPs, like BT, are interested only in population-rich areas, we at edNET continue to demonstrate our investment and firm belief in the Scottish marketplace with this project.”
The company expects the rollout of new DSL exchanges by summer 2002.
BT and the UK Government have faced much criticism for their behaviour in opening the incumbent’s local loop to other operators, a requirement of European law. However, the Government has escaped the infringement proceedings which this week began against five other Member States.
Ireland, Germany, France, the Netherlands and Portugal were named by the European Commission as targets for proceedings because of their failure to comply with a Regulation on the unbundling of local loops.
Specifically, the incumbents of these countries did not make an offer to competitors that allowed the competitors to pay just for what they required, and they failed to provide a breakdown of costs for the sub-loop so that an operator could install equipment closer to customers’ premises than the local exchange.