U.K. Office of Telecommunications (Oftel) is augmenting Internet ...
U.K. Office of Telecommunications (Oftel) is augmenting Internet interconnection requirements under which British Telecom (BT) must offer access to its rivals. Starting Feb. 26, BT will have to offer competitors new wholesale unmetered Internet access product called Single Tandem…
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Flat Rate Internet Access Call Origination -- called ST FRIACO. Earlier version mandated by Oftel conveyed Internet calls to BT’s local exchanges. Updated version conveys them across BT network to operator’s own phone network, Oftel said. Oftel said change would broaden inexpensive, unmetered Internet access in U.K. Last year, Oftel studied interconnection issue in context of arguments raised by BT that it couldn’t supply unmetered wholesale service to tandem switches because increased traffic would overload its network. Recognizing that capacity at main exchanges could be limited at outset, Oftel said it included measures to ensure BT’s network could handle expected influx in Internet traffic. It said new arrangements would allow competitors to BT to offer unmetered Internet access by connecting with BT’s network at its main regional exchanges for flat rate annual fee. Oftel said BT would be required “to take steps to ensure that all reasonable demand for ST FRIACO can be met without limitation” starting in Feb. 2003. Oftel said it would work with industry to create “new interconnection regime” for Internet traffic carried over dedicated IP networks. Oftel Dir. David Edmonds said as recently as year ago that unmetered Internet access wasn’t available in U.K. Last year, regulators required BT to provide necessary services for unmetered Internet access over local loop in response to interconnection dispute between BT and WorldCom.