ISPA welcomes the arrival of a new era of Internet access pricing in the UK
31 May 2000
The Internet Services Providers Association UK (ISPA) welcomes Oftel's decision that BT must provide other operators in the market with a wholesale unmetered Internet access product over BT's local network.
"This landmark decision is a crucial step towards ensuring that ISPs in the UK market can provide innovative unmetered services to compete with the launch of BT's Surftime product tomorrow, 1 June", said Clare Gilbert, Chairman of ISPA. "It is now incumbent upon BT to deliver its wholesale unmetered product to competitors without delay so as to provide internet users across the country with choice and competition for unmetered internet access services."
Increasing competition in the market will lead to lower prices and improved quality of service to customers, benefiting all Internet users. In addition, this decision will boost E-Commerce in the UK; research has shown how spending longer online encourages consumers to feel more confident about entering into e-commerce transactions and should lead to the explosion in the Net economy already experienced in the US.
ISPA notes, however, the requirement in Oftel's determination that BT has been given a "reasonable" time to implement the wholesale service.
With SurfTime due to launch tomorrow, ISPA therefore calls on BT to make the wholesale product available to OLOs without delay to ensure that this opportunity to create a vibrant competitive market is not missed and to avoid BT's own services being given an unfair competitive advantage.
Note for editors:
- The UK Internet Services Providers Association (ISPA UK) was set up in 1995 as a trade association to represent UK companies in the Internet sector. For a list of members or other information about ISPA, please consult the website: http://www.ispa.org.uk
- For additional details please contact ISPA on 020 7233 7234 or email: secretariat@ispa.org.uk