Topic: Oftel to slash BT's unmetered dial-up

[Clive]

Oftel to slash BT's unmetered dial-up
[PC Pro] 11:08

Oftel has proposed a 17 per cent price cut to the FRIACO unmetered wholesale product it offers to ISPs.
When BT first introduced FRIACO (Fixed Rate Internet Access Call Origination) to allow ISPs to offer unmetered dial-up access, it included in the wholesale costs charges for call routing and managing the extra traffic on the network.

But by December 2001, BT had introduced network improvements that made these services unnecessary. Oftel is proposing that these extra charges be cut out of the cost of FRIACO and a refund backdated to December 2001 be paid to ISPs that buy the products.

David Edmonds, Director General of Telecommunications said: 'I propose to order BT to reduce its wholesale unmetered Internet access prices by 17 per cent, which represents the costs of the now unnecessary measures. These savings could be passed on by other operators to their customers.'

'Oftel's action will ensure that operators and consumers pay a fair price for unmetered Internet access from BT, and reflects the relevant costs that BT incurs to provide this service,' he added.