BT Wholesale releases WBC activation dates for first 868 exchanges!

[Cookiemonster]

Just checked over at Samknows and they have the dates and list of the first 868 21CN exchanges to go live!

Check it out...868 Exchanges.

Unfortunately for me my exchange (Balmedie) isn't there, but it can't be far off as nearly all the Aberdeen one's have a date, but seen as mine says Q3 2009 i guess it won't be added till later

[madasahatter]

My exchange is showing WBC as available from May 2009, but no date set for 21CN

[Sebby]

Excellent! My exchange (Barnet) is due to switch over on 30 June 2008.

[Cookiemonster]

 

[esh]

None for me. Not on the list.

[Baz]

what difference will it make for us or is it just BT equipment

[madasahatter]

As far as I'm aware, the only difference it will make for us is that we should (and note the word should ) be able to get faster speed products.

[Rik]

It means you'll be able to get ADSL2, and hopefully faster services. The latter, though, is very distance dependent.

[Simon]

Mine's there - RFS date set: 18/11/2008.  So, will IDNet be providing these services, as they become available?

[Rik]

Once they can get them from BT...

[Lance]

Mines not for ages! 19/05/2009

[Rik]

Don't worry, Lance, it just means there will be a chance the bugs have been ironed out for you.

[Inactive]

Mine will be on the 2050 list I guess.

Mind you, Sam Knows has my line down as cable enabled, which it certainly isn't.

[madasahatter]

Don't worry, Lance, it just means there will be a chance the bugs have been ironed out for you.

that's a good way of looking at it - mines not due till then. But then, if you look at it that way, pity the poor peeps who get it first 

[Rik]

Remember the pain of the early days of Max? I'm not rushing to a new BT product until I've read the first 5,000 complaints over on TB.

[madasahatter]

I'm still not on max - read about all the troubles and left it well alone!

[Rik]

It stabilised remarkably quickly, and for me meant 3M rather than 1M.

[madasahatter]

I did look into it again a few weeks ago, but Sebby looked at my stats and we decided that it may not be worth it for what would probably be a small increase in speed.

Quite happy with my rock solid 2M - until yesterday afternoon that is 

[Rik]

Yesterday was a special case. Ironically, it was because of the forum that IDNet had an early warning of the problem and could move to replace the switch as quickly as they did.

[madasahatter]

Yesterday was a special case.

Yep - have to say that's the only problem I've had in nearly 2 years now 

[Rik]

There was Trevor's little sulk, and the small losses with the router upgrades, but I think that's been it.

[D-Dan]

My exchange is down for August. Yay:)

But, ermmmm, What's WBC?

Steve 

[Rik]

White-cell blood count? BT's new wholesale broadband product, offering ADSL2+ and QoS services nationally.

[D-Dan]

Ahhh - so I'm gonna have to find an extra £20 per month after August because they'll hike the price to IDNet and I can't do without the latest technology.

So why is this a good thing 

[Rik]

Because it will enable higher speeds - at least in theory. I'm going to wait and watch, personally...

[D-Dan]

I was talking about the likely extra £20

[Rik]

Only if you sign up...

[Inactive]

TBH, I am quite happy with the speed of my connection as it is.

[Rik]

Even though my speed is relatively low, In, I'm not sure I need more, given the way I use the connection. Unless data allowamces change in line, potentially all a speed change will achieve is to use the allowance more quickly.

[Sebby]

I agree, Rik. I'm not a big downloader, and really I use my connection for web browsing.

[Rik]

According to the DSL Zone estimator, ADSL2 will give me 2-4Mbps. As I already have 3, it seems unlikely to be much of an improvement, if any. Of course, if the 'three strikes' policy comes into effect, few people will need high speeds. 

[plugwash]

Ahhh - so I'm gonna have to find an extra £20 per month after August because they'll hike the price to IDNet

I can't imagine they will be able to get away with charging that much more given that be seem to be making thier way into more and more exchanges.

[PhilT]

"because they'll hike the price to IDNet "

bit of guesswork there. The WBC Indicative Launch tariff shows if anything a price reduction. The end user circuits are about the same £7.81 per month with a £3.40/month ADSL2+ add-on. These figures are reduced on "dense" exchanges to £6.03 plus £1.70.

The cost of the interconnects will probably be lower, depending on IDnets chosen configuration.

Have IDnet indicated they will be in at the launch with a WBC product ?

Phil

[Rik]

Last I heard, Phil, they were waiting for BTw to confirm service pricings.

[PhilT]

Last I heard, Phil, they were waiting for BTw to confirm service pricings.

so that sounds like "it depends" rather than "yes we will have WBC products" ?

[Rik]

I'm sure they will be there, but I suspect that the pricings are needed before any ISP can put together a package structure.

[madasahatter]

I think it's more "when we find out the BT prices, we'll know what to charge the punters"  

[Rik]

Exactly.

[PhilT]

there's a strategic decision to get involved with WBC at this stage and a tactical one about package design and pricing. Indicative pricing is in the public domain from a recent BT meeting but to me that's a bit of a detail as there are extra infrastructure costs in running a WBC system either nationally or on a regional basis - it would be useful if IDNet were to say "yes we will be offering WBC products at or soon after launch" to allow customers and resellers to plan accordingly.

[Malc]

I think it's more "when we find out the BT prices, we'll know what to charge the punters"  

And you can guarantee BT won't miss the chance to bang up the prices, by inflation of 10% sorry 2%.

[Rik]

Cynic.

[PhilT]

And you can guarantee BT won't miss the chance to bang up the prices, by inflation of 10% sorry 2%.

Your guarantee isn't up to much, if anything prices will be lower for the same capacity.

[Malc]

Your guarantee isn't up to much, if anything prices will be lower for the same capacity.

Reading this thread it sounded to me that the prices hadn't been set yet, that's why ID were holding back.

[madasahatter]

Cynic.

but probably right 

[Malc]

but probably right 

Cheers Mad

[PhilT]

Reading this thread it sounded to me that the prices hadn't been set yet, that's why ID were holding back.

the final price announcement is imminent, I have in front of me the BT Indicative Launch Tariff sheet which has been discussed with ISPs.

I was primarily interested in whether IDnet are planning to offer WBC products - a major decision in itself - pricing is neither here nor there in the big picture and has been offered in this thread as a distraction from the core question. I guess it will become apparent eventually.

[Rik]

If you want a definitive answer, Phil, give Simon or Tim a ring - assuming that they don't see this thread and respond. The rest of us can only speculate, postulate and hypothesise.

[Malc]

And we will 

[Rik]