Latest Broadband Deals
BT Broadband Ducts To Be Opened To Rivals
BT (BT.com) is planning to open up its network of underground cable ducts to allow its competitors to install their own fibre optic broadband.
The news, first reported in the Financial Times, could help the roll-out of faster fibre optic broadband speeds across the country – with disruption to roads, payments and communication links also being limited.
In a statement, Ian Livingstone, BT’s Chief Executive said: “We told Ofcom last year we’re willing to provide open access to our ducts and poles and we are working with them on how to achieve it”.
Livingstone continued: “Although it’s unlikely to be the silver bullet to get fibre to every home, open access to all ducts, not just ours, might help BT and others extend coverage and so we would like to see a future government support such a move”.
Such a move is likely to see BT wanting access to its competitors ducts in return, including those of Virgin Media, who already has up to 50Mbps fibre optic broadband available to 55% of UK homes.
BT plans to provide super-fast fibre optic broadband to 40% of the UK (circa 10 million homes and businesses) by the summer of 2012. Giving competitors such as Sky and TalkTalk access to its fibre optic network on, potentially, a wholesale basis could help the company recoup some of its £1.5bn investment.
BT is currently involved in a heavy-weight marketing campaign promoting its range of Winter Deals that include free unlimited anytime calls for 3 months or broadband and weekend calls for £7.99 a month.
O2 Broadband 2 Months Free Offer Is Extended
O2 (o2.co.uk) has confirmed that its 2 months free home broadband offer has been extended until the end of February.
The offer, which provides a saving up to £35, applies to O2’s three home broadband products known as O2 Broadband Standard, O2 Broadband Premium and O2 Broadband Pro.
O2 Broadband Standard is O2’s entry level package offering download speeds up to 8Mbps from £7.50 a month.
It’s mid-range Premium package offers faster speeds up to 20Mbps for £10 a month, while O2 Broadband Pro, at £17.50 a month, has additional extras like priority UK customer support via a dedicated customer service number that is provided.
All O2 broadband packages include unlimited downloads, McAfee security software, free UK customer support, the O2 wireless router, free connection, a 30 day happiness guarantee and free web texts.
Customers switching to O2 Broadband must have a BT phone line and their MAC code from their existing broadband supplier.
In January’s broadband speed test results, O2 Broadband was the UK’s fastest copper wire provider with average download speeds of 5.11Mbps compared to BT’s 2.98Mbps.
Interested readers can order O2’s 2 months free broadband offer online at the o2.co.uk website or read our review of O2 Broadband here first.
Virgin Broadband Tops Broadband Speed Test
Virgin Broadband (virginmedia.com/broadband) has retained its position as the UK’s fastest broadband provider following the publication of January’s broadband speed test results.
Virgin’s fibre optic cable broadband service generated average broadband download speeds of 7.651Mbps in January, that’s almost 50% higher than second placed O2 Broadband / BE Broadband with 5.113Mbps.
In third spot was TalkTalk with speeds of 3.628Mbps, while BT had average download speeds of 2.982Mbps.
In the upload speed test results, O2 and BE Broadband came out top with average upload speeds of 0.716Mbps, with Virgin coming in second with upload speeds of 0.588Mbps. Third was TalkTalk with 0.487Mbps.
Virgin’s super-fast fibre optic cable broadband service is available to 55% of UK homes. No BT phone line is required.
New customers switching to Virgin’s 10Mbps broadband service online can get their first 3 months free, followed by £12.50 a month thereafter. Free weekend calls to UK landlines are also included.
Readers interested in Virgin Broadband’s 3 months free offer can find out more at the VirginMedia.com website or at our Virgin Broadband package review.
Broadband speed test results provided by broadband.co.uk.
FREE Sky+HD Box Live At Sky.com/supertelly
Sky (sky.com/supertelly) has launched a free Sky+HD box offer as part of its new ‘Supertelly’ campaign.
The new offer means customers with an HD ready TV, but without an HD box to view HD TV programmes, now have the opportunity to receive a free Sky+HD box when they join Sky – and in the process make their TV a ‘Supertelly’.
With 37 HD TV channels ready to watch, including Sky Sports HD, Sky Movies HD, Sky1 HD and BBC HD, there’s an unrivalled line up of HD entertainment to enjoy – all in stunning high definition and superb Dolby Digital 5.1 surround sound.
To qualify for the free Sky+HD box, customers must, as a minimum, order online the entry level Sky+HD Starter package for just £28 a month.
This package includes the free Sky+HD box, free standard set-up (normally £30), 1 TV Entertainment Pack (from a choice of 6) and the HD Pack.
Free Sky Broadband with up to 2Mb speeds plus free evening & weekend phone calls with Sky Talk Freetime are also included.
There’s also the added incentive of a free £25 M&S voucher when customers order online.
Interested readers can find out more at the sky.com/supertelly website.
TalkTalk Broadband, TV & Phone Deals Planned
TalkTalk (talktalk.co.uk) are planning to add digital TV and mobile phone services to its existing range of broadband and home phone offerings as it looks to challenge the discounted bundle deals offered by the likes of Virgin Media, BT and Sky.
The plans, as revealed by Charles Dunstone to the Financial Times, mean TalkTalk may build upon the existing Tiscali TV platform and service it inherited as part of its acquisition of the Tiscali UK business last year.
TalkTalk is also involved in the BBC led Project Canvas that plans by the end of 2010 to launch an internet-connected digital TV set top box.
Commenting on the possibility of TalkTalk TV, Charles Dunstone, the Chief Executive of the Carphone Warehouse, TalkTalk’s parent company, said: “We need to be able to deliver TV to people, and we need a platform to do that. I think Canvas is a really interesting opportunity for us”.
TalkTalk is the UK’s second biggest broadband supplier with over 4.2 million customers. Its broadband network covers 75% of UK homes and offers broadband and home phone packages from as little as £6.99 a month.
Cross-selling new mobile phone and digital TV services to these customers would appear to make commercial sense as the home broadband market continues to mature.
Readers can find out further information on TalkTalk’s existing range of broadband and home phone packages at the talktalk.co.uk website or our Talk Talk Broadband review.
They can also phone TalkTalk on 0800 049 7865.
3 Mobile Broadband 15GB Dongle Returns For £25
3 (three.co.uk) has brought back its 15GB mobile broadband dongle with prices starting from just £25 a month.
Available to order online now at the three.co.uk website, the 15GB data allowance dongle is available with two of 3’s mobile broadband packages, both of which offer download speeds up to 7.2Mbps.
15GB refers to the amount of data a user can consume per month as part of their mobile broadband tariff.
Typically, a 15GB usage allowance means a user can send 15,000 emails a month, surf the web for 150 hours, download 75 four minute videos and download 480 four minute music tracks.
3 offer a range of data usage allowances ranging from 1GB per month to 15GB per month. Prices start from £7.50 a month for 1GB of data, while a 3GB package is also available on a rolling one month contract for £15 a month.
Readers can use the data calculator on the three.co.uk website to find out how much data they will need.
They can also read our review of 3 Mobile Broadband here.
