MARKETWATCH
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EXIT MATTERS...
BROADBAND
update:
This month BT Wholesale (BTW)
By Nigel Cook, CEO of Evolution Capital
launches its EFM (Ethernet First
Due diligence is something on which I
Mile) product delivered via existing
spend a lot of time. There are more exciting
ways to occupy yourself but none are
copper. Andrew Dickinson,
more important when you are buying or
Sales and Marketing Director
selling a business. At the risk of sounding
cynical, I’d suggest that one of the
at Griffin Internet, examines
principles that best guide you when you
the potential benefits of EFM
are performing it, is that you shouldn’t just
listen to what someone says, you should
to resellers and end users.
ask yourself why they are saying it.
Much has been said about the perceived
injustice of Fred Goodwin’s generous pension
arrangements. I know nothing about the
negotiations that led to its approval but it E
FM is important because it is the next
step in the transition to fast, reliable
and affordable IP connectivity to the
appears strange that it was rubber stamped customers’ premises. Ethernet offers true
in such haste and the impression lingers uncontended, symmetric and guaranteed
that those who could have negotiated bandwidth that is easy to run QoS (Quality of
a better deal for RBS shareholders – now Service) over. If resellers are selling SIP, hosted
you and me – didn’t seem to check voice or thinking about Software as a Service
all the facts before signing it off. (SaaS) they know how vital the network is to the
proposition. Specialist ISPs have turned best-
Fred is now facing massive public scorn. I effort ADSL into business products by investing
am assured, however, by sources whose in their core but there are still limitations with a
opinion I respect, that if you have spent technology initially designed for web browsing
your formative years in Paisley’s Ferguslie and email. Ethernet is a standard known
Andrew Dickinson
Park, you will have calloused up thoroughly to everybody and may ultimately replace
before you reach acne plastered puberty. DSL completely in the business market. EFM is not a standalone product, but part of
The really alarming note was struck by the new Wholesale Ethernet family. This means
Harriet Harman who claimed that the Tiscali’s view is that their Symmetric Assured that to buy it resellers will need to go through a
court of public opinion took precedence ADSL Annex M range suits customers for service provider that has a Wholesale Ethernet
over the law of contract and that Fred’s up to 2Mbit/s and that a fibre-delivered hand-off with BTW. Early indications on costs are
payments should be cancelled. Ethernet product is more appropriate for that the price to the reseller will be comparable
faster speeds up to 100Mbit/s. C&W told me: with existing Annex M and SDSL offerings
If that were to happen the consequences “We are currently testing EFM technology from LLU suppliers and a good deal cheaper
for business would be disastrous. We are with a view to creating a business case for its than BTW’s current SDSL product. Whatever
all liable to make bad decisions but once deployment throughout our access network.” the final launch pricing BTW’s EFM is certain
a contract is signed we have to live with to be cheaper than traditional Ethernet and
the outcome. That’s why we have the due The BTW product is delivered over copper because there are no roads to dig up or fibres
diligence process – and why I spend so pairs and up to eight pairs can be bonded to terminate, installs are cheaper (around £250
much time on it. It is, I suppose, a formal together to get to the required speed. Each - £500 depending on the number of pairs) and
description of a function that affects the way pair will run at between 2.3Mbit/s and 5.7Mbit/s the standard lead time is only 26 working days.
we go about the more mundane aspects of depending on the distance from the exchange.
daily life and which prevents minor oversights The distance a customer can be from the Finally, on service levels BTW says it is still
from becoming major embarrassments. exchange is 3km at the most, and since the negotiating with Openreach but expects the
maximum speed BTW is offering at this time SLA to be ‘significantly better’ than that of
Take getting dressed. If Gordon Brown had is 10Mbit/s resellers should never need more ADSL. With any new technology there are
put his socks on first, he wouldn’t have been than five copper pairs. BTW tell me that 80 bound to be teething problems and it remains
photographed entering the White House per cent of businesses are within 3km of an to be seen how much the quality and reliability
to meet Barack Obama with a trouser leg exchange and around 600 exchanges will be of the product differ to traditional fibre-
tucked into a sock. EFM-enabled from April 2009. This will increase delivered Ethernet. That said, BTW tell me it has
n
steadily until most of the country is covered. thoroughly tested its EFM service.
n
For V
@
lue Broadband at unbeatable prices:
V
@
lue Broadband only £5.99
call: 0800 019 8900 / email: wholesale@chesstelecom.com
Subject to availability, Terms & Conditions apply
40 COMMS DEALER APRIL 2009 www.comms-dealer.com
PG 40 Griffin.indd 1 24/3/09 13:31:33
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