BT to ship self-install ADSL modems

Technologies to ease broadband installation delays have been available in the US and Germany for months.

BT Wholesale has announced two services that it claims will accelerate the rollout of broadband services to UK business. The operator has been slammed for dragging its feet over unbundling.

On Friday it admitted that, while it has more than 70,000 ADSL lines in service, rivals which have paid for space in exchanges have only 167 lines nationwide, far fewer than in the US and Germany.

Ian Stirrat, head of ADSL implementation at BT, said that the telco's rollout was at least three years ahead of rivals'.

Bob Jones, managing director at internet service provider Equiinet, said: "BT is dragging its feet because it is scared to lose business, while Oftel stands by and does nothing."

BT's chief operating officer John Davies said that a 'wires only' system, known as G.DMT, would allow customers or rival providers to install their own ADSL modems on business premises. Until now, BT modems have been the only option. Davies said this would encourage vendors to start building ADSL capabilities into PCs.

The second service will eliminate the need for BT engineers to visit premises because a two-way splitter, called a microfilter, will be sent to customers. This can be attached directly to a DSL modem but will not be available until January 2002 at the earliest.

Nicholas Blades, senior consultant at analyst Schema, said there were more subtle reasons behind BT's lethargy over ADSL. "The cable operators are connecting companies apace and now pose a threat to BT's business customer revenue," he said.