Apologies if you see this elsewhere
----------------------------------------------------------------
OFTEL
70/99 2 November 1999
PRIME MINISTER WELCOMES NEW BT SCHEME FOR CHEAPER
INTERNET ACCESS FOR PUBLIC INSTITUTIONS
The Prime Minister, Tony Blair, today announced new proposals from
the telecoms industry for public institutions to get cheaper access
to the Internet.
Mr Blair said that public libraries, further education colleges and
citizens' advice bureaux will benefit from a range of special
daytime, evening and weekend Internet tariffs proposed by BT. BT's
special weekend and evening tariffs will be extended to schools.
The proposals are the second stage of an initiative by OFTEL which
led to a number of telecoms operators providing schools with low rate
daytime Internet access. In the last few months, OFTEL proposed to
the telecoms companies that cheaper tariffs could be extended to this
wider range of institutions in support of the Government's policy to
extend access to the Internet.
In support of the Prime Minister's announcement, OFTEL today
published a consultation document on BT's proposed prices for the
scheme. OFTEL will ensure that the scheme is not unfair to other
telecoms operators and does not unfairly penalise other BT customers.
Public institutions can expect to save up to 50% on the price of
standard Internet charges on both the fixed telephone network and on
ISDN services. BT plans to launch the new services in April 2000.
Commenting on the announcement, David Edmonds, Director General of
OFTEL said:
"I am delighted with the response from BT and the other telecoms
operators to the considerable challenge of getting Britain on-line.
School children are already reaping the benefits of cheaper Internet
access. Today's announcement extends these benefits to further
education colleges, public libraries and citizens' advice bureaux.
"This initiative will promote Internet access for all and will help
bring the Learning Society right to the heart of communities across
the country."
Notes for Editors
1. The document Connecting Public Institutions - BT's Public
Institutions Internet Caller Service is available from OFTEL's
website (http://www.oftel.gov.uk). Hard copies are available to
the media from OFTEL's Press Office or to the
public from OFTEL's Research and Intelligence Unit (tel: 0171-634
8761).
2. The consultation document examines whether the offer BT has
made satisfies the requirements that prevent BT from engaging in
anti-competitive behaviour and which ensures that one set of
customers are not unfairly being offered lower tariffs at the
expense of other customers.
3. The Secretary of State for Trade and Industry asked OFTEL to
encourage the telecoms industry to consider options for extending
cheap Internet tariffs to other public institutions. BT has come
forward with proposals for special innovative tariffs. Kingston
already offers special tariffs and some other operators have
agreed to do so in principle
ENDS
****************************
Stuart Brewer
Pat Wressell Associates
36 Highbury
Jesmond
Newcastle upon Tyne
NE2 3EA
UK
Tel: +44 (0) 191 281 3502
Fax: +44 (0) 191 212 0146
[log in to unmask]
[log in to unmask]
****************************
%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%
|