Steelie Neelie calls for copper price cuts to drive fibre The EU's top digital eurocrat has called on large telcos to stop using copper pricing as a barrier to deploying fibre networks. "Telecom operators are divided on the question of how copper access prices affect the incentives for fibre investment," said Neelie Kroes during a speech in Brussels today. "Alternative operators …
The European Commission has launched a study of European broadband speed, in association with SamKnows, and needs up to 10,000 consumers to measure their home internet performance. They are looking for volunteers across Europe, who can sign up at: http://www.samknows.eu
Rickard, on behalf of SamKnows
Just had BT remaking a joint between copper and aluminium to restore service. Aluminium was introduced late 70s/early 80s due to copper prices and by 1986 had proved to be a maintenance nightmare. Yet over 30 years on we still suffer lousy broadband in the Yorkshire Dales because BT has yet to catch up copper let alone fibre. Cables used to be depreciated financially over 20 years so they've had their wear out aluminum
As copper prices rise a really switched-on telco would realise that replacing stolen copper is a mugs game. A better idea would be to flog off their copper *before* it gets nicked and use the proceeds to finance the fibre that replaces it.
Profits? They'd result from not having to pay the costs and overtime that occur each time their copper is stolen.
Whether to support net neutrality is surely not about facts. You do it (or not) for political reasons. What indisputable 'fact' can decide net neutrality is applicable or not. There's the fact that most people want free unfettered access to services and there are companies that do not. Only opinion (passionate or otherwise) that can decide it and the Dutch have. Good for them (whether you agree or not).
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