BT's Next Generation Consumer Strategy

Something I wrote some time ago but never got around to posting - sending to
all 4 uk.t newsgroups as its relevant to all but follow-ups set to
uk.telecom only.

BT recently held a 'Next Generation Consumer' event where Ian Livingston (BT
Retail CEO) and Gavin Patterson (BT Group, MD Consumer) took a group of
analysts through BT's Consumer strategy for the next couple of years.

Have to say that several of the services they expected to market quite soon
(or develop where they already exist) were quite interesting - way too many
things to list here but included things like:

5 voip lines/household via bt broadband voice (to be renamed BT Broadband
Talk)
iptv
videophone's (spring 06) and wifi phones (by Autumn 06)
BT Fusion
High Definition sound
BT Freeview set-top box with hard drive + personal video recorder
Digital/Online secure back-up facilities etc

and several other things... several of which have been previously hinted
at/confirmed but not all.

Much of this controlled by a new "BT hub" in the house that sounds/looks
like a custom built combined wireless ADSL modem/router where the hardware
can support several things that just need to be activated remotely with
firmware upgrades over time as new services are rolled out

They also plan to offer "one number for life" rather than just "personal
numbers" as they have in the past.

Also, what almost sounded like the threat of a price war with Skype -
promising free VoIP calls to 30 countries during Christmas-end Jan 2006* +
revamped
pricing after that which means they will be cheaper than Skype on "50 main
international routes" and 1.25p/min on 25 of these - all via BT
Communicator (which will also be rebranded into the BT Broadband Talk family
(with both it and BT Broadband Voice having a single login)

They also appear to have decided that most of these new services should have
a PAYG tariffs as well as other options (monthly fees etc) and bundling
(i.e. bt broadband voice will be offered free on some BT Broadband/Yahoo
tariffs = effectively free UK evening and weekend calls for those customers
via VoIP)

Also mentioned several times was that they were committed to a national 8MB+
rollout though they appeared non committal to rolling out fibre to the home
when being questioned by the analysts due to the advances in compression
technology.. though they are certainly looking at it.

Anyway the presentation and accompanying PowerPoint slides are at
http://www.btplc.com/News/Presentati...onconsumer.htm -
I found it quite useful to run the two together and if you have time the
video presentation is worth watching

You also get to hear the questions some of the city analysts had (some of
them seemed clued up, others clueless) and see samples of what BT's latest
ad campaign is going to be...

I would be interested in anyone's views on BT's plans. I certainly think
that if the LLU companies (in particular) thought they had a large part of
the market to themselves they are in for a nasty shock.

Regards (+Merry Christmas/Happy New Year)
Sunil
(*free calls offer/details available until 31 January 2006 at
http://www.bt.com/btcommunicator/)

"Sunil Sood" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
news:(E-Mail Removed)...
> Something I wrote some time ago but never got around to posting - sending
> to all 4 uk.t newsgroups as its relevant to all but follow-ups set to
> uk.telecom only.
>
See the reply in uk.telecom.mobile - if you're going to crosspost then
have the decency to look at all the groups you post to.
Your info is way out of date.

In message <xlcsf.57508$(E-Mail Removed)>, john
<(E-Mail Removed)> writes
>
>"Sunil Sood" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
>news:(E-Mail Removed)...
>> Something I wrote some time ago but never got around to posting - sending
>> to all 4 uk.t newsgroups as its relevant to all but follow-ups set to
>> uk.telecom only.
>>
>See the reply in uk.telecom.mobile - if you're going to crosspost then
>have the decency to look at all the groups you post to.
>Your info is way out of date.
>
>
Not had your Christmas shag yet John? There are few more informed or
helpful posters than Sunil. I'd like to know why you feel the need to be
so abrupt with him. Do you believe his post to be off topic in some of
the x posted groups or do you believe you are better informed?
--
Pete Devlin
[{//////news03//////at\\\\\secondrow/////co\\\\\uk}]
"And the devil in a black dress watches over"

In message <(E-Mail Removed)> of Tue, 27 Dec 2005
15:26:37 in uk.telecom.broadband, pete devlin <(E-Mail Removed)>
writes
>In message <xlcsf.57508$(E-Mail Removed)>, john
><(E-Mail Removed)> writes
>>
>>"Sunil Sood" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
>>news:(E-Mail Removed)...
>>> Something I wrote some time ago but never got around to posting - sending
>>> to all 4 uk.t newsgroups as its relevant to all but follow-ups set to
>>> uk.telecom only.
>>>
>>See the reply in uk.telecom.mobile - if you're going to crosspost then

I infer John refers to news://(E-Mail Removed)

>>have the decency to look at all the groups you post to.

I find this cryptic. I take it John objected to a 4 cross-posted message
having a single followup (or fu as it might be known I found that
combination irritating. It did lead me to find ut.voip absent from my
newsgroup list.

>>Your info is way out of date.

John seems to substantiate his point in his ut.mobile posting.

>>
>>
>Not had your Christmas shag yet John? There are few more informed or
>helpful posters than Sunil. I'd like to know why you feel the need to
>be so abrupt with him. Do you believe his post to be off topic in some
>of the x posted groups or do you believe you are better informed?

I don't know why you think the vulgar abuse appropriate. Peace to all!
--
Walter Briscoe

In message <LPiQfVL$(E-Mail Removed)>, Walter Briscoe
<(E-Mail Removed)> writes
>I don't know why you think the vulgar abuse appropriate. Peace to all!

Vulgar abuse? I suppose a sensitive wee soul might see it that way. The
tetchy response just seemed out of proportion with Sunil's informative
post; indicative of someone with a few other issues going on than just
the post in question.
--
Pete Devlin
[{//////news03//////at\\\\\secondrow/////co\\\\\uk}]
"And the devil in a black dress watches over"