By Alex Tipu
Broadband plays an essential role in communications. It is now used by numerous residential and business users to keep in touch, access information and run businesses. Broadband now reaches the greater part of households and businesses in the UK and this has been replicated in widespread take-up. Meanwhile, competition has seen providers distinguishing their service offerings in terms of reliability, price, speed, quality and product bundles. A prosperous retail market is though dependent on a competitive wholesale broadband market or regulation, where competition is not yet enough.
As wholesale broadband bandwidth has become cheaper due to latest technological advances, the prices for provision of DSL bandwidth have also decreased. Making comparisons between products of wholesale broadband market is becoming difficult for customers and therefore, well-informed decisions about appropriate products have become a vital concern.
Wholesale broadband market is currently restricted to ADSL via telephony communications of BT. Only BT is grateful to provide access to its network and main cable operators. NTL and Telewest are not deemed to be nationally dominant and able to act independently of the market. Wholesale Broadband Solutions (WBS) are an array of broadband services that allow providers that do not want to invest in wide-ranging network infrastructure to offer end-users a branded Internet product.
The key benefits of WBS for a service provider consist of:
- No need to build wide network
- Absolute Access to dependable, proven technology
- Low operating costs
- No sunk technology costs
- No large capital conditions
Ofcoms analysis of the wholesale broadband access market has revealed that competition is growing at different rates across the UK. In the mainstream of the UK, consumers have an access to at least four wholesale broadband providers. But, in some areas, competition has not yet emerged and consumers only have access to one wholesale provider. Let us take a snapshot of some of the big names in the UK wholesale broadband market;
BT Group
It is one of the prominent providers of communication solutions in the world that operate in more than 170 countries and have one of the largest IP networks. Besides being the leading telecommunications provider in the UK, BT is also the most prominent broadband internet supplier in the country. The company offers both retail and wholesale broadband solutions.
Tiscali
Tiscali started structuring their LLU network in 2005, backed by their acquisition of HomeChoice. Tiscali wholesale offers resellers access to their network and focus appears to be on improving coverage of their triple-play services including Tiscali TV.
Plusnet
It is an Internet Service Provider based in Sheffield, United Kingdom and owned as of January 30 2007 by the BT Group. It also operates the Metronet brand in the UK Internet market. Plusnet operates, and has operated in the past, a number of "Virtual ISP" brands. These different brands use the accessible Plusnet Network and Software infrastructure.
Ntl:Telewest
Ntl:Telewest business is also one of the leading communications providers in the UK. They are in constant interaction with other telecoms operators, both nationally and internationally, both in a physical interconnection and in a business capacity (pricing, commercial agreements legal issues and general negotiations)
Wholesale broadband solutions are a range of broadband services that allow service providers that do not want to invest in extensive network.
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/expert/Alex_Tipu/487062
Broadband plays an essential role in communications. It is now used by numerous residential and business users to keep in touch, access information and run businesses. Broadband now reaches the greater part of households and businesses in the UK and this has been replicated in widespread take-up. Meanwhile, competition has seen providers distinguishing their service offerings in terms of reliability, price, speed, quality and product bundles. A prosperous retail market is though dependent on a competitive wholesale broadband market or regulation, where competition is not yet enough.
As wholesale broadband bandwidth has become cheaper due to latest technological advances, the prices for provision of DSL bandwidth have also decreased. Making comparisons between products of wholesale broadband market is becoming difficult for customers and therefore, well-informed decisions about appropriate products have become a vital concern.
Wholesale broadband market is currently restricted to ADSL via telephony communications of BT. Only BT is grateful to provide access to its network and main cable operators. NTL and Telewest are not deemed to be nationally dominant and able to act independently of the market. Wholesale Broadband Solutions (WBS) are an array of broadband services that allow providers that do not want to invest in wide-ranging network infrastructure to offer end-users a branded Internet product.
The key benefits of WBS for a service provider consist of:
- No need to build wide network
- Absolute Access to dependable, proven technology
- Low operating costs
- No sunk technology costs
- No large capital conditions
Ofcoms analysis of the wholesale broadband access market has revealed that competition is growing at different rates across the UK. In the mainstream of the UK, consumers have an access to at least four wholesale broadband providers. But, in some areas, competition has not yet emerged and consumers only have access to one wholesale provider. Let us take a snapshot of some of the big names in the UK wholesale broadband market;
BT Group
It is one of the prominent providers of communication solutions in the world that operate in more than 170 countries and have one of the largest IP networks. Besides being the leading telecommunications provider in the UK, BT is also the most prominent broadband internet supplier in the country. The company offers both retail and wholesale broadband solutions.
Tiscali
Tiscali started structuring their LLU network in 2005, backed by their acquisition of HomeChoice. Tiscali wholesale offers resellers access to their network and focus appears to be on improving coverage of their triple-play services including Tiscali TV.
Plusnet
It is an Internet Service Provider based in Sheffield, United Kingdom and owned as of January 30 2007 by the BT Group. It also operates the Metronet brand in the UK Internet market. Plusnet operates, and has operated in the past, a number of "Virtual ISP" brands. These different brands use the accessible Plusnet Network and Software infrastructure.
Ntl:Telewest
Ntl:Telewest business is also one of the leading communications providers in the UK. They are in constant interaction with other telecoms operators, both nationally and internationally, both in a physical interconnection and in a business capacity (pricing, commercial agreements legal issues and general negotiations)
Wholesale broadband solutions are a range of broadband services that allow service providers that do not want to invest in extensive network.
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/expert/Alex_Tipu/487062