May 2006
Welcome to the fifth issue of BT's Undertakings Bulletin.
We are close to the 30 June deadline for BT to move to an equivalent basis for the use of unbundled loops in its IPStream Wholesale Broadband services. Our lead story this time offers an insight into our approach and plans for delivery. We also cover the development of revised management incentive schemes, required by the Undertakings for certain people in Openreach and BT Wholesale.
Also covered in this issue are the consequences of the Wholesale Leased Lines consultation earlier this year, an introduction to a new face on the block, and further updates on progress.
On 23 May Ofcom also published their latest review of progress on the Undertakings and the results of a survey of the BT Wholesale and Openreach customer base. The latter gives a base from which future changes in attitude can be gauged. Both reports can be found at www.ofcom.org.uk/telecoms/btundertakings/implementation/
Peter McCarthy-Ward
BT Director of Equivalence
If you have any questions regarding the content of this bulletin please email undertakings@bt.com
The BT Undertakings require MPF and SMPF LLU to be offered on an Equivalence Of Inputs basis from 30 June 2006. By this date IPStream will need to consume LLU.
BT Wholesale has decided that DataStream will also move to consuming LLU. While this is not a specific requirement of the BT Undertakings, doing it in the same timescales as IPStream will ensure BT Wholesale offers the best solution for all BT and customers alike.
In the Undertakings, BT agreed to a number of changes to the structure of the remuneration package for people in Openreach and for those people in BT Wholesale Core Network Services (CNS).
The BT Undertakings require BT Wholesale’s Value-Added Network Services (VNS) product group to develop, manage and offer variants of the BT Retail leased line portfolio to meet the reasonable requirements of its customers who are Communications Providers. The first step in this exercise was to seek the views of our customers through a consultation process which was run between December 2005 and January 2006.
Following a good response, a number of actions have been identified that will form the basis of activity for the portfolio moving forward.
View complete article "Wholesale Leased Lines Consultation Held December 2005 - January 2006"
Karen Witts, the new Managing Director of Openreach’s Operations South Division, brings a plethora of experience and skills to one of the largest units in Openreach and in BT Group as a whole.
View complete article "New Managing Director for Openreach’s Operations South Division"
As part of the BT Undertakings, BT has committed to report performance on product Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) monthly to the Equality of Access Board (EAB) and quarterly to its customers in order to demonstrate Equivalence Of Inputs i.e. that it is treating internal and external customers on equal terms. The second quarterly report was published on 30 April 2006 and BT Wholesale has been consulting with its customers on future KPI requirements.
View complete article "Update on Key Performance Indicators"
BT has welcomed the first annual Ofcom survey conducted among key BT Wholesale customers on BT's progress in implementing the BT Undertakings and how industry relationships are changing. BT recognises that we are still in the formative stages of implementing what is a massive and radical change for BT and everyone in the industry. The survey findings suggest that Communications Providers acknowledge BT's achievements to date, but recognise that these are early days too, and are looking for further improvement. The survey gives a foundation against which future improvement can be measured.
The Equality of Access Board (EAB) will soon publish its Annual Report covering the period up to 31 March 2006. The EAB, chaired by BT Non-Executive Carl Symon, is a committee of the BT plc Board and contains three independent members.
View complete article "EAB produces its first Annual Report"