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You can find the current article at its original source at http://www.theguardian.com/technology/2016/jan/23/millions-of-uk-broadband-customers-suffer-dire-internet-speeds-mps-say
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| Millions of broadband customers in UK 'suffer dire internet speeds' | |
| (about 1 hour later) | |
| Millions of broadband customers and businesses suffer “dire” connection speeds despite BT receiving £1.7bn in taxpayers’ money to improve services, according to a report by MPs. | Millions of broadband customers and businesses suffer “dire” connection speeds despite BT receiving £1.7bn in taxpayers’ money to improve services, according to a report by MPs. |
| They are calling for the telecoms giant to be split from its Openreach subsidiary to end its “natural monopoly” over the nation’s broadband infrastructure, amid claims 5.7 million customers, especially in rural locations, have internet speeds so low they break regulations. | They are calling for the telecoms giant to be split from its Openreach subsidiary to end its “natural monopoly” over the nation’s broadband infrastructure, amid claims 5.7 million customers, especially in rural locations, have internet speeds so low they break regulations. |
| BT said it took any criticism seriously, but described the report as “misleading and ill-judged”, claiming the proposal to break apart the business was “wrong-headed”, while a government spokesman labelled the figures “entirely misleading”. | BT said it took any criticism seriously, but described the report as “misleading and ill-judged”, claiming the proposal to break apart the business was “wrong-headed”, while a government spokesman labelled the figures “entirely misleading”. |
| But staff from the company’s press office can be heard mocking the report in audio obtained by the report’s authors. | But staff from the company’s press office can be heard mocking the report in audio obtained by the report’s authors. |
| Former Tory cabinet minister Grant Shapps uploaded the recording of an answer machine message to audio-sharing site, Audioboom, claiming it reveals the “contempt” the company shows for its customers. | Former Tory cabinet minister Grant Shapps uploaded the recording of an answer machine message to audio-sharing site, Audioboom, claiming it reveals the “contempt” the company shows for its customers. |
| Hoping this @BTCare press office attitude isn't typical Gavin Paterson? Listen in https://t.co/gQkeBgEiii | Hoping this @BTCare press office attitude isn't typical Gavin Paterson? Listen in https://t.co/gQkeBgEiii |
| Shapps said the two men appeared “simply not to care” about the issues highlighted in the report. | Shapps said the two men appeared “simply not to care” about the issues highlighted in the report. |
| He told the BBC: “There is a recording of the BT press office who accidentally didn’t put down the phone after they called my office yesterday where they are pretty contemptuous and dismissive of the entire issue. They appeared simply not to care about it.” | He told the BBC: “There is a recording of the BT press office who accidentally didn’t put down the phone after they called my office yesterday where they are pretty contemptuous and dismissive of the entire issue. They appeared simply not to care about it.” |
| The cross-party report carries the signatures of 121 MPs, including Shapps, the Lib Dem former Scottish secretary, Alistair Carmichael, Labour MP Helen Goodman and Ukip’s Douglas Carswell. | The cross-party report carries the signatures of 121 MPs, including Shapps, the Lib Dem former Scottish secretary, Alistair Carmichael, Labour MP Helen Goodman and Ukip’s Douglas Carswell. |
| It concluded: “Unless BT and Openreach are formally separated to become two entirely independent companies little will change. They will continue to paper over gaping cracks. | It concluded: “Unless BT and Openreach are formally separated to become two entirely independent companies little will change. They will continue to paper over gaping cracks. |
| “Whilst rural SMEs (small and medium-sized enterprises) and consumers are left with dire speeds, or even no service at all, Openreach makes vast profits and finds little reason to invest in the network, install new lines or even fix faults in a properly timely manner.” | “Whilst rural SMEs (small and medium-sized enterprises) and consumers are left with dire speeds, or even no service at all, Openreach makes vast profits and finds little reason to invest in the network, install new lines or even fix faults in a properly timely manner.” |
| The report called for a “bold and comprehensive solution”, adding: “Openreach has so far received £1.7bn in taxpayer subsidies to connect harder-to-reach areas of the UK to superfast services, but has repeatedly failed to deliver.” | The report called for a “bold and comprehensive solution”, adding: “Openreach has so far received £1.7bn in taxpayer subsidies to connect harder-to-reach areas of the UK to superfast services, but has repeatedly failed to deliver.” |
| It is the first report by the British Infrastructure Group (BIG) set up by Shapps. He wrote: “With the UK economy now so reliant on its internet infrastructure, this BIG report contends that our future is being held back by systemic underinvestment stemming from the ‘natural monopoly’ of BT and Openreach.” | It is the first report by the British Infrastructure Group (BIG) set up by Shapps. He wrote: “With the UK economy now so reliant on its internet infrastructure, this BIG report contends that our future is being held back by systemic underinvestment stemming from the ‘natural monopoly’ of BT and Openreach.” |
| The company’s alleged failure to improve ageing digital infrastructure that still largely relies on outdated copper cables was blamed for “stifling” the economy at a cost of billions each year. | The company’s alleged failure to improve ageing digital infrastructure that still largely relies on outdated copper cables was blamed for “stifling” the economy at a cost of billions each year. |
| Using data from the Office for National Statistics, researchers found around 5.7 million broadband customers had internet connections that do not reach Ofcom’s “acceptable” minimum speed of 10Mbit/s, around 3.5 million of whom live in rural areas. | Using data from the Office for National Statistics, researchers found around 5.7 million broadband customers had internet connections that do not reach Ofcom’s “acceptable” minimum speed of 10Mbit/s, around 3.5 million of whom live in rural areas. |
| A review by the regulator had found 42% of SMEs reported experiencing problems with their internet connectivity and 29% suffered from poor service reliability, costing the economy £11bn a year, the BIG said. | A review by the regulator had found 42% of SMEs reported experiencing problems with their internet connectivity and 29% suffered from poor service reliability, costing the economy £11bn a year, the BIG said. |
| The group also raised concern that the recently announced merger of BT and mobile provider EE meant the group will eventually have a 40% share of the retail telecoms market and a 70% share of the wholesale market. | The group also raised concern that the recently announced merger of BT and mobile provider EE meant the group will eventually have a 40% share of the retail telecoms market and a 70% share of the wholesale market. |
| BT said: “The idea that there would be more broadband investment if BT’s Openreach infrastructure division became independent is wrong-headed. | BT said: “The idea that there would be more broadband investment if BT’s Openreach infrastructure division became independent is wrong-headed. |
| “As a smaller, weaker, standalone company, it would struggle to invest as much as it does currently.” | “As a smaller, weaker, standalone company, it would struggle to invest as much as it does currently.” |
| The company said the UK was “repeatedly” ranked the best for broadband speeds in the EU and claimed 90% of “UK premises” can access fibre optic connections. There were plans to increase that by 5%, but it cited “all manner of physical and geographic challenges” for any delays. | The company said the UK was “repeatedly” ranked the best for broadband speeds in the EU and claimed 90% of “UK premises” can access fibre optic connections. There were plans to increase that by 5%, but it cited “all manner of physical and geographic challenges” for any delays. |
| A spokesman for the Department of Culture, Media and Sport said its superfast broadband programme is “on track and under budget”. | A spokesman for the Department of Culture, Media and Sport said its superfast broadband programme is “on track and under budget”. |