LONDON - Be Unlimited has revealed that it is launching a pilot project to test out the ADSL2+ broadband technology in the London area. The pilot would allow people to try out the service at 24Mbps downstream, and 1Mbps upstream. This is a direct challenge to BT's hold in the broadband segment.
The broadband technology is the next big thing in Internet and major players are increasingly embracing it as evidenced by Be's initiative. The ADSL2+ is a cutting-edge technology that promises to provide speeds that would make the standard broadband look like an amateur. The pilot project is initially limited to London, but will shortly be expanded to include the rest of the country, according to Tania Hannaford, marketing director for Be. "We are hoping to build a very special community of pilot members. For anyone interested in new technology and the fastest speeds, this will be a must have product," added Dana Pressman, managing director of Be.
The project will not charge businesses till the end of September, but they would have to shell out £70 per month after that. Individual users can also avail the service free of cost till the end of September and pay £20 per month thereafter. "The Be team has worked really hard to be able to be the first ISP to offer ADSL 2+ to Britain," Pressman said adding that each member would be provided with a free 'Be Box' wireless router, "opening a gateway to new online experiences."
A Be spokesperson said that though the technical support would be made available to all users, there are bound to be some problems since this is just the beginning, "This pilot would be fantastic for small businesses, but we're not setting up for time-critical businesses such as city traders," the spokesperson added. Interested users can sign-up at www.bethere.co.uk/pilot.
Posted
on : Fri, 02 Sep 2005 05:05 GMT | Business News
By : Salim Patel
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