Bulldog to resubmit BT complaint

BT fails to budge on fault repairs

By Tim Richardson • Get more from this author

Posted in Telecoms, 30th March 2005 10:46 GMT

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A row between Bulldog and BT over fault repair times is rumbling on even though the formal complaint has been pulled - for now at least.

Last week the Office of the Telecommunications Adjudicator (OTA) announced that the dispute was withdrawn by Bulldog "due to significant progress having been made on the BT LLU (local loop unbundling) Fault Repair Terms and Conditions".

However, the complaint about discriminatory fault repair times contained three parts. And while Cable & Wireless-owned Bulldog has withdrawn two of the three because it says BT has agreed to provide new customer care levels, it intends to resubmit another complaint on the third issue.

In a statement C&W said: "Bulldog requested three new fault care levels, two of which would provide parity with BT's wholesale broadband products, and the third of which would provide parity with BT's PPC (partial private circuits). BT has now agreed to provide the two new care levels providing parity with its two wholesale broadband products. It has not agreed to provide the third care level (ie parity with PPCs).

"Bulldog has withdrawn the dispute, as two of the three issues have been resolved, and is planning to resubmit the dispute on the third point," it said.

Snag is, BT doesn't quite see it that way. According to a BT Wholesale spokeswoman, BT hasn't budged an inch.

She told us: "BT has demonstrated to Bulldog that it definitely does not discriminate against its Wholesale customers. BT has also said that it is reasonable for Bulldog to request a new product.

"BT believes that it would be appropriate for Bulldog to continue with the facilitation offered by the OTA to achieve the new product, rather than to go to dispute. As a result the dispute has been withdrawn," she said.

Yesterday, BT boss Ben Verwaayen - who reckons BT is changing into an "innovation company" - told the UK's telecoms industry to stop moaning and "get on with life". ®