NTL guns for BT

NTL:Telewest has unveiled a network capable of offering services to any UK business

NTL:Telewest has unveiled what business director Stephen Beynon said is “a network capable of offering services to any UK business, except the high-end corporate sector of the market.” Beynon added, “The integration is complete and we’re ready to take on BT, although we’ve chosen not to adopt the Virgin Media brand because we were slightly scared of being drowned out by all the noise.”

Current Analysis analyst Sandra O’Boyle said, “[NTL] was the UK’s best kept secret in terms of their network and service portfolio. I think it can take business from BT on the wholesale side, for example, Ethernet backhaul from LLU exchanges.” However, O’Boyle pointed out that although NTL:Telewest is doing well in the public sector, it “perhaps needs to raise its game with mid-sized businesses nationally to really threaten BT in the retail market”.

Beynon pointed out that 52 percent of UK businesses were within 40m of their network, that NTL:Telewest has a bigger data reach than BT and that 90 percent of its revenue was generated outside London. “NTL’s and Telewest’s networks didn’t overlay and we’ve plugged them together from different locations. For Ethernet services, we use mainly NTL’s part of the network, while for IP VPN’s we use predominantly Telewest’s part of the network.”

Beynon said that currently NTL:Telewest is not addressing the very large corporate end of the market, instead leaving it to BT and Cable & Wireless. O’Boyle concurred, saying that, “Large enterprises would be a tougher sell unless they are partnering with an SI.”