BT has confirmed that it will stop advertising its broadband
products for the duration of its £10million “broadband awareness”
campaign, which started yesterday and is due to end on 1st October
2002. According to ZDNet UK News, the move is an attempt by BT to
avoid accusations that it is cross-subsidising its business
units.
BT’s broadband awareness campaign aims to boost the number of UK
high-speed internet users and is to be followed by a £23million
campaign promoting BT Retail’s ‘no-frills’ broadband service. It
appears that the UK telecoms giant is fearful that its campaign
will be seen as unfairly benefiting BT Retail and BTopenworld, in
conflict with the terms of its licensing agreement.
According to reports, BT claims to have reached its decision
following an agreement with Oftel, however, the telecoms regulator
has so far denied the existence of such an agreement.
