5 years ago... BT trials high-speed ADSL media service

10.12.1998: BT has stepped up its trials of high-speed DSL (Digital Subscriber Line) services, claiming it does not contravene restrictions that prevent the company from acting as a broadcaster.
The UK's largest telco will test BT Interactive for six months with 900 users. They will pay £30 per month each with no additional Internet call costs. The content-oriented service will be based on ADSL (Asymmetric DSL), offering download speeds of 2Mbps - 35 times faster than 56Kbps dial-up modems.
A range of media companies will provide streamed content for BT Interactive, including the BBC, Flextech, Carlton Online, Pearson Television, ITN, and Chris Evans' Ginger Media Group.
Online games and Internet access will also be part of the new offering, and a version carrying reports, interactive training and 'pushed' information will be aimed at business users.
BT currently faces restrictions on offering entertainment services due to government-imposed rules which, pending legislation, will be lifted in two years time. However, the company doesn't think BT Interactive is in breach of any limitations.
"This is not broadcast," said a spokesman for BT Internet and Multimedia. "What we're doing is not subject to the same restrictions because it's available on demand and comes through the PC."
10.12.2003: Concerns over BT's role as broadcaster were as nothing compared to the concerns about the failure of a nationwide roll out.
Five years ago ADSL services probably seemed like a great idea to BT - but there have probably been times since when the company wished it had kept quiet on the whole issue.
However, the world of high-speed, broadbandwidth dependent premium content is now available to around 90 per cent of the UK population in one flavour or other and many are making the switch.
Video streaming, broadband TV, media file downloads all zip about the internet at ever-faster speeds and for many the idea of a trundling 56k modem seems positively prehistoric.
BT recently struck a deal with Yahoo! to increase the amount of content available via its service - though it will still struggle to compete with the arsenal of content at the disposal of AOL.
For those who still can't get broadband – and, to be fair, that’s not many now - these are all sore points, so we'll not go on.