BT kicks off sub-Skype rates for Net calls

BT is stepping up to the Skype challenge when it comes to VoIP-based International calls. The UK telco-giant has now begun a special offer for calls via its Communicator application, which will run until 31 December. International calls to a selected group of countries are now charged at the rate of 0. ...more

Apple fans shut down Real petition

Apple fans have succeeded in shutting down an online pettion set-up by Real Networks. The petition called for Apple to open up the iPod to downloads from online music stores other than iTunes. But, showing a staggering lack of understanding of the passion of many Mac users, Real invited comments as well as names and email addresses. ...more

Wanadoo to offer 8Mbps broadband next month

Wanadoo has unveiled detailed plans for its LLU strategy in the UK with initial standard speeds of 8Mbps. The division of France Telecom is not the first to offer such services. Bulldog and Plusnet have them, as do UK Online and EasyNet. ...more

UK data privacy watchdog calls for more powers

The head of the UK's data protection authority has called for more powers to carry out inspections and audits of organisations to check compliance with the Data Protection Act. Richard Thomas, the Information Commissioner, told Parliament's Home Affairs Select Committee, that such new powers would go some way to ensuring public confidence in initiatives and technologies which could otherwise accelerate the growth of a surveillance society. Currently the Information Commissioner's Office must gain consent before inspecting an organisation, but Thomas told the Committee that data protection is an essential barrier to excessive surveillance and it is wrong that his Office cannot find out what is happening in practice without the consent of each organisation 'The risks that arise from excessive surveillance affect both individuals and society as a whole,' he said. ...more

UPDATED: BT sets stage for broadband price cuts

BT has begun a significant overhaul of its broadband pricing structure which should result in more competition, lower prices and a wider variety of services. The telco is planning to cut the cost of Local Loop Unbundling by up to 70 per cent, whilst realigning the costs for its Datastream and IPStream broadband services. As well as enabling ISPs to increase the number of different ADSL packages they offer - in terms of bandwidth, contention ratios and maximum traffic capacity - it will create scope for price cuts, most notably at faster speeds. ...more