🚀 go-pugleaf

Adrian Umpleby <adrian@ic.ac.uk> wrote:

> So could somebody now please explain what the 'local loop' is, and why
> 'unbundling' it is A Good (Necessary) Thing for other operators and
> ADSL?

The local loop is the part of the telephone line from BT's exchange to
your house/flat/shed. i.e 'your' telephone line. 

Unbundling it means that other operators would be able to connect your
line to their equipment rather than BT's equipment .... therefore they
have control over your line rather than needing BT to do x, y or z to
provide the service you require. 

Being as the line starts inside BT's exchanges, and this being a
commercially sensitive area, I can't see BT being too helpful at
allowing any other operator access to your line. The fact that they have
to doesn't mean they're going to make it easy ..... Mercury
Communications had a lot of unforseen problems when they tried to gain
access to BT distribution frames (inside the exchange). 

It is a good thing because it removes BT from the equation completely.
But it'll cost .. and someone's going to want to recover that money from
somewhere.