5.6 BT broadband services

There are three main wholesale broadband product families that are supported by BT: IPStream, VideoStream, and DataStream. There is also the local loop unbundled product that facilitates other network operators with access to BT's local lines enabling them to provide their own network in competition with the three main products. Other interconnect products are also being discussed, though it is currently unclear if there is sufficient market pull for more than those products already mentioned.

In addition to the wholesale products, service providers, including BT offer retail products through their retail channels. This chapter does not cover the detail of these retail products, but concentrates on the underlying wholesale products that support a huge number of service providers.

5.6.1 IPStream

IPStream is a wholesale product that offers service providers the ability to connect to their customers over an IP network. The product offers the service provider the ability to connect many users through BT's IP network and provide an aggregated delivery to the service provider's premises. The product comes in two parts: the end user access and the aggregate access (see Figure 5.7).

Figure 5.7: IPStream

The end user access provides the links from the users into BT's network, and channels the traffic over an ATM network to a remote access server (RAS). This device is IP aware and has the ability to recognise the service provider for which the user is a customer. Traffic is then routed by the RAS to the correct service provider...