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Re: [LUG] Free BT iPlate thingy ..

 

Gordon Henderson wrote:
> On Thu, 6 Aug 2009, alex mclennan wrote:
>
>>> So... only free if you already use BT Total Broadband then.
> 
>> hi all, am i right in assuming that this smacks of restrictive 
>> practices,or have i got it wrong.alex the not so noob
> 
> This is BT retail giving them way to their own customers. Not BT 
> wholesale giving them away to one of their resellers customers, (of 
> which BT retails is just another reseller from their point of view - in 
> theory) so from that point of view I don't think it's restrictive.
> 
> Although a shade misleading perhaps - as I didn't notice that in the 
> first place.

It is potentially an issue.

If BT are selling them to their retail ISP arm for less than they would 
sell them to a competitor or under different terms.

Even if they are selling them at the same price, if that price is the 
same as long as it is profitable, BT would be moving the profit from 
their retail to their wholesale business. So if BT retail ISP services 
make no profit they may be increasing the parent companies viability. 
Very complicated these Chinese walls.

Guess one just needs to see what price a bulk order of the iPlate from 
BT would be, and under what terms it would be supplied.

One also wonders if you could manufacture your own, or if this would 
upset BT....


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