When BT (NYSE: BT) officially shuts down its dial-up Internet service on Sept. 1, it will leave thousands of people who live in rural areas without Internet access because they can't get a broadband connection today, reports The Telegraph.
In May, the telco informed its dial-up customers they would shut down the service.
Having continually built out its higher-speed Fiber to the Node (FTTN)- and Fiber to the Premises (FTTP)-based services throughout its service territories, the incumbent telco said the shutdown will affect "a very small number of customers."
About 15 to 20 percent of residents who live in rural areas of England aren't eligible to get a wireline-based broadband service, according to the Country Land & Business Association (CLA).
Customers who live in rural areas that have been updated with necessary DSLAM and related broadband equipment will have the option to switch to one of BT's broadband offerings.
Leveraging the UK government's Broadband Delivery UK initiative, BT is rolling out broadband services in rural England. Through the advent of BDUK, the government has set a goal of extending higher-speed broadband to about 95 percent of premises by the end of 2016 and providing universal access to 2 Mbps services.
Customers whose homes have not been enabled for broadband will have the option to transfer to Plusnet's dial-up service. However, users will have to contact Plusnet to switch their service in order to not be cut off. The telco estimates that about 1,000 customers won't be able to move to a broadband connection.
Fiber-based broadband continues to be a factor in BT's revenue growth. During its first quarter period, the telco added 197,000 retail fiber-based broadband customers, ending the period with a total 1.5 million FTTx customers.
For more:
- The Telegraph has this article
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