[3GScottishUser]

From vnunet.com (30/09/2005):

BT is to unify its Wi-Fi, GPRS and 3G services under the banner BT Datazone.

The service is aimed at laptop users with a data card, allowing them to use any of the 30,000 Wi-Fi hotspots accessible through BT Openzone, as well as 3G and GPRS services.

Chris Clark, chief executive for converged mobility operations at BT Retail, said: "Bringing these technologies together means you no longer have to choose one over the other when deciding how to keep your employees connected.

"It also has the benefit of providing companies with tighter cost control over their remote working solutions."

Wi-Fi use is charged by the length of time connected, and mobile services are charged per megabyte downloaded.

BT expects users to use 3G or GPRS services for light use such as email, but then transfer to Wi-Fi zones for large downloads where higher data rates are possible.

The Datazone package costs £49 a month and includes 4,000 minutes of Wi-Fi access via BT Openzone and 75MB of information via 3G or GPRS.

http://www.vnunet.com/vnunet/news/2143019/bt-unifies-wi-3g-gprs-offering

[Ben]

This from the Reg made me chuckle:

"Separately, there's even more fun and games to be had with "Openreach" - the name of BT's new network division. While "OpenRetch", "OvenReady" "OpenPreach" and "OverReach" have all raised a few smirks, it's been brought to our attention that Openreach is also an anagram of "No Cheaper"."

Anyone know who's providing the infrastructure for GPRS/3G?

I think this deal would be good value if the £45 could be consumed as either 100% mobile data, 100% WLAN or a mixture of the two. How the hell is someone supposed to gauge 4,000 minutes of WiFi and 75mb of data?! Seems to be a rather obscure way of doing things.

[Hands0n]

Sorry but that's so typical BT who are still in the old PTT straightjacket mindset. Same wolf, different sheep outfit, occasionally.

Don't they use Vodafone for their Mobile infrastructure? If so then I'd expect that relationship to continue into this "new" offering.

More anagrams for Openreach are (apologies for the caps, not my fault)

CHEAPER NO, CHAPERONE, PEACE HORN, CARE PHONE, NEAR EPOCH, RAPE COHEN, RAPE ENOCH (dunno what these two guys did to deserve that!).