The Register - 0870 Rip Off Realised

BT cuts 0870 charges

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'Rip-off' numbers go free

By Chris Williams • Get more from this author

Posted in Telecoms, 8th January 2009 13:07 GMT

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BT has today cut the cost of calling 0845 and 0870 to zero for many of its customers, following a consumer campaign against companies profiting from premium rate lines.

Subscribers to BT's Anytime package will get free 0845 and 0870 calls at all times, while Evening and Weekend customers' calls will be free after 6pm Monday-Friday, and all weekend.

BT said the changes would cost it "tens of millions" of pounds, but had decided "to give customers what they want".

The perceived unfairness of premium rate 0845 and 0870 numbers has been a target for consumer groups. The campaigning website Saynoto0870.com has led opposition by publishing lists of cheaper geographical numbers for organisations that use 0845 and 0870.

BT consumer MD John Petter said: "All of our 14 million calls customers have free calls included in their package and now all 14 million have free calls to 0870 and 0845 at times that fit with their calling plan, which is something not offered by any of our competitors."

Virgin Media had no comment to make today.

Use of 0845 and 0870 by government bodies has attracted special criticism from campaigners. In response, the Department of Health is currently reviewing whether services such as NHS Direct should be allowed to effectively charge people to call. ®

http://www.theregister.co.uk/2009/01/08/bt_premium_cuts/

The Register - Download Speed Scam

Deception of 'up to' broadband speeds exposed

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Ofcom reveals true download speeds

By Chris Williams • Get more from this author

Posted in Data Networking, 8th January 2009 14:45 GMT

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The average downstream broadband speed received by consumers is just 3.6Mbit/s, according to data released today from the most accurate UK internet access survey ever published.

Ofcom's new hardware-based broadband monitoring system found that despite the fact more than 60 per cent are subscribed to "up to" 8Mbit/s packages, on average the top speed ever achieved was only 4.3Mbit/s.

One in five receives less than 2Mbit/s. It's thought that the government's forthcoming Carter review will recommend a requirement that the communications industry offers at least 2Mbit/s to all part of the country. Ofcom said today that on average, urban internet users' connections are 15 per cent faster than those of their rural counterparts.

Across the UK connections were slowest between 5pm and 6pm on Sundays, when network load is highest.

The data was produced in partnership with the ISP industry analyst house Samknows, which deployed special speed reporting kit to about 1,500 homes. Until now, virtually all measures of broadband performance available to consumers have come from flawed web-based test software.

The survey is part of a bid by Ofcom to improve consumer confidence in internet providers by encouraging transparency. A voluntary code of practice, which came into force in December, requires signatory ISPs to provide an estimate of the real top speed potential subscribers can expect to receive (based on factors such as the distance of their home from the local exchange) as well as the "up to" headline maximum.

The monitoring network showed that on average, consumers get 45 per cent of the advertised headline speed.

Speed gripes were the most common cause of dissatisfaction in market research carried out for Ofcom alongside the technical survey. Only two thirds were satisfied by how their internet connection performed while watching web video, for example.

The full survey report is here (pdf)

http://www.theregister.co.uk/2009/01/08/ofcom_speed_survey/

BT to shed 10,000 jobs by March

See BT's share price

Telecoms giant BT says it expects to have cut 10,000 jobs by the end of March next year to reduce costs.

The cuts will mainly affect agency and contract staff, including offshore workers, the company said.

BT said it had already cut 4,000 jobs, with a further 6,000 to go by March from its global workforce of 160,000.

News of the cost cuts sent BT shares 7.5% higher. The company said the job losses were not a "direct result" of the economic downturn.

"This is a reflection of the fact we have to become leaner," BT chief executive Ian Livingston told the BBC.

"We need to do it in good times and bad."

Many of the job losses will be in the UK, with about 4,000 staff positions affected.

Further cuts

BT was followed by three more UK companies who announced they planned to reduce their workforces.

It's a real blow especially at this time of year BT employee, South Yorkshire BT staff in a state of shock Send us your comments

Construction equipment-maker JCB announced a further 398 redundancies on top of the loss of 178 posts it revealed last month, after a fall in orders.

It blamed "the extreme deterioration" in business levels and confidence around the world.

Truck maker Leyland also spoke of a "severe decline" in demand which it said will result in the loss of 250 jobs.

Financial services firm Friends Provident will cut 280 posts, it said.

The announcements came a day after government figures showed unemployment in the UK had reached its highest level for 11 years.

Workers concerned

Mr Livingston said that he did not expect to make compulsory redundancies.

Workers nevertheless expressed concern at the announcement and said BT was keeping them in the dark.

"I think if the company are going to shed this many UK jobs then it should have informed the staff before we found out on the news," one employee in South Yorkshire told the BBC News website.

"The centre I am in is nearly all agency staff, so where do we stand?"

"It's a real blow especially at this time of year."

Investors upbeat

Figures released on Wednesday showed that the UK unemployment total reached an 11-year high of 1.82 million in the three months to September, as more firms cut jobs to cope with the economic slowdown.

BT's chief executive Ian Livingston says redundancies will not be compulsory.

However, BT's job losses, which will lead to lower costs, cheered investors.

BT shares were up 11%, or 12.5p, at 125p in afternoon trade on the London stock market.

"The group's marked intention to improve profitability could see another turn in investor sentiment, this time upwards," said Keith Bowman, equity analyst at Hargreaves Lansdown stockbrokers.

'Decisive action'

BT said that three of its four main business units were performing well, but said profits at its global services division "were simply not good enough".

"We are taking decisive action to put matters right," Mr Livingston said.

The firm said it had already replaced the head of the division.

The job losses come as the firm announced a 11% fall in pre-tax profit for the July to September quarter.

Pre-tax profits totalled £590m and the firm said revenue rose 4% to £5.3bn.

Last month, BT had warned that its global services division, which provides IT networks to multinational businesses, would report lower profits. Its shares fell nearly 20% on the news.

Pension

The company revealed that it hoped to save £100m in pension contributions each year when, next April, it brings in radical changes to its final salary scheme, announced earlier this week.

The changes will reduce pension entitlement for 65,000 members of the final salary scheme, which was closed to new joiners in 2001.

The scheme's normal retirement age will rise from 60 to 65, future pension entitlement will build up at a slower rate, the traditional link between final salaries and pension payments will be broken, and some members will have to pay higher contributions.

The changes are being brought in despite the fact that the BT scheme was still in surplus as of 30 September to the tune of £600m, based on the standard valuation method for company accounts known as IAS 19.

However, a BT spokesman pointed out that it was still paying in an extra £280m a year to pay off a deficit revealed by a previous actuarial valuation three years ago.

The next full actuarial valuation will be based on the state of the scheme as of 31 December and, depending on the assumptions used about longevity and future investment returns, may show that the scheme would be in deficit but for the impact of the cost-saving measures.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/business/7726174.stm

Sun Micro to cut up to 6,000 jobs

The company's shares have fallen 77% this year

The computer hardware maker Sun Microsystems has announced it will shed up to 6,000 jobs in a bid to cut costs.

The move is part of a restructuring plan, which is set to save up to $800m (£540m) annually, and will cost up to $600m over the next year.

The cuts represent 18% of its workforce - the firm is facing slowing demand for its high-end computers.

Sun Microsystems warned in October it would report a wider-than-expected loss in the final quarter of the year.

Falling shares

"The magnitude of the work force reduction is certainly overdue," said analyst Brent Bracelin at Pacific Crest Securities.

The company's shares have fallen 77% this year. They are down 98% since 2000, when the internet bubble burst.

As most industries suffer from the global squeeze on credit and a consumer slowdown, so many technology firms are feeling the effects from a drop in demand.

Sun said it expected to report a net loss for the final three months of 2008 of 25-35 cents a share, surprising analysts who had expected the firm to post a net loss of 16 cents a share.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/business/7730135.stm

RBS to cut 3,000 jobs worldwide

The bank has been hit hard by the global financial crisis

Royal Bank of Scotland (RBS) is to cut about 3,000 jobs in the next few weeks, the BBC has learned.

The positions will go in its global banking and markets workforce, spanning more than 50 countries. Jobs are likely to go in the City of London.

It is understood the bank's High Street operations, and those of subsidiary NatWest, will be unaffected.

RBS, which predicts its first annual loss this year, may get up to £20bn from the government's bail-out plan.

Paying the price

The bank employs about 170,000 people, of which roughly 100,000 are in the UK.

RBS declined to comment in detail on the job cuts. "We constantly review our operating model to make sure it is appropriate to the market condition, and take action accordingly."

"RBS is paying the price for lending far too much in the good times," says BBC business reporter Nick Cosgrove.

We constantly review our operating model to make sure it is appropriate to the market condition RBS History: Royal Bank of Scotland

"It had too much exposure to the sub-prime market in the United States and it overpaid for the giant Dutch bank ABN Amro at the height of the boom."

Sub-prime loans are those to people with poor credit records. An RBS consortium paid 71bn euros ($91bn; £61bn) for ABN Amro in October 2007.

Job cuts

The news of RBS's cuts comes within 24 hours of BT saying it will cut 10,000 posts by March next year.

Employment Minister Tony McNulty: 'It's difficult and is going to get more difficult'

Recent days have also seen Virgin Media, Yell, GlaxoSmithKline and JCB announce a total of more than 5,000 job cuts.

Official figures this week revealed UK unemployment in the three months to September was at an 11-year high of 1.82 million.

Meanwhile, Prime Minister Gordon Brown will join a meeting of 20 world leaders in Washington this weekend for a summit on the global economic downturn.

Losses mount

Earlier this month, RBS announced it expected to reveal its first full-year loss in its almost 300-year history.

The announcement followed a £691m loss in the first half of the financial year.

The bank also detailed plans to raise up to £15bn from investors by selling shares at 65.5p each. If the shares are not taken up, the government will acquire them.

The government will also directly buy preference shares in the bank - worth a total of £5bn.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/business/7728596.stm

HP job losses

'UK workers bear brunt of global HP job losses': Unite

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EDS Blighty staff take it on the chin

By Kelly Fiveash • Get more from this author

Posted in Enterprise, 13th November 2008 15:09 GMT

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Unite has hit out at Hewlett-Packard for making more job cuts in Britain - mostly among its EDS staff - than anywhere else in Europe.

The UK’s largest union said yesterday that HP’s decision to axe a quarter of its British staff following the takeover of the IT services firm in August was a mistake.

"This should be a merger for growth not a merger for cuts,” said Unite national officer Peter Skyte.

“HP in the UK is predominantly a services company and critically reliant on people for this. It is completely unacceptable that the UK is bearing the brunt of these global job loses.”

Unite also slammed the UK government’s employment rights and protection policies, arguing that its “light touch approach on regulation and employment legislation” benefited multinationals looking to cut jobs in the UK.

HP said in October it would axe 3,378 jobs in the UK - 90 per cent of them are understood to be EDS staff.

It plans to trim its global workforce by 25,000 - more than seven per cent - over the next two years.

Unite, alongside other European unions, plans to fight the job cuts, even though many of them are not recognised by HP.

A “European day of action” is taking place today with events in the UK, Austria, Belgium, Italy, Spain, France and Germany. ®

http://www.channelregister.co.uk/2008/11/13/hp_eds_job_cuts_unite/

RBS: historic loss

• Robert Peston
• 4 Nov 08, 09:40 AM

Stephen Hester has today signalled that Royal Bank of Scotland will make a loss this year.

In an interview with me for the Today Programme, the new chief executive of the battered bank said that "people may conclude that profits will be difficult to achieve" for 2008 and that it "wouldn't surprise" him if analysts forecast a loss.

And although we've become inured over the past few months to the world's biggest banks announcing losses, it's still momentous that RBS is heading for the first full-year loss in its history.

After all, RBS owns NatWest. It's supposed to be solid and dull, concentrating on providing very basic banking services to millions of individuals and businesses.

Banks like RBS aren't supposed to make losses, ever.

So where did it all go wrong?

Well Hester puts the blame squarely on "leverage", on the RBS's decision to lend far too much in the boom years.

It became far too exposed, though its investments, to those disastrous subprime loans to US homeowners with poor credit histories.

RBS increased this exposure through its imprudent, top-of-market takeover of a huge chunk of the giant Dutch bank, ABN.

But, perhaps as damningly, it provided excessive loans of a more mainstream sort to businesses and households that are beginning to have difficulty keeping up the payments.

So RBS - like HBOS - has just survived one set of multi-billion pound losses on the subprime phase of the credit crunch. And it's now being tested by rising impairment charges on more conventional lending, because the recession into which we're careering is making life tough for those with big debts.

That's why Hester was parachuted in as new chief executive. That's why RBS has gone cap in hand to the Treasury for £20bn of new capital from taxpayers.

Hester is determined to fix the bank, and fast. There will be job losses, he told me. Assets will be sold.

And he's desperate to redeem the £5bn of preference shares he's selling to the taxpayers as quickly as possible, so that he'll regain the freedom to pay dividends as and when he likes to shareholders.

He said that he would be "disappointed" if he couldn't pay dividends in 2010.

Strikingly, he didn't sound like an executive who feels that his room for manoeuvre is being excessively constrained by the supposedly stultifying interference of the Treasury.

He does, for example, believe that he can make increased credit available for small businesses and house purchase, as the Treasury wishes - although he's not promising that the credit will be cheap.

Here's the odd thing. Although it's profoundly humiliating for RBS that it's heading for a loss, in a way that's history - the inevitable consequence of previous mistakes.

RBS's darkest hour was a few weeks ago, in late September and early October, when the entire banking system was close to total paralysis.

As Hester conceded, a number of big banks suffered a flight of vital funds that took them to the brink of collapse.

RBS - and others - have been bailed out by taxpayers, to the tune of £5,000bn in support provided by governments across the world.

Without that support, Hester would now be - in essence - a financial undertaker, rather than a chief executive determined to restore strength and resilience to a pillar of the British economy.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/blogs/thereporters/robertpeston/

http://www.reghardware.co.uk/2008/07/03/nitrogen_trifluoride_tv/

'HD TV gas' 17,000 times worse for planet than CO₂, claims boffin

17 comments

By James Sherwood [More by this author]

3rd July 2008 16:16 GMT

LCD TVs, praised as being greener than old-style tellies because they consume much less power, may actually be speeding climate change, a chemical expert has warned.

Michael Prather of the University of California at Irvine has completed a study which claims that atmospheric quantities of the gas Nitrogen Trifluoride (NF₃) are booming. He reports his findings in the latest issue of the journal Geophysical Research Letters.

NF₃ is 17,200 times better at trapping heat in the atmosphere over a hundred-year period than is carbon dioxide, the best known greenhouse gas. NF₃ has a characteristic mouldy smell and is thought to be highly harmful to the liver and kidneys.

The chemical is used in the production of flat-panel displays which, in turn, are used to make today's TV screens. Prather believes that exploding demand for HD TVs around the world has created a huge need for NF₃, and that's sending emission levels sky high.

The problem is, NF₃ emission levels aren't being measured by the worldwide greenhouse-gas monitoring programme put in place by the Kyoto Protocol on climate change.

When the agreement was signed by 181 countries in 1997, NF₃ wasn't included on the list of gases that should be tracked because at that time the compound's manufacture was miniscule.

Related stories

• Pioneer launches LCD TV line under Kuro plasma brand
• BBC begins fresh Freeview HD TV trial
• HD TV in the UK
• Brits confused by digital TV switchover, report claims
• Panasonic parent makes 30in OLED TV play

But, says Prather, thanks to NF₃'s use in flat-panel display production, that's no longer the case. NF₃'s global-warming potential is second only to sulfur hexafluoride (SF₆), the nastiest greenhouse has on the Kyoto list.

Most TV manufacturers already sell sets by pushing their eco-credentials. But while vendors tout their sets energy efficiency, NF₃ is rarely mentioned.

Virgin Rapped on Broadband Speeds

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/technology/7483675.stm

Virgin rapped on broadband speeds

Consumers are still confused about how fast broadband services really are

A complaint lodged by BT about the speeds of Virgin Media's broadband service has been upheld by the Advertising Standards Authority.

The challenge centred around its advertisement "Hate to Wait?", which ran in the national media and featured download times for songs and TV shows.

BT argued that Virgin's usage caps meant that downloads during peak times would be slower than advertised.

The ASA has agreed and ordered Virgin to make it clear that speeds will vary.

Confusing megabits

In its adjudication it said that the advert did not make it clear that customers on Virgin Media's lower speed packages would only be able to download TV shows at the speeds advertised during off-peak hours.

It ruled that Virgin Media needed to clarify that download times would be restricted during peak hours.

Virgin Media argued that, for users of its M 2Mbps (megabits per second) package, a TV show downloaded during peak hours would only take a few minutes longer to download.

But it did admit that users would be subject to its so-called traffic management system, which caps data usage during peak hours.

It said that the issue would only affect users of the 2Mbps service.

Customers on its L 4Mbps package could download 60 songs and or two TV shows before reaching caps while those on the XL 20Mbps package could download 614 songs or nine TV shows before their speeds would be subject to caps, Virgin said.

"We believe our Hate to Wait campaign provided a simple and transparent comparison between broadband speeds for consumers looking to choose between Virgin Media's M, L and XL broadband packages," Virgin Media said in a statement.

On a secondary issue, Virgin admitted that it wrongly used the term "megabits" when referring to the size of the files being downloaded and agreed to change it to the correct "megabytes" term.

It also agreed to amend the ad to reflect the fact that it would take some customers longer to download a TV show than stated.

Very competitive

The issue of so-called traffic throttling, where internet service providers place limits on the amount of data users can download, has become more pertinent with the growth of video-sharing sites and TV catch-up services such as the iPlayer.

In the US some providers are banning access to file-sharing sites such as BitTorrent and in the UK the British Phonographic Industry (BPI) is in talks with providers, including Virgin Media, about banning heavy users of file-sharing sites.

"ISPs are responding to the growth of online video services and capping is also a way of migrating customers onto faster and more expensive tariffs," said James Garlick, analyst with Screen Digest.

Virgin Media believes traffic-throttling is vital to ensure a good service.

"Our traffic management policy helps ensure the majority of customers receive the quality of service they expect from our fibre-optic broadband product by managing demand from the heaviest users at certain times of the day," said a spokesman for Virgin Media.

The broadband arena in the UK has become hugely competitive and the ASA has received a steady stream of complaints, sometimes from consumers but often from rival providers, about the speeds of both fixed and mobile broadband.

"There are lots of factors which affect speed. Consumers are concerned about it but often it is competitors keeping an eye on each other," said a spokesman from the ASA.

dodgy teach 2

9 March 2006
EXCLUSIVE: SIR IS AXED OVER GIRL,17
By Lori Campbell

A TEACHER at a top private school has been accused of kissing and touching a 17-year-old girl pupil in a midnight romp on a beach.

Michael Casey, 44, could now be prosecuted for committing a sexual act while in a position of trust.

Casey was a teacher at posh George Watson's College in Edinburgh when he allegedly met the senior pupil at a secluded beauty spot. The schoolgirl told another teacher about the alleged encounter.

Casey was suspended. The school's head teacher alerted cops and Casey, a former police sergeant, was arrested and charged.

Prosecutors are now deciding whether he should face court.

A source at George Watson's said yesterday: "Mr Casey was a highly regarded teacher. But if these allegations are proved, he will have lost all the trust and respect people had in him.

"If it's true, it's unbelievable that he would abuse his position to meet up with a pupil at night."

Casey is said to have met the girl at Gullane Bents in East Lothian in 2004.

Our school source said the pupil later confided in one of Casey's colleagues. The insider added: "The teacher she told confronted Mr Casey and threatened to tell the head teacher unless Mr Casey did so himself."

Casey quit his job as a modern studies teacher after police charged him.

His wife Lesley, 43, had already dumped him when the claims came to light.

A friend said: "They split for other personal reasons."

But the source added: "Lesley was devastated and angry when she heard about the girl's claims.

"She is filing for divorce."

Casey moved out of the home he shared with Lesley in Cramond, Edinburgh, and went to stay with a pal.

But he was kicked out after his host found out about the police charges.

Casey is now renting a one-bedroom flat in Comely Bank, Edinburgh and working as a taxi driver.

He told our reporter: "You haven't got the right Casey. My first name isn't Michael. I do sometimes get post for a Michael Casey living down the road though, so that could be your man.

"I was never a teacher at George Watson's and don't know anything about meetings with a pupil."

Former pupils at £7800-a-year George Watson's include rugby stars Gavin and Scott Hastings and politicians David Steel and Malcolm Rifkind.

Head teacher Gareth Edwards confirmed: "A former member of staff resigned in January 2006.

"The school received information which was reported to the police. I cannot comment further as there is an ongoing police investigation."

Dodgy Teacher

Thu 9 Mar 2006

Ex-teacher charged with sexual encounter with pupil

ANDREW PICKEN

A FORMER teacher at a top private school has been charged in connection with an alleged sexual encounter with a 17-year-old female pupil.

Michael Casey was a history and modern studies teacher at George Watson's College when he allegedly met the senior pupil at Gullane Bents in East Lothian in 2004.

The schoolgirl is reported to have told another teacher about the alleged incident with the 44-year-old Mr Casey, who is understood to be a former police sergeant, resigned from the school in January this year. Mr Casey was then reported to the police.

A police spokesman confirmed a 44-year-old man has been charged in connection with the incident and a report has been sent to the procurator fiscal.

Prosecutors are reportedly considering charges against Mr Casey of committing a sexual act while in a position of trust.

When the allegations came to light, Mr Casey is understood to have moved out of the Cramond home he shared with his wife Lesley. He is now believed to be living in Comely Bank and working as a taxi driver.

Gareth Edwards, head teacher at the £7800-a-year school, said: "Mr Casey resigned in January but had been suspended since early November. As soon as the school received information relating to the allegations he was suspended and the matter was reported to the relevant authorities. Mr Casey resigned before our own internal investigation had reached its conclusion."

It is the latest claims of a sex scandal to have rocked the city's schools. Last April, a biology teacher arrested over claims he had sex with an underage pupil was struck off. Anthony Ablett, who taught at the city's Trinity Academy, was barred from working in Scotland again after being found guilty of misconduct by the General Teaching Council.

The 56-year-old was taken to court in 2003 after a 15-year-old girl alleged he had been involved in "acts of indecency" with her.

He was immediately suspended from his job as head of biology when police charged him.

The case was dropped because of insufficient evidence, but the GTC Scotland decided to strike Ablett from the Scottish teaching register.

And in March 2004, sex charges against a former teacher at a Musselburgh public school were dropped. Guy Anthony Ray-Hills, 79, was charged with sexual offences against two boys, then aged 11 and 15, which allegedly took place 40 years ago when he taught at Loretto School.

The case was to be heard in the summer of 2003, but was dropped because of Mr Ray-Hills' ill-health. The Crown Office confirmed at the time that the case would not be "re-raised". It was understood at the time that this was because Mr Ray-Hills would never have been well enough to stand trial.

This article: http://edinburghnews.scotsman.com/index.cfm?id=357832006

Last updated: 09-Mar-06 14:34 GMT

Drugged man cuts off penis - smh.com.au

Drugged man cuts off penis - smh.com.au: "Drugged man cuts off penis

By Les Kennedy
September 19 2002

A man has undergone microsurgery to try and reattach his little finger, penis, scrotum and left hand - all which he cut off in an alleged drug-induced act of self-mutilation.

Police said the man was believed to be high on amphetamines. He attacked himself with a large kitchen carving knife during an argument with his wife at a home in the northern NSW town of Inverell.

The bizarre act of self-mutilation was witnessed by two ambulance officers who were called to the home at 2.30pm on Tuesday by the distraught woman after the man, aged 38, initially cut off the little finger on his right hand. Inverell police Inspector Dave Harrington said when ambulance officers arrived at the home, the woman ran from the house followed by the man, who was still armed with the knife.

The man then cut off his scrotum and penis before lopping off his left hand at the wrist-joint, just as Inspector Harrington and six other police officers arrived at the scene.

It took all seven officers to hold the man down while the ambulance officers applied pressure bandages to stem the bleeding.

Inspector Harrington said that had the ambulance officers not been on hand the man might have died from massive blood loss. 'It is one of the worst things I've seen in 16 years,' Inspector Harrington said. 'Police have reason to believe he was affected by amphetamines at the time.

'The man was taken under police restraint by ambulance to the small Inverell Base Hospital, where two local doctors performed emergency surgery while they awaited the arrival of an Air Ambulance plane and a physician with the Westpac Rescue Helicopter Service.'

Inspector Harrington said officers recovered the severed body parts, which were later packed in ice in the hope they could be reattached with microsurgery.

The body parts accompanied the heavily sedated man on the Air Ambulance flight "