A BT Openworld spokeman does not foresee that there will be a price cut in ISDN usage despite the recent rollout of its Openworld ASDL technology.
At present the costs for transferring to the entry level ADSL service offers a maximum downstream data speed of 512Kbps for a monthly fee of £39.99 (plus installation charge of £150:00). The equivalent ISDN package provides 128Kbps for the same price. A 512Kbps ISDN link would require six further lines - the installation alone would cost around £750.00.
ADSL data calls are unmetered, whereas ISDN, data calls are charged by the minute, therefore with these stated facts, observers predict that some form of price adjustment is inevitable especially if BT wish to keep ISDN competitive.
The BT spokesman also stated that the one technology is not intended to supercede the other - the two should exist alongside each other for the foreseeable future. A multiple-line ISDN solution is more flexible than ADSL and as yet ADSL is only available only to 35% of the population, whereas ISDN will be useful for those outside the ADSL exchange-enabled areas.
BT estimates that ADSL exchange-enabled areas will rise to 70% by 2004.
