British Telecommunications Plc Research Articles

High Court grants website blocking injunction in relation to sports streaming and reconsiders confidentiality of such orders

Case No: IL-2018–000155 Matchroom Boxing Ltd and another v British Telecommunications plc and others [2020] EWHC 2868 (Ch), 23 October 2020 The High Court of England and Wales granted Matchroom Boxing an additional website blocking injunction in relation to the unauthorized streaming of its upcoming boxing matches. Whilst this follows a series of other recent website blocking injunctions in relation to sports, the judge provided further input on whether such an order could be made wholly confidential. Matchroom Boxing Ltd (‘Matchroom Boxing’) is a promoter of boxing matches. As a result of a surge in unauthorized copyright streaming activities, Matchroom Boxing had previously sought a website blocking injunction against the six main retail internet service providers (ISPs) in the UK, pursuant to section 97A of the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988. The purpose was to require the ISPs to take measures to block access to streaming...

The Digital Economy Act 2010: subscriber monitoring and the right to privacy under Article 8 of the ECHR

This paper critically assesses the compatibility of s3 Digital Economy Act 2010 (DEA) with Article 8 of the European Convention on Human Rights (1950) (ECHR). The analysis draws on Ofcom’s Initial Obligations and two UK cases, namely: British Telecommunications Plc & Anor, R (on the application of) v The Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills,1 and R (British Telecommunications plc and TalkTalk Telecom Group plc) v Secretary of State for Culture, Olympics, Media and Sport and others.2 It argues that the implementation of this obligation allows directed surveillance of subscribers’ activities without legal authorisation under the Regulation of Investigatory Powers Act 2000 (RIPA). It also analyses compliance with the Strasbourg Court’s three-part, non-cumulative test, to determine whether s3 of the DEA is, firstly, ‘in accordance with the law’; secondly, pursues one or more legitimate aims contained within Article 8(2) of the Convention; and thirdly, is ‘necessary’ and ‘proportionate’. It concludes that unless the implementation of s3 of the DEA required the involvement of State authorities and was specifically targeted at serious, commercial scale online copyright infringement cases it could infringe part one and part three of the ECtHR’s test, thereby violating subscribers’ Article 8 ECHR rights.

An injunction to prevent access to copyright infringing content, or perhaps not yet: UK perspective

In 2010, the United Kingdom High Court found an indexing company liable for the copyright infringements of its users when they downloaded materials from the Newzbin website. While its servers were located within UK jurisdiction and the majority of infringing content was in claimants' repertoire of films, the website was forced to cease operation. However, shortly after the ruling, it is believed to have moved its servers offshore and resumed operation from the same location, still accessible to UK users but beyond reach of the UK law. This prompted the case, Twentieth Century Fox & Ors v British Telecommunications Plc (2011), by the film studios to seek an injunction against one of UK's internet service providers, to force it to block its users' access to the Newzbin2 website. With the order granted and more UK ISPs also required to block their users' access to infringing content in Dramatico Entertainment Ltd & Ors v British Sky Broadcasting Ltd & Ors (2012), evidence also suggest that technical possibilities exist to render such a blockade ineffective. Beside debates on conflicting interests and proportionality, this paper argues that it may still, in reality, prove harder to achieve a stricter regulation.

Premature or stillborn? – The recent challenge to the Digital Economy Act

The High Court has recently delivered judgment on the judicial review of the Digital Economy Act 2010 (DEA) and the draft Costs Order11Copyright (Initial Obligations) (Sharing of Costs) Order 2011. on application by BT and Talktalk.22The Queen on the Application of British Telecommunications Plc, Talktalk Telecom Group Plc v The Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills [2011] EWHC 1021 (Admin), Judgment of 20. April 2011. Mr Justice Kenneth Parker rejected the application on all but one ground (one aspect of the cost sharing arrangement). See: The Queen on the Application of British Telecommunications Plc, Talktalk Telecom Group Plc v The Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills [2011] EWHC 1021 (Admin), Judgment of 20. April 2011.

R ((1) British Telecommunications plc (2) Talktalk Telecom Group plc) v Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills

R ((1) British Telecommunications plc (2) Talktalk Telecom Group plc) v Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills

Improving the customer experience for heterogeneous wireless access

The landscape for wireless connectivity is changing rapidly, and with these changes come new challenges for delivering a high quality customer experience. Over the last few years there has been a massive growth in the volume of mobile data consumed by both laptops and smartphones. The latter, in particular, have seen a huge expansion in numbers with smartphones forecast to rise to 64 percent of all mobile phone sales in Western Europe by 2015. In parallel, public Wi-Fi networks have grown beyond expectations—in the UK, for example, BT (British Telecommunications plc) now has over 1.5 million public hotspots. This leaves the challenge of how best to exploit both cellular and Wi-Fi coverage while delivering a simple customer experience to the end users. In this paper, we describe a prototype connection management solution that makes use of network based session mobility, congestion detection, user movement modeling, and network-based handover control. We then present results of a small scale trial of the system and identify remaining issues. This work is the product of a collaborative research project between BT and Alcatel-Lucent.

Collaborative defence as a pervasive service: architectural insights and validation methodologies of a trial deployment

Network defence is an elusive art. The arsenal to defend our devices and networks from attack is constantly lagging behind the latest methods used by attackers to break into them. To counteract this trend, we developed a distributed approach comprised of collaborative end-host detectors. Simulations reveal dramatic improvements over stand-alone detectors in accuracy (fewer false alarms) and in quality (the ability to capture otherwise undetected stealthy anomalies). Although these results derive from botnet detection in enterprise networks, they have broader applicability to the self-manageability of pervasive computing devices. To test this claim, Intel Corporation partnered with British Telecommunications plc to launch a trial deployment. In this paper, we report on architectural insights and validation methodologies gleaned from the development of a testbed infrastructure and phased experiments. Finally, we propose Collaborative Defence as a blueprint for emergent collaborative systems and its measurement-everywhere approach as the adaptive underpinnings needed for pervasive services.

Seeking the perfect customer experience: a case study of British Telecom

Abstract In order to construct an understanding of best practices in customer‐focused change, this study investigates how customer‐oriented strategies facilitate the enhancement of service experience. This paper explores a conceptual strategic approach for the effective delivery of customer‐focused change. This approach is based on principles originating from a case study of a customer experience program instituted by British Telecommunications plc (BT). There is an urgent need to enhance the experience of UK telecommunications customers, especially as these companies now recognize the relationship between exploitation of core organizational competencies and customer experience enhancement. This paper has implications for all organizations concerned with the retention of existing customers and the acquisition of new customers in a dynamic business environment. Copyright © 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Rhetoric, repetition, reporting and the “dot.com” era: words, pictures, intangibles

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to add to theoretical and empirical work on the rhetoric of narratives and pictures in annual reporting by using the lens of repetition to examine the Annual Reviews of British Telecommunications (BT) plc.Design/methodology/approachThe study constructs a conceptual framework of repetition in signifiants (from rhetoric) and signifiés (from philosophy, notably Barthes, Deleuze, Eliade and Jankélévitch). Signifiants are established by reference to rhetorical figures based in repetition: anadiplosis, anaphora, alliteration/rhyme and lists. Signifiés are indicated as conscious rhetorical emphasis, and unconscious reflections of sameness and difference; networks and links; and, of particular interest during the “dot.com” years, exuberance and compulsion; differentiation, ritual and reassurance. The framework is used to analyse BT plc's Annual Reviews from 1996‐2001.FindingsThe application of the framework is enlightening: repetition is shown to be prevalent in BT plc's Annual Reviews, especially during the “dot.com” years. Repetition emphasises BT plc's intangible assets; less consciously, repetition reflects BT plc's corporate identity and its participation in the “dot.com” era.Research limitations/implicationsThe paper provides a model which may be applied to the wealth of discretionary narratives and pictures in contemporary annual reporting. It would also benefit from the assessment of readership impact.Practical implicationsThe analysis is of interest to accounting researchers, practitioners, trainees, auditors and any user of accounting and accountability statements. It illuminates the way in which discretionary words and pictures highlight and supplement accounting information.Originality/valueThe paper augments theoretical and empirical work on the significance of narratives and pictures in accounting.

Understanding strategising in the telecommunications industry: lessons for global telecoms firms

This study considers the key determinants of environmental change and its associated consequences on strategic decision-making and strategising at the UK incumbent BT (British Telecommunications Plc),1 since UK telecommunications privatisation in 1984. With this in mind, the issue of strategising has become an important theme in the strategic management literature but is an under-researched area, particularly within the telecommunications sector. A case study approach was adopted, with face-to-face interviews carried out with senior executives. Semi-structured questionnaire checklists were used and content analysis was applied to the data set. Results alluded to the nature of both strategic evolution and the processes involved in strategising occurring at the incumbent telecoms provider, through the presentation and analysis of empirical data that has been unexplored – until now. Findings further our understanding of corporate level managerial decision-making, which will be of interest to both academics and practitioners.

ARMS: An automated resource management system for British Telecommunications plc

Accurate demand forecasting combined with resource planning is critical to a company’s performance and profitability. This paper describes ARMS (automated resource management system), an integrated system developed for the customer service operations of British Telecommunications plc to help with the operational/tactical planning and deployment of the company’s 20,000-strong field engineer workforce. ARMS integrates a forecasting tool with a resource planning tool and a resource balancing tool providing an end-to-end automated resource management solution for the organisation. OR techniques are used throughout the system, including ARIMA for forecasting, constraint satisfaction for problem modelling, heuristic search for problem solving thus demonstrating the value and relevance of OR in solving today’s business problems.

Architecture for the Management and Presentation of Communication Network Performance Data

Packet-based data networks such as British Telecommunications (BT) plc's switched multimegabit data service (SMOS) have performance that varies with customer behavior, network design, and network provision. This paper describes a system researched to monitor such networks from the customer's perspective, but on behalf of the operator. The information generated allows the operator to determine whether the network is performing correctly or whether changes or customer load will require the network to be changed in some way. Such networks are increasingly important as many parts of the Internet are built on similar technologies. The paper specifically considers an architecture that encompasses all the main functionality involved in performance management of networks. Consideration is given to the management and dissemination of the data collected. A database to enhance network data mining performance is described. A method to identify the periods of significance in the measurement data based on a statistical test and a neural network is incorporated into a realization of the architecture. In addition, a novel mechanism for the real-time presentation of the network performance data in an operator-friendly manner is given.

Globalising telecommunications: the case of British Telecommunications PLC

The global telecommunications marketplace has witnessed considerable and unprecedented changes in the past twenty‐five years, so much so, that comparative recognition of most telecommunications fixed‐link network operators is impossible. Consequently, industry structures, market specific structures and the internal operation of incumbent firms have been transformed by visionary strategic directional changes. Demonstrably, the impact of national strategic intentions have identified clear shifts away from predominantly monopolistic – high bureaucratic, labour‐intensive and government‐run service providers, towards distinct deregulated markets – supporting increasingly competitive, innovative and market‐led organisations. With this in mind, this study considers the nature of organisational strategic evolution and its associated consequences on the UK incumbent BT, since UK telecommunications privatisation. A case study approach waqs adopted, with face‐to‐face interviews being carried‐out with senior executives, using semi‐structured questionnaire checklists. Content analysis was applied to the data set and results alluded to the nature of both strategic evolution and the emerging strategic focus occurring within the firm. Against the is backdrop, BT was seen to evolve from a dormant, fat, inward‐looking and inefficient organisation, towards a more dynamic, forward thinking, creative and global organisation. A conceptual model partraying the impact of strategic change on transforming the business focus of BT is developed.

First round goes to prodigy in hyperlinks case - [News

CYBER LAW - If U.S. patent trials were Olympic events, defendant Prodigy Communications L.P. (Austin, Texas) would have emerged from the short program with a significant lead over London-based plaintiff British Telecommunications PLC (BT).

Partnership and workplace learning in the UK: pioneering work at British Telecommunications plc

Explores British Telecommunication plc’s (BT) partnership with the Communication Workers Union (CWU) and examines its significance for the development of a degree level programme of workplace learning. The BSc in Computer Science is now being delivered part‐time to 500 BT employees, none of whom have previous experience of post‐secondary education. In particular, the role of the union in establishing the course is examined, along with the programme’s philosophy and aims, its content, funding and efficacy. The case study incorporates semi‐structured interviews with BT managers, CWU representatives, academics responsible for designing and delivering the course and a round‐table discussion with BT employees currently taking the degree course. By pulling these views and experiences together the paper is able to assess this programme of formal workplace learning and identify issues, strengths and weaknesses that should be of interest to those politicians, managers, HR professionals and union representatives currently interested in the future of workplace learning.

Extent of common law duty of care owed in pensions misselling

The claimants who were the Appellants in this case were a Mrs Gorham, widow of Mr Gorham, and her two young children. Mr Gorham had been employed by British Telecommunications plc (BT) between 2nd April, 1991 until his death on 5th September, 1994. Upon joining BT, Mr Gorham was informed by BT that he was eligible to join the defined benefit occupational pension scheme. He was sent a booklet about the scheme, which contained an opting‐out form at the back and stated that if this form were not completed he would automatically be joined into the scheme. He did not complete the form but pension contributions were, at his oral instructions, never deducted from his salary and that fact was apparent from his monthly pay slip. The judge at first instance found as a matter of fact that Mr Gorham believed he was not a member of the BT scheme until October 1992 from which date onwards he believed that he was a member of it. In autumn 1991 Mr Gorham contacted Standard Life Assurance Company (Standard Life)and was contacted by a Mr Cornwell, a customer representative of Standard Life. The Gorhams completed and signed a Standard Life Personal Information Questionnaire which prioritised Family Protection followed by Retirement Planning and House Purchase. Mr Cornwell's recommendations based on the information supplied to him from the Gorhams (who were described in the Standard Life correspondence as client and spouse) included transfer of accrued pensions rights with Mr Gorham's previous employer to a personal pension contract and payment into that contract by Mr Gorham of monthly premiums of £80, along with a small amount of life cover at a cost of £5 per month. In November 1992 Mr Gorham, having read the BT pension booklet and discovering that he could not be a member of both the BT scheme and have a personal pension, telephoned the Standard Life helpline to be told that the BT pension scheme was preferable to a personal pension scheme. At that stage he stopped paying contributions into the Standard Life pension scheme. Despite his earlier belief that he had not been a member of the BT scheme the judge at first instance found as a matter of fact that from autumn 1992 onwards he believed he was now a member of the scheme because of his failure to return the opting‐out form at the back of the BT pension scheme booklet. In fact he was not and pension contributions were still not being deducted from his salary. As a result of his failure to join the scheme either in 1991 or in 1992 when he died in 1994 his widow and children received considerably less than if he had been a member. Mrs Gorham sued Standard Life for breach of tortuous duty of care owed to her and the children and was awarded £114,282.61 for her and the children on the basis that she would have been paid that sum, part of it as trustee for the children, if her husband had become a member of the BT occupational scheme. This sum represented the capital value of Mr Gorham's loss of pension rights but the judge at first instance declined to award a further £120,000 which would have represented lump sum death benefits payable to dependants of BT scheme members which would have been payable had Mr Gorham joined the scheme and had two years qualifying service.

Dynamic Workforce Scheduling for British Telecommunications plc

British Telecommunications plc (BT) employs thousands of field engineers across the UK to maintain networks, repair faults, and provide service to customers. To allocate work efficiently, BT developed Work Manager, an information system that automates work management and field communications. In 1996, the Intelligent Systems Research group of BT enhanced Work Manager with a dynamic scheduler (DS) based on a combination of heuristic search and constraint-based reasoning. Rolled out in 1997 and reaching 20,000 engineers in 1998, DS with Work Manager is saving BT $150 million a year on operational costs. When deployed over the targeted workforce of 40,000 people, the system will save an estimated $250 million a year.

Standard Form Building Contracts and Duty of Care

In British Telecommunications plc v James Thomson & Sons Ltd,1 the defender and respondent was a subcontractor engaged to carry out steel work under a contract between the main contractor and BT for the refurbishment and repair of a telephone switching station in Glasgow. In the execution of the work, a fire started in circumstances averred by BT to import fault to Thomson and its servants. BT raised an action in negligence against Thomson, which was dismissed as irrelevant both by the Lord Ordinary2 and the majority of the Second Division of the Inner House of the Court of Session.3 BT appealed to the House of Lords, where it was unanimously held that Thomson did come under a duty of care to BT. The decision raises a number of issues related to the interaction of delictual and contractual remedies.

Project MERLIN: A learning environment of the future

In September 1995 the Language Institute at the University of Hull and British Telecommunications plc began working together on a major research project with the aim developing an environment to support distance teaching and learning. Project MERLIN is exploring the latest commincations techologies to support interaction and collaboration between groups of remote learners, and between these learneers and their tutor. These technologies include: computer conferencing, dynamic HTML and the integration of specifically designed database and telephone-conferencing facilities with the World Wide Web interface.

Radon in the workplace--a study of occupational exposure in BT underground structures.

During the period August 1993-October 1994 a study was undertaken throughout British Telecommunications plc to assess occupational exposure to radon. This paper is concerned only with that portion of the work concerned with underground structures. The results show that radon can build up to very high concentrations in manholes and implies a significant risk to those who need to work in them. For various reasons, which are explained, exposures are much less than predicted and in all but a very few cases the annual predicted radiation dose due to radon is expected to be below 5 milliSieverts (mSv). A safe system of work is described which seeks to ensure that no BT people receive an annual radiation dose of greater than 5 mSv as a result of occupational exposure to radon.