Many argue that if BT stopped charging for local calls by time, the UK's online economy would grow much more rapidly. T hose who argue for unmetered call charges in the UK have grown more vocal in recent months and the pressure applied to British Telecom urging action has become intense.
Many experts expect an imminent change.
Metering, critics say, makes users worry about the clock ticking, so they spend less time talking or browsing than would otherwise be the case. This has obvious drawbacks now that online communication has become a common way for UK firms to do business. The Times has even started a Free The Net campaign. While Peter Mandelson and his successors at the DTI have called for the UK to take on a leading role in trading online, critics have noted that metered charges deter start-up businesses and potential customers. Because of such developments, the government and the telecoms watchdog Oftel now appear willing to put pressure on BT to change its pricing structure.