DC09-03 January 12, 2009
Confirmed wholesale pricing enables further BT Redcare CCTV guarantees
Following the recent wholesale pricing announcement from Openreach for CCTV fibre circuits, BT Redcare today announced that it is to make a further guarantee on retail pricing - price rises for existing services to its customers in April 2010 will be limited to a maximum of 10 per cent. BT Redcare also said that there will be an increase of only five per cent in the cost of existing circuits from April 2009.
In order to provide certainty within the industry after Openreach published indicative price rises earlier this year, BT Redcare met with customers to listen to their concerns. As a result it offered price-rise guarantees significantly lower than the industry was expecting and developed further options to ensure certainty over the future of CCTV schemes and enable operators to develop realistic budgets.
These further options included new contracts for circuits with terms between three and 10-years with fixed price rises each year during the term, pre-agreed with the customer. Around 35 per cent of customers have now ensured affordable schemes through taking up three to five-year contracts.
BT Redcare also worked with its customers and the CCTV User Group, to lobby Ofcom and Openreach to ensure they understood the potential effect the indicative price rises would have on the industry and society. Openreach has now published revised wholesale rates for services to 2010.
James Hennah, commercial director, BT Redcare, said: “Whilst any increases in costs are never welcome, especially in the current economic climate, we are pleased that Openreach has listened to our and our customers’ concerns over the long-term viability of CCTV schemes. These schemes have a dramatic impact in reducing crime and disorder and play a major part in ensuring public safety, especially in the heightened state of alertness that we currently find ourselves.”
“We have worked with customers, not only to provide reassurance and practical solutions to the challenges of budgeting for CCTV schemes, but together we have lobbied Openreach and Ofcom to ensure the future viability of schemes. We will continue our dialogue to provide further reassurance and develop new contracting arrangements and technologies that will ensure a prosperous and safe future for all stakeholders.”
Customers wishing to find out more should speak to their account manager, call
0800 673 221 or visit www.redcare.bt.com.
