hello

Phil, contended lines is not a myth that is emerging, it’s already well established.

Technically you are correct that contention as experienced with mass-market broadband in the UK today is a product of digital timeshare occurring beyond the local loop.

I did raise this with SpencerK and his explanation was convincing, to paraphrase:

People are familiar with their phone lines and insofaras most folks think/care/understand about the reasons behind the limitations of the digital services they receive today, the phone line is were broadband comes from.

This is no different from asking the basic question of any connectivity, e.g.

FTTH in one direction, so where is the other end.

People aren’t actually interested in the differences between local loop, middle miles, internet peering - its the fitness of purpose of service that matters.

Incidentally, why FTTH is important is to permanently put to rest concerns about the basic network infrastructure being able to delivers digital services fit for purpose.

Once that is achieved then we can all get on with using the tech without having to have these conversations - network building is an inconvenient necessity after all

I would contend (sic) that whilst it is technically true that everyone can have FTTH today, if prepared to pay BT’s fascinating rates of Excess Construction Charges, the factor of affordability is equally important.

FTTH as part of the pureglass path (www.pureglass.eu e.g.) provides the technical means to open the taps on the exaflood and thereby removes the technical copper figleaf used today to jjustify commercial considerations allowing digital gatekeepers to restrict those taps to a drip of data - this is an incumbent supply-side problem.

As regards samknows and ofcom, it always help to understand commercial relationships when assessing the merits of any information provider.