BT has introduced its first channel-only product, a wireless broadband service that may serve as a precursor to WiMax.

BT hopes the new technology will solve some of the "last-mile" problems in reaching large business parks.

BT Business Symmetric Broadband will offer 2MB up- and downstream for £199 a month, with the price likely to go up after an introductory period. The service uses the IEEE 802.16 standard.

"We are offering exclusivity in specific areas to resellers for six-month periods," said Rocky Mahajan, BT Indirect Channel's general manager of strategy and business development.

"We want distributors and partners to tell us why they should have an exclusive deal. It is open to anyone."

An installation by reseller Nouveau Systems and distributor DMSL has already gone ahead in Slough Trading Estate, and another three trial locations are in the pipeline.

"BT's putting much more emphasis on the channel," said John Carter, managing director at DMSL.

"The core technology isn't the WiMax standard yet. All of the other elements are there."

Carter added that he expects BT to offer higher bandwidths in the future.

ben_tudor@vnu.co.uk