BT to launch web portal for all devices

BT has announced plans to launch a web portal this year that will for the first time be accessible to mobile phones, PCs, personal digital assistants and TV.

The launch of the 'multi-access' internet portal by BT's commercial ISP, BTopenworld, follows the launch of its high-speed ADSL (asymmetric digital subscriber line) service in August.

Called the Personal openworld Portal (PoP), it will be available to customers of BTopenworld's ADSL service, BTinternet's narrowband portal and mobile portal Genie. Customers of other ISPs will also be able to access the portal if they register.

BTopenworld, which has agreements with more 90 content providers, said the PoP will offer users video and audio content on news, music, sport, entertainment, games, travel and business. Customers will have a personalised homepage featuring news flashes, email, instant messaging, internet call waiting, call minder, an address book and a diary.

Chris Simmons, marketing manager for BTopenworld, said: "Around 100,000 customers have pre-registered their interest in the ADSL service. We are working through that list now and expect to get through it during November. However, within that list there are some that are not in an ADSL-enabled area, but they will be contacted when they are."

Unlike other ISPs, BTopenworld has said it is happy with the speed of BT's rollout of the ADSL network. "We don't think the rollout is slow," said Simmons. "If you look to the rest of Europe and the US, the UK has more of the population covered and it is happening quickly."

About 40 per cent of the UK is covered by ADSL-enabled BT telephone exchanges, and BT aims to increase this figure to 50 per cent by the middle of next year and 70 per cent by the end of 2002.