This briefing on Backhaul Ethernet Services (BES) is for Ethernet Communications Providers.

Openreach is pleased to confirm that 3 and 5 year minimum period options for BES 100Mbit/s and BES 1Gbit/s circuits launched on 19th August 2008.

As previously communicated (ETH041/08), BES Minimum Period options offers the following annual rental reductions for both new and existing circuits:

• 3 year minimum period – a 15% reduction on the prevailing BES 100Mbit/s and BES 1Gbit/s annual rentals
• 5 year minimum period – a 20% reduction on the prevailing BES 100Mbit/s and BES 1Gbit/s annual rentals

These reductions will also apply to the standard circuit and main link per metre annual rental charges (including the resilient main link). Connection charges remain unchanged. Customers can choose to upgrade any existing BES 10Mbit/s circuits to a BES 100Mbit/s or BES 1Gbit/s circuit, in order to take advantage of these new minimum period options. Standard circuit upgrade charges will apply.

Placing orders
Updates have been made to the eCo order and B2B gateway systems to support the electronic ordering of BES Minimum Period options. Previously, customers were required to submit their BES Minimum Period Option requests using a manual customer requirements form (CRF). The CRF should no longer be used.

B2B SOX files
The B2B SOX files for Backhaul Extension Service (BES) products have been updated to include an attribute for BES Minimum Period options. The XML attribute name for BES Minimum Period options within the updated SOX files is “ContractTerm” and is set to a default of 1 year.

The Openreach Business to Business (B2B) gateway enables Communication Providers (CPs) to place their orders for many of our products via an electronic interface. In order to make use of this facility CPs should use the SOX files produced by Openreach to generate the XML messages that communicate with the B2B gateway.

The updated SOX files for BES and BES Daisy Chain products are available from http://www.openreach.co.uk/orpg/products/bes/eoibes.do#8.

If you wish to discuss the information contained within this brief, please contact your Customer Business Manager.

Please do not forward, republish or permit unauthorised access. The content is accurate at the time of writing and is subject to change.