News 

RedTen's problems began on Monday, when customers trying to access the web were greeted with the following message. "BT Wholesale has stopped providing a service to Redten Communications Ltd either because of repeated non-payment of invoices or because Redten Communications Ltd has stopped trading. This means you will no longer be able to access your broadband service from Redten Communications Ltd."

The message goes on to offer customers a Mac code allowing them to switch provider if they wish. However, a spokesperson for Redten has urged customers "not to switch providers" claiming that the downtime was not due to a failure to pay its bills but to the company "upgrading the servers from 8Mb/sec

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to 24Mb/sec". It's promising customers one month's free service at the end of their contract.

Normal service resumed

The company went on to claim that service would be resumed on 19 March through NJP Services, a company which sells wholesale broadband services based on BT's network. We contacted NJP who confirmed that it had struck a deal with Redten, though it denied customers were being upgraded to a 24Mb/sec connection.

"Customers will not be moved to our LLU 24Mb/sec service automatically but will be given the option in the future to upgrade to such a service," said a spokesperson.

Redten has led a troubled life since it first burst on to the scene offering a "free PC" with its broadband packages. Since then it's seen its parent company, Watford Electronics, disappear into administration, and its famous offer frozen.