Funny though, isnt it?

Just to add my two pennyworth..............

Does not the same argument also apply to BT's speedtest?

This is used - when it's working - by various users, a good percentage of which do not use BT as their ISP.

So was this test intended to be a test for BT engineers or the general public?

Perhaps their should be a public offering of 17070 - even a chargeable one ie a premium rate call?

I think the main problem is that BT do not want end users to know their line length, which then starts a "why is my line so long?" style of complaint when the user is just across the road from the exchange.

Then again, if BT do silent tests which are logged, why not make these available on-line.

If the FOI Act ever changes to include public utilities (which I believe has been mooted), then BT will have no option than to make results available. Assuming that they do log them. Or do we (BT) destroy the files before the law comes into effect?

I thought the FOI only referred to personal data. Data about a telecoms companies networks could not be regarded as personal. If it were where would it end?
I have to say this thread has become quite amusing.

In reply to:

---

So was this test intended to be a test for BT engineers or the general public?

---

For the general public. The engineers have access to Woosh, and their own test kit. The whole point is moot anyhow, as MHC's original comment was a wind-up.

A bit of a shame it was a wind-up.
Charging for it at premium rates (maybe

Currently FOI is about ANY data held by a central government or local government body on virtually anything. This is the weekly log from the Min of Defence FOI section. As you may guess, UFO's are a favorite subject, as has been the use of RAF aircraft by senior politicians. If the act gets extended to public utilities, well ...................... say no more.

http://www.mod.uk/NR/rdonlyres/8F6A98D2-A05A-4EF0-BC82-86F2589DEA7D/0/reqsept06_03.pdf

Ah, Woosh, you can access that on ################## Best I say no more.

No, FoI does NOT refer to personal data. In fact, quite the opposite; FoI is about access to official information from public organisations. The Data Protection Act (DPA) is about the protection of (and access to) personal data.

For a complete view of which act covers what, see the Information Commissoner's website here, specifically the sections on DPA and FoI.

Scotland has its own Information Commissioner dealing with FoI here.

Not quite any information....personal data is generally exempted from the Act, for example in Scotland Section 38(1)(a) exempts information if it constitutes personal data where the applicant is the data subject. Many people mistakenly ask for personal data about themselves under FoI, only to be told that it is exempt and that they need to submit a subject access request under DPA.

Ah, righty oh.
Sounds like it cold be an expensive business then.