France Telecom to blow �1bn on LLU | The Register

1bn Euros sounds a lot and it is, but in terms of local loop unbundling it can go very quickly.

Assuming a good proportion of that will go to the UK, it still costs around £100,000 to unbundle an exchange (including backhaul and all the associated expenses), so a £1m will get you into 10. There are economies of scale, but it's an expensive business.

Then there's AOL, Bulldog, Be and everyone else going into some or all of those exchanges ...