BT offers broadband for 99% of UK - http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-40751449

Oh, do fcuk off.

Is this the same BT even the Tories were forced to shame into action on basic competitive practices? The one who half crippled services by not providing their own service, richly paid for?

Maybe it's the one who knowingly made thousands from dial up scams, and who morally haven't changed a bit?

???
Aren't BT seperated from Openzone now? How come this is BT announcing this?

Openreach has been spun out but it's still part of the BT group of companies AFIK.

BT are trying to avoid the imposition of a universal service obligation. If Ofcom/the government accept this 'offer' then it renders the USO obsolete (sort of of) and BT get to do it however they want whereas the USO would mean that anyone in an isolated area could demand broadband be supplied and Openreach would have to build the necessary infrastructure to supply it.

It isn't clear from the article what the actual benefit to BT is here from making the offer but they obviously consider there not being a USO to be one. I imagine that once there is a USO in place it would be very hard for companies to get it removed and it could then be used as a stick for customers and/or a future government to beat them with to force delivery of higher speeds in the future which is clearly something they wouldn't be overly keen on.