There has definitely been something since before 2013 which has been used to differentiate the Market and the Pricing.
Many years ago (circa 2008) there was a long thread on TBB because I got my mits on information and a pricing list that showed some market 2 exchanges should be paying the cheaper rate and I updated by checker to show the new exchange data. The huge thread on the TBB Plusnet forums erupted because Plusnet were only charging the cheaper rate for Market 1 exchanges. The new pricing bands meant that many Market 2 exchanges should be paying the cheaper rate, but weren't.
The result of this was that Plusnet changed their billing system to include all Market 2 exchanges at the cheaper rate, regardless if it was Band A or Band B. I think it must have been quicker & easier for them to do it this way than start a new database for billing. The CS person who had to deal with the backlash at the time was called Mandy. I think some of this is still historic in their systems even today.
I cant recall the exact date, but it happened at around the time I was about to, or just had migrated to Be in March 2008. It was installation of the Be MSAN that took us into the cheaper pricing bracket and why I was so aware of it despite being Market 2.
ETA: It was probably OFCOMs full review 21/05/08.Because I was now showing different info to Sam, I emailed Sam with the latest info and copy of the data so he could update his records too.
Sams API was rewritten in early 2009 specifically to include both the Market Classification and the Price Banding
Version 3.71
23 January 2009
Starting with version 3.71, an additional option named “market” may be passed to the API.
This adds a “market” node beneath the “exchange” node, which contains sub-elements
detailing the market classification of this exchange. At present there are two possible subelements
of the market node:
1. BTBand – The “band” that BT deems this exchange belongs to. This is used by BT
Wholesale to set 21CN pricing. Bands range from A-E, although B and D are unused
at this time. An empty string for the band indicates that the band is unknown.
2. OfcomMarket – The market classification that Ofcom has assigned to this exchange.
Broadly speaking, Market 3 is defined as those exchanges with a heavy LLU/cable
concentration, Market 2 is those where there is some LLU/cable presence, and
Market 1 is where only incumbent (BT) services are available.
Example of raw data output from Sams checker v 3.71 Jan 2009 showing both the market no and the pricing band.
<Market>
<Btband>A</Btband>
<Ofcommarket>3</Ofcommarket>
</Market>
</Exchange>
An email was also issued to anyone using the API
Wed 18/02/2009 13:20
Hi,
As you are now no doubt aware, PlusNet are now pricing their products based on geographical location and hence the Ofcom Classification of an exchange needs to be known. This has been included in the API, and information on this can be found on page 23 of the documentation.
I have quite a lot of correspondence in my mail archives from 2008/2009 regarding the two separate Market classification databases. iirc Sam called the other one BT banding, because that is what BT were charging the ISPs.
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I used to hold the Market info in my own database, but since Oct 2011, I replaced it to pull data Market data from Sam's database rather than me having to keep an eye on what was going on with OFCOM & BT.
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Its the reference to BTw Pricing Band E which was new to me but I guess thats another way of saying Market A in this context
Me too..
... and just to muddy the water further, happened to notice mine is Band C although no idea when it changed
Note that it still fits in though with the original description dating back to 2008.
Out of interest are those on C & E all FTTC?