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Monday 18 October 1999 4:04pm UK business concern growing over Y2K infrastructure failure The UK's largest companies are becoming increasingly worried that national infrastructure and financial services will fail due to the millennium bug, according to the latest study out from Y2K watchdog, Taskforce 2000.

It reveals that 86 per cent of Britain's top 1,000 companies are worried about telecoms failures, while 84 per cent are preparing for power outages. Another growing concern is over the possible failure of either financial institutions or key suppliers.

The worry over such failures has increased over the course of this year according to Robin Guenier, director of Taskforce 2000. He said this is in sharp contrast to the government's reassurances that banks and utilities pose no material risk of disruption.

"The consensus among the media that things are getting better is based on very general assurances that are not based on fact," he said. "Big business doesn't seem to believe it."

He added, "My guess is that most of the infrastructure is fixed, but not necessarily all of it. I would not be at all surprised if there are supply problems down the line with oil and gas. Power is threatened, but we might not see the problems until March or April."

The government's Y2K body, Action 2000, is holding the next National Infrastructure Forum this Thursday.

-- Uncle Bob (UNCLB0B@Y2KOK.ORG), October 18, 1999

Answers

Power is threatened, but no problems until March or April??

Because of oil and gas?

If this is true we're hosed.

-- lisa (lisa@work.now), October 18, 1999.