[en] Short samples of BiSCCO-2223/Ag-alloy 55-filament tapes have been studied by transport techniques at 77 K. The nominal critical current I_c of the tapes was 40 A (77 K, self-field). By using multiple current and voltage taps on the sample, it was possible to assess the conductor inhomogeneity on a scale of a few millimetres. A scatter of up to 50% in the values of both the critical current I_c and the voltage-current characteristic power law, α, was observed, but with significant correlation between the two. This suggests that the inhomogeneity is caused mainly by cracks in the filaments, which the current has to bypass via the normal metal of the matrix. The effect on the transport properties of superconducting connections between filaments was studied using a simple numerical model. We have developed an experimental protocol for detection of these interconnections and their assessment. The estimated critical current density of the interconnections is an order of magnitude lower than that of the filaments J_c, and the power law of their V(I) characteristic is low. (author)