U.K. Regulator Reduces Narrowband Telecom Regulation
December 01 2016 - 4:56AM
Dow Jones News
LONDON--The U.K. Office of Communications, or Ofcom, said
Thursday it is proposing to "significantly" reduce the wholesale
regulation that it applies to telecommunication providers in
so-called narrowband markets, which underpin the delivery of retail
fixed voice telephone services in the U.K.
In particular, it said for these markets--which involves signals
over a narrow range of frequencies--it proposes to remove regulated
cost-based charge controls imposed on BT Group PLC (BT.A.LN) for
wholesale fixed telephone lines and calls.
It also proposes to remove regulation from the new supply of
digital voice lines, but retain regulation to protect existing
business consumers of these services. It also proposes to remove
the 'no undue discrimination' regulation, which currently restricts
the terms upon which BT can sell wholesale call origination to
competitors.
"The retail market has worked well for customers buying bundles
of voice and broadband. But Ofcom is concerned that competition is
not benefiting a significant minority of consumers who purchase a
fixed telephone service but do not take broadband," it said in a
statement.
Separately, it announced a separate review into a retail market
for standalone landline telephone services. It expects to publish a
consultation in the new year.
--Write to Simon Zekaria at simon.zekaria@wsj.com
(END) Dow Jones Newswires
December 01, 2016 04:41 ET (09:41 GMT)
Copyright (c) 2016 Dow Jones & Company, Inc.
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