Ofcom Plans to Make BT's Openreach Network Available to Rivals -- Update
April 20 2017 - 10:04AM
Dow Jones News
By Razak Musah Baba
LONDON--The U.K.'s telecoms regulator set out plans Thursday to
make BT PLC's (BT.A.LN) Openreach infrastructure network available
to competitors, enabling them to build fiber broadband networks
more cheaply.
The Office of Communications, commonly know as Ofcom, said the
plan would make it easier for competitors to access BT's existing
telegraph poles, ducts and underground tunnels that carry telecoms
cables.
Ofcom is proposing that other telecom providers should be able
to lay fiber using BT's ducts and poles as easily as BT itself. It
said the cost to BT for providing this access should be spread
across all users.
The regulator is also calling for Openreach to repair faulty
infrastructure and clear blocked tunnels where necessary for
access.
In response, Jonathan Carter Senior Media Relations Manager,
Openreach said: "Our ducts and poles have been open since 2011 and
Ofcom recognises the big steps we've taken recently to encourage
more companies to use them. As well as launching an online mapping
tool, we've made the whole process more accessible, user-friendly,
automated and self-service oriented.
"We recognise that further improvements might be needed over
time, but the economics of network investment remain challenging.
Investing in more full fibre and upgrading hot spots will be even
harder if Ofcom force us to cover the upfront entry costs for other
companies," Mr. Carter added.
Ofcom said it expected to publish its final decisions in early
2018, with new rules taking effect on April 1 next year.
Write to Razak Musah Baba at razak.baba@wsj.com; Twitter:
@Raztweet
(END) Dow Jones Newswires
April 20, 2017 09:49 ET (13:49 GMT)
Copyright (c) 2017 Dow Jones & Company, Inc.
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