Openreach told to give rivals greater access to network
BRITAIN’S telecoms regulator is planning to order BT to give rivals greater access to its Openreach infrastructure in a bid to speed up the launch of highspeed fibre cables.
The draft rules announced by Ofcom would force Openreach, the physical infrastructure arm of BT, to give rival telecoms companies further access to its network of telegraph poles and underground ducts so that they can lay their own fibre and 5G services.
Smaller rivals Virgin Media, Talktalk and Cityfibre already use Openreach for residential connections, using around 12,000 Openreach poles and 1,550 miles of underground layout.
The new rules would require Openreach to allow groups that serve large businesses to also use the infrastructure, including “all telecoms services, improving the business case for them to invest in cutting-edge, full fibre and 5G networks”.
However, rivals have said that the rules will not move the dial on competition because they only give improved access to the very edge of the network.
Rivals want access to what is known as Openreach’s “dark fibre” – fibre that is only used by BT – which would allow them to cut costs and connect more businesses.
A Vodafone spokesman said: “Sadly this is another opportunity Ofcom has missed to plug the full fibre hole.”
Jonathan Oxley, Ofcom competition director, said: “Our measures are designed to support the UK’S digital future by providing investment certainty for continued competitive investment in fibre and 5G.”
An Openreach spokesman said: “We recognise that unrestricted access is a natural next step, so we had volunteered to get on with that.”
Ofcom plans to hold a consultation on the proposals at the end of the year.