Ofcom may monitor BT fees to rivals
BT’s ability to bid aggressively in the upcoming Premier League soccer rights auction could be limited by a plan from regulator Ofcom to monitor the price it charges rivals to access its key superfast fibre network.
Ofcom said yesterday it would measure the difference between the wholesale price BT charges rivals and the retail price it charges its customers to make sure there is a sufficient margin for competitors to make a profit from the infrastructure.
BT’s smaller rival TalkTalk has long argued that BT overcharges for wholesale access.
BT has previously been cleared of breaching the Competition Act in terms of operating a margin squeeze, and Ofcom said yesterday it thought BT would currently pass the new test.
BT has said it may appeal against the ruling. Ofcom will publish a final statement in February. THE National Sheep Association (NSA) management board has elected Samuel Wharry from Carnlough, County Antrim, Northern Ireland, as its new chairman for a term of three years.
Mr Wharry has been an officeholder within NSA Northern Ireland Region for a number of years (including regional chairman), served on the board for three years and has a wealth of knowledge to draw on for this national role.
With a proven commitment to breeding fit-for-purpose stock, Mr Wharry has maintained a purebred Scottish Blackface flock on his hill farm in County Antrim while also taking part in a number of initiatives using other br e e d s , i ncl ud i ng t he Swaledale and Lleyn, to gather practical data on maternal lines.
He is also passionate about encouraging the next generation of sheep farmers and recently entered into a share farming agreement with James Davison, a young farmer from Ballymena with an appetite for the sheep sector but little land of his own.
This is a mutually beneficial agreement that sees the pair work side-by-side making management decisions on the sheep enterprise, with Mr Davison earning an increasing stake in the flock over the coming years. UNITED Auctions sold 440 store heifers at Stirling on Wednesday to a top of 272p per kg and an average of 225.5p (-4.6p on the week), while 744 store, beef-bred bullocks peaked at 281.1p and levelled at 229.3p (-5.6p). One-hundred-and-eleven store, B&W bullocks sold to 187.3p and averaged 167.5p (+4.1p), while 132 store bulls peaked at 289p and levelled at 243p. In the rough ring 170 cows averaged 122.1p.
The Cumberland and Dumfriesshire Farmers Mart