Superfast broadband to be fast-tracked
British Telecom is today under pressure after news that telecoms regulator Ofcom is looking to open up BT's fibre-optic lines to rivals such as Sky, TalkTalk, etc. This is a bitter blow for BT as a similar demand regarding the Virgin Media broadband network was declined with Ofcom suggesting that Virgin Media does not have the same influence in the market place as BT.
On the plus side, it has also been revealed that BT is likely to receive the green light to increase broadband wholesale prices, something which the company has been trying to do for some time. The idea from Ofcom is that by fast tracking the introduction of superfast broadband in the UK this will assist the economy, assist consumers and assist businesses. This comes at a time when the UK has made great strides in the broadband market and has made up much of the shortfall due to lack of investment in years gone by.
It will be interesting to see how big an increase BT attempts to push through with regards to wholesale broadband prices and whether indeed the regulator and competitors will take these increases on the chin. The broadband industry has become something of a gold mine over the last few years and is set to play an integral part in not only the consumer arena but also the business arena.
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