British Regulator Confirms Rules to Boost Broadband Investment
March 28 2018 - 3:13AM
Dow Jones News
By Adria Calatayud
The U.K.'s communications regulator on Wednesday confirmed a set
of measures aimed at boosting investment in full-fiber broadband
networks, and further eased its price-control proposal on BT Group
PLC's (BT.A.LN) charges to rivals.
The British Office of Communications, or Ofcom, said that BT
Group's network division, Openreach, must open its telegraph poles
and underground tunnels to rival providers, making it quicker and
easier for them to build their own full-fiber networks directly to
households around the U.K.
Ofcom said it will set a monthly price of 12.06 pounds ($17.10)
for providers using Openreach's physical infrastructure for its
basic superfast broadband service by 2021. Last month, the
regulator said it intended to set that price at GBP11.92, and it
had earlier proposed a GBP11.23 monthly charge.
Ofcom also said it won't regulate the prices of Openreach's
fastest wholesale products, but said the new rules will include
stricter requirements on Openreach to repair faults and install new
broadband lines more quickly.
When Ofcom published its draft measures in February, BT Group
said the new rules would hit revenue and profit at Openreach.
Write to Adria Calatayud at
adria.calatayudvaello@dowjones.com
(END) Dow Jones Newswires
March 28, 2018 02:58 ET (06:58 GMT)
Copyright (c) 2018 Dow Jones & Company, Inc.
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