British Regulator Sets out Plans to Give Greater Access to BT Network

By Adria Calatayud

British telecommunications regulator Ofcom on Friday set out proposals to give greater access to BT Group PLC's (BT.A.LN) network to U.K. providers of telecoms services starting from spring 2019.

Ofcom said companies offering any type of telecoms services--including high-speed lines for large businesses, networks carrying data for mobile operators and high-capacity lines supporting broadband services--will have unrestricted access to the infrastructure owned by BT's network arm Openreach, which maintains the U.K.'s main broadband network. This is currently restricted to companies offering primarily residential broadband services, the regulator said.

Ofcom said it intends to maintain charge controls on BT for business connectivity--connections used by telecoms providers for connecting offices, mobile base stations, and broadband access networks--in geographic areas where the prospects for competition are low.

The regulator said it will ease existing rules in areas where there is stronger competition or prospective competition.

BT will also be required to give rivals physical access to its so-called "dark-fiber"--the unused parts of its infrastructure installed alongside currently used lines--where it faces no competition from other operators, Ofcom said.

Ofcom said these proposals will remain open to consultations until Jan. 18, 2019, while final conclusions are due in the spring of next year.

Write to Adria Calatayud at adria.calatayudvaello@dowjones.com

(END) Dow Jones Newswires

November 02, 2018 04:10 ET (08:10 GMT)

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