Ofcom Confirms New Rules Designed To Improve BT's Performance
28 April 2016 - 5:08PM
Dow Jones News
By Ian Walker
LONDON--U.K. telcoms regulator Ofcom on Thursday confirmed new
rules designed to improve BT Group PLC's (BT.A.LN) performance in
installing high-speed business lines, and reduce the wholesale
prices it charges for these lines.
The office of communications said Openreach, BT's infrastructure
arm, must also complete 80% of leased line orders by the date it
promises customers by the end of March 2017, rising to 90% from
April 2018.
BT will have to provide access to its optical fiber network for
providers of high-speed leased lines for businesses, using a
process known as 'dark fiber', Ofcom said.
The rules follow the draft proposal in March. At that time
Ofcom's competition group director Jonathan Oxley said the new
rules would mean companies across the U.K. benefit from faster
installation times, greater certainty about installation dates, and
fast repairs if things go wrong.
As part of the dark-fiber proposals, Ofcom requires BT to
publish a draft proposal with wholesale pricing and terms for
access by Sept. 1. Following negotiation between BT and other
providers, BT will publish a final offer by Dec. 1. This results in
dark-fiber access available to telecoms providers from Oct. 1 2017,
it said in March.
Write to Ian Walker at ian.walker@wsj.com; @IanWalk40289749
(END) Dow Jones Newswires
April 28, 2016 02:53 ET (06:53 GMT)
Copyright (c) 2016 Dow Jones & Company, Inc.
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