BT ‘institutionally restricting market share’

Freeserve boss slams BT

By Tim Richardson • Get more from this author

Posted in Data Networking, 8th February 2001 14:42 GMT

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Freeserve has accused BT of "institutionally restricting market share" among competing broadband ISPs following revelations that the monster telco has two thirds of all ADSL customers in Britain.

John Pluthero, CEO of Freeserve, believes the matter is so serious that it warrants the resignation of the entire BT board, although he fell short of calling for the wholesale resignation himself.

Pluthero was responding to news that BTOpenworld is installing ADSL at a rate of 300 - 500 customers a day, while Freeserve has only been allocated 16 installations a day.

In a hard-hitting, no nonsense statement, Pluthero said: "BT's revelation is a shocking admission that they are institutionally restricting the market share of Freeserve and other competing broadband providers. At the current, pathetic levels of allocation granted to us by BT it would take us three to four years to get to where BT Openworld says it is today.

"Maybe this is why we are the last country in Europe to see ADSL. BT has succeeded in making it uneconomic and unavailable. UK consumers would be thoroughly justified in demanding the resignation of the entire BT board," he said.

A spokesman for BT said the telco refuted all allegations adding that they simply were not true.

Earlier today, Freeserve and AOL UK said they were considering legal action against BT for uncompetitive behaviour. ®

BT broadband a 'national disgrace'

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