Broadband Industry Group demands more competition

UK market 'stifled'

By Tim Richardson • Get more from this author

Posted in Telecoms, 26th March 2004 13:57 GMT

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The Broadband Industry Group (BIG) has called for greater competition to help drive the next wave of broadband growth.

In a letter to the FT today the industry group said: "The broadband market in the UK remains stifled by a lack of competition at the wholesale level, where BT retains a monopolistic 99 per cent share in digital subscriber line, the leading technology.

"Unless a genuinely competitive market arises, alternative broadband providers, consumers, businesses and the UK economy as a whole will miss out on the benefits of broadband.

"We would welcome government laying down the challenge to Ofcom, the regulator, and the industry to enable true competition and allow the development of innovative and competitive broadband across the UK."

However, the letter was signed by ony five of the six companies that make up BIG. Brightview, Cable and Wireless, Centrica, Energis and Tiscali all put their names to the letter - but what of Freeserve?

Why didn't Freeserve put its name to the letter? Could it be that the ISP doesn't share the views of BIG any more and believes BT should be given some slack?

"Absolutely not", said a spokeswoman for the French-owned ISP. "We just didn't have time to sign it [the letter] off."

Glad that's been cleared up. ®