Ofcom details plans to improve access to Openreach’s infrastructure

• Access on fair terms: Providers should be able to lay fibre using BT’s ducts and poles as easily as BT itself; and the cost to BT for providing this access should be spread across all users.
• Network ‘ready for use’: Openreach must repair faulty infrastructure and clear blocked tunnels where necessary for providers to access them.
• Mixed-use networks: Companies can lay fibre for consumers and large businesses, provided the purpose of the network is primarily to deliver broadband to homes and small offices.
• Final connections into homes: BT should ensure capacity is available on its telegraph poles for additional fibre cables that connect buildings to a competitor’s network.
• Better information: Openreach will continue to develop a ‘digital map’ of its duct and pole network so competitors can plan new networks.

These changes will be under review until June 15th, with Ofcom planning to publish their final decision in early 2018, with the new rules coming into effect on April 1st 2018. This combined with the UK’s Digital Economy Bill should help to greatly accelerate the UK’s adoption of fibre broadband. 

As demand for high-speed broadband continues to grow in the UK, it is important the Ofcom and the government continues to accelerate the rollout of fibre broadband across the UK and create a level playing field to facilitate a competitive marketplace for businesses and consumers.  

You can join the discussion on Ofcom’s plans to open up Openreach’s infrastructure on the OC3D Forums. 

• Access on fair terms: Providers should be able to lay fibre using BT’s ducts and poles as easily as BT itself; and the cost to BT for providing this access should be spread across all users.
• Network ‘ready for use’: Openreach must repair faulty infrastructure and clear blocked tunnels where necessary for providers to access them.
• Mixed-use networks: Companies can lay fibre for consumers and large businesses, provided the purpose of the network is primarily to deliver broadband to homes and small offices.
• Final connections into homes: BT should ensure capacity is available on its telegraph poles for additional fibre cables that connect buildings to a competitor’s network.
• Better information: Openreach will continue to develop a ‘digital map’ of its duct and pole network so competitors can plan new networks.

These changes will be under review until June 15th, with Ofcom planning to publish their final decision in early 2018, with the new rules coming into effect on April 1st 2018. This combined with the UK’s Digital Economy Bill should help to greatly accelerate the UK’s adoption of fibre broadband. 

As demand for high-speed broadband continues to grow in the UK, it is important the Ofcom and the government continues to accelerate the rollout of fibre broadband across the UK and create a level playing field to facilitate a competitive marketplace for businesses and consumers.  

You can join the discussion on Ofcom’s plans to open up Openreach’s infrastructure on the OC3D Forums.