BT calls on rivals to open up fibre ducting
9th February 2010
In the UK, BT has called on fellow telecoms operators to open up their telecoms infrastructure and fibre ducting and boost investment in the area.
BT has been in talks with UK telecoms regulator Ofcom about granting access to its ducts for fibre optic rollout by rivals like Virgin Media and Talk Talk.
The company’s CEO, Ian Livingston, says BT is willing to allow competitors access to its fibre ducts provided it was granted the same courtesy also on a wholesale basis.
BT is spending stg£1.5 billion on an optical-fibre network across the UK that will lead to a 10-fold increase in broadband speeds and hopes to ensure a return on investment by opening its network up to rivals like Talk Talk and Virgin.
But opening its ducts to rivals without anything in return would result in less of a return on its investment.
“BT is taking a considerable degree of commercial risk by rolling out fibre and it will be interesting to see if others are willing to join us,” Livingston said yesterday.
By John Kennedy
Photo: Telecoms operator BT has called on its rivals to open their telecoms infrastructure and fibre ducting and increase funding in the area
