Posted: 29th Jan, 2005 By: MarkJ
Ofcom has again warned BT that, should the operator fail to make the changes proposed in its Telecoms Review, it will begin an Enterprise Act market investigation and referral to the Competition Commission:
With less than a week to go until BT is due to respond to Ofcom's demands, Ofcom boss Stephen Carter told a meeting of the Westminster eForum that the regulator remains committed to opening up the sector to competition.
"Let me be clear. The possibility of an Enterprise Act investigation is not simply a bogeyman to secure the façade of co-operation from BT," he said on Wednesday. "It is and must remain a real possibility if, reluctantly, we conclude that true equality of access cannot be achieved."
Carter said Ofcom could use existing powers to tackle each of the outstanding issues. "But to impose such remedies in the face of BT's active hostility... would be a very complicated and time-consuming task. It would need to be done case by case, product by product and market by market, with BT having the opportunity to appeal our decisions at every stage."Those familiar with past Ofcom comments may now note a lack of trust in the regulators ability to follow through on its robust speeches. More @
The Register.