BT Openreach Publishes Cheaper Ethernet Leased Line Prices for the UK

BTOpenreach, which manages access to BT’s national broadband and phone network in the United Kingdom, has published “substantial price reductions” of up to 50% for its 100Mbps to 10Gbps capable Ethernet and Leased Line services to business customers, ISPs and mobile operators.

The changes, which have been outlined at the link below, follow on from Ofcom’s recent Business Connectivity Market Review and some limited consultation with ISPs.

The regulator ruled last year that BT held Significant Market Power (SMP) in the “relatively new market” for faster than 1Gbps services (here) and should be subject to tighter regulation (e.g. price caps).

Ofcom’s new rules and charge controls began on 1st April 2013 and will remain in place for 3 year. According to Openreach this week, “there’s never been a better time to buy Ethernet products from Openreach“. However BT still views Ofcom’s policy as “mistaken” and claims “the market is highly competitive and that there is no market failure that needs regulatory intervention“.

Openreach Ethernet Price Reductions
http://www.openreach.co.uk/generalbriefingsarticles/gen01713.do