Posted: 10th Sep, 2007 By: MarkJ
Cable & Wireless Access Ltd. has called on
Ofcom to investigate the charges imposed by BT for connecting new customers to fully unbundled local loops (
LLU) during the period 16th December 2004 to 30th June 2006.
In some cases C&WA allege that BT charged it for the installation of new lines despite the presence of an existing one at less cost:
C&WA also considers that BT has made available to itself those inputs in the wholesale local access market which it uses in its own downstream business (for wholesale line rental) on more favourable terms than those it offers to C&WA and therefore was discriminating against C&WA.
A previous dispute between C&WA and BT involving the same facts had been accepted for resolution by
Ofcom on 5 January 2007. This dispute was subsequently withdrawn by C&WA and the investigation closed by
Ofcom on 19 April 2007 without issuing a final determination.
Naturally BT doesn't accept C&W's claims and
Ofcom must now investigate to determine whether the complaint has any validity, which will probably take a millennia to complete. More details can be found
HERE. C&Ws unbundled lines are used by several UK broadband ISPs.