UK businesses pay too much for broadband access - and consumers
have too little choice. That is the picture despite repeated
promises from Oftel to attack BT's onopoly.
In that context, last week's pledge from Oftel to force down
leased-line prices is welcome. So is the long-awaited roll-out of
Asynchronous Digital Subscriber Line to consumers - although BT's
failure to reduce ISDN price structures accordingly will not be
liked by small businesses and teleworkers.
It is significant that Oftel thought the US broadband market was
on such a different planet to conditions in the UK that it ruled
out transatlantic price comparisons. That was correct for the
purposes of measuring BT against euro-competitors - but a symbolic
admission that the US has an Internet superhighway, while the UK
still has a cyber version of the A1.
It is vital that Oftel's promised consultation on leased-line
pricing is swift and decisive - unlike so many telecoms
consultation exercises in the past.
