Competition in broadband markets may be increasing, which is good news, as it means potentially lower broadband prices. But is the quality of broadband connections getting any better?
The European Commission’s approval of telecom regulator Ofcom’s proposal to de-regulate markets illustrates how fast Ofcom can act on information.
Ofcom identified markets with strong competition and has relaxed regulations that require broadband operators who have built their own networks to open them up to other providers.
I think this is fair, since making an investment in network infrastructure requires that these operators can make a return which they can then feed back into building more networks with better quality connections.
But if Ofcom can act with such swiftness on deregulating, why can’t it work equally fast on issuing regulation to improve access where it is poor? Especially since it was revealed today that the average broadband speed in the UK is only 3mb.
You have to wonder…