12 December 2007
Regulator Ofcom has published the draft of its Annual Plan for the 2008/09 period.
According to the draft, the industry watchdog is to focus on increasing the competitiveness of the home phone market over the next year - by ensuring that BT complies with its obligations to allow rivals to compete on a more equal footing.
Last year, BT created its Openreach offshoot to aid the process of Local Loop Unbundling, whereby competitors run their own network services through telephone exchanges.
Preparing for next-generation networks - potentially utilising fibre-optic technology - will also be subject to Ofcom consultation before 2009.
"Maintaining competition in the UK communications sector whilst ensuring that customers are protected as operators invest in next generation of core and access networks" was identified as a focus point by the Ofcom draft.
The watchdog also announced plans to re-assess its regulation of the mobile phones sector, to develop a "market-based approach" to the ongoing sell-off of radio spectrum and to promote competition in the developing pay-TV market.
Following a consultation, the full Annual Plan - which will cover the period from April 2008 to April 2009 - will be published in February.
© 2008 Adfero Ltd
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