Ofcom review into competition in the superfast broadband market

Commenting on Ofcom’s move to promote competition and investment in the superfast broadband market, Richard Neudegg, regulation expert at Uswitch.com, says: “Assuming the European Commission agrees to Ofcom’s changes, it should make the market more competitive for other broadband providers, without impacting BT’s incentive to continue rolling out superfast broadband in the UK. As a result, BT will need to keep an Ofcom-defined gap between the wholesale price of fibre plus its own retail costs and retail pricing.

“Affordable deals are already becoming more prolific and these new rules should ensure that alternatives to BT Infinity remain a competitive option for consumers.

“However, for broadband customers to take full advantage of competition, they will still need to shop around to get the best deals and understand what superfast services are available to them.

“These potential changes are unlikely to have any immediate impact on pricing. However, in the long run, this raises questions over whether BT can continue to offer BT Sport for free as part of its superfast broadband packages, which could make other providers more attractive to consumers.”

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FOR MORE INFORMATION

Lucy Smart

Phone: 020 7148 4663

Email: lucy.smart@uswitch.com

Twitter: @UswitchPR

Notes to editors

About us Uswitch is an online and telephone price comparison and switching service, helping consumers get a better deal  on gas, electricity, home phone, broadband, digital television, mobile phones and personal finance products including mortgages, credit cards, current accounts and insurance. Energy customers have the option to create an account to automatically monitor the market and notify them when they can move to a cheaper tariff - making future comparisons even simpler and faster. Broadband customers can conduct a speed test to find out how fast their broadband is and to identify the best broadband provider for their postcode. Uswitch was the first comparison site to achieve the Plain English Campaign’s Internet Crystal Mark, recognising that it has clear language, is accessible and easy to use. uSwitch has a UK contact centre which is manned by energy and broadband experts.  The ‘Send Us Your Bill’ service allows customers to post their latest energy bills to FREEPOST USWITCH in order to receive a free call back to be guided through the comparison process. Alternatively, consumers can email customerservices@uswitch.com with their postcode and usage details. Uswitch’s address is Notcutt House, 36 Southwark Bridge Rd, London, SE1 9EU. uSwitch is backed by LDC, the leading UK mid-market private equity house, and Forward Internet Group Limited, a privately funded collection of internet-based businesses focused on consumer engagement and innovation.

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