Further Ofcom rules to support fibre investment Add to Your Pages
24 May 2019
New rules give rival firms better access to Openreachs infrastructure
Measures to support competition and investment certainty in business markets
Companies laying high-speed fibre cables for broadband and mobile networks will benefit from greater access to Openreachs telegraph poles and underground tunnels, under draft decisions announced today by Ofcom.
Openreach, which maintains the UK's main broadband network, is already required to let rival companies use its telegraph poles and underground ducts' to lay their own fibre networks, under rules set by Ofcom last year.
Until now, this measure which can cut the upfront cost of building full-fibre networks by around half has been available to companies focusing on residential and small-business customers. Today's draft decision would extend it to firms serving large businesses, as well as companies laying high-speed lines that support mobile and broadband networks.
Virgin Media, TalkTalk and CityFibre are among the firms already using Openreach's ducts and poles to connect thousands of homes and businesses to faster, more reliable broadband.[1] Between them, competing providers are using around 12,000 Openreach telegraph poles and 2,500 km of underground duct.
Extending access to business networks would allow companies to use Openreach's infrastructure for all telecoms services, improving the business case for them to invest in cutting edge, full fibre and 5G networks.
Ultrafast broadband, which offers download speeds of at least 300 Mbit/s, is now available to more than half of homes in the UK. Full fibre, a form of ultrafast broadband that uses fibre cables all the way from the exchange to people's homes, is now available to 7% of UK properties.[2] And while the number of full-fibre lines more than doubled last year, Ofcom wants to see coverage extended to millions of properties in the coming months.
Supporting competition and investment certainty in business marketsToday, we are also refreshing our regulation of leased lines high-speed data connections used by large organisations, which form the backbone of the UK's mobile and broadband networks.
Under our draft decision, in areas of the country where Openreach faces limited competition from other leased-line networks, we would continue to regulate what it can charge providers to use these services, keeping prices flat. We would also impose strict requirements on Openreach for repairs and installations, to ensure high service standards are delivered.
Also, in many areas, there are no rival networks present at BT's exchanges. Even with duct and pole access, network competition is unlikely to emerge for connections from these exchanges. Here, Openreach would be required to give competitors physical access to its fibre-optic cables, at a price that reflects its costs.
This service is called dark fibre', because the cables are lit' by competitors with their own equipment. Introducing dark fibre in only these areas would significantly reduce the cost for mobile and broadband operators to connect their networks, without undermining their incentives to lay new, competing fibre cables where it is economic to do so.
Where there is stronger network competition, or prospective competition, regulation would be lighter than existing rules, to allow this competition to flourish.
Jonathan Oxley, Ofcom's Competition Group Director, said: The amount of internet data used by people in the UK is expanding by around half every year. So, we'll need faster, more reliable connections for our homes, offices and mobile networks.
Our measures are designed to support the UK's digital future by providing investment certainty for continued competitive investment in fibre and 5G networks across the country.
Supporting widespread fibre investmentToday's measures are the latest in Ofcom's programme of work to support long-term investment nationwide in full-fibre networks.
We recently set out initial views on how our regulation could evolve to encourage competition and further investment from new alternative networks, Openreach and Virgin Media. In addition to today's measures, this long-term strategy includes:
Regulating business and residential markets together from 2021 so companies investing in full fibre can offer a range of services over a common underlying network, serving both homes and businesses.
Extending the duration of regulation from three to five years to help provide longer-term certainty to investors.
Different regulatory approaches in different parts of the country to ensure that rural areas, where there is no prospect for competing networks and a weaker commercial case for investment, are not be left behind.
Next stepsToday's draft decisions follow Ofcom's reviews of the physical infrastructure and business connectivity markets. The new regulations will cover the period from our final decisions, until April 2021.[3]
As required for all market reviews, our draft decisions have been submitted to the European Commission for comment, after which we will publish our final statement next month.[4]
We intend to consult in December on detailed proposals for a single, holistic residential and business telecoms market review, covering the period 2021 to 2026.
NOTES TO EDITORS1. For example, Virgin Media alone recently connected more than 2,000 homes and businesses in a village in Wales using Ofcom's duct access rules.
2. Source: Ofcom's Spring 2019 Connected Nations update.
3. The new, unrestricted duct and pole access will be implemented one month after our final statement. Dark fibre access will have to be provided from six weeks after our final statement.
4. Under Article 7 of the Framework Directive
Most recent headlines
05/01/2027
Worlds first 802.15.4ab-UWB chip verified by Calterah and Rohde & Schwarz to be ...
04/08/2026
Dalet, a leading technology and service provider for media-rich organizations, t...
04/07/2026
April 7 2026, 19:00 (PDT) Detective Conan: Fallen Angel of the Highway Opens in...
01/06/2026
January 6 2026, 05:30 (PST) Dolby Sets the New Standard for Premium Entertainment at CES 2026
Throughout the week, Dolby brings to life the latest innovatio...
18/05/2026
Despite a bumpy start to the year, the provider of event-production support and ...
18/05/2026
Daktronics has partnered with the University of North Carolina to manufacture and install 11 LED displays totaling more than 10,000 square feet and more than 14...
18/05/2026
CBS LA has announced a multi-year partnership with the Los Angeles Rams, covering exclusive local broadcasts of Rams preseason games, weekly year-round programm...
18/05/2026
Skyline Communications has announced an integration between its DataMiner xOps p...
18/05/2026
eCLUTCH, the hybrid esports platform powered by iKOMG, has announced an expansion of its distribution across Europe, MENA, Africa, and Asia, along with new cont...
18/05/2026
Behind The Mic provides a roundup of recent news regarding on-air talent, includ...
18/05/2026
With 22 games this season, the production team looks forward to tweaking and enhancing the coverage
After 8,660 days off the air, the WNBA returned to NBC yest...
18/05/2026
(L-R) Midori Francis and Natalie Erika James attend the Saccharine premiere during the 2026 Sundance Film Festival at The Ray Theatre on January 22, 2026, in ...
18/05/2026
Last night, the Spotify Podcast Awards in Mexico returned to the country's capital. Now in its second year, the evening honors creators whose voices are hel...
18/05/2026
ZEN-Core synth goes mobile
Roland's powerful ZEN-Core software synthesizer has just been introduced to the iPad, offering a convenient entry point into ...
18/05/2026
Versatile new limiter plug-in announced
Based in Sheffield, UK, fedDSP offer a range of plug-ins that span the music production, live sound and high-end med...
18/05/2026
A new use for convolution?
Viiri Audio's debut plug-in aims to do something a little different with convolution processing, allowing users to adjust all...
18/05/2026
Delta Goodrem shines for SBS as more than 3.27 million Australians tune in for E...
18/05/2026
The Australian Defence Force uses L3Harris T4 and T7 robots for explosive ordnan...
18/05/2026
Continued investment across Europe and Germany is expanding local teams and improving access to stock, regional expertise, and specialist broadcast support.
CV...
18/05/2026
18 May 2026
Dubai and New York, May 18, 2026 - VEON Ltd. (NASDAQ: VEON), a glob...
18/05/2026
Monday 18 May 2026
Sky News offers ad-free podcasts and bonus episodes for just...
18/05/2026
Comscore March 2026 Consumer AI Chatbot Usage Rankings Show Claude Gaining Share OpenAI's ChatGPT maintains lead while Anthropic's Claude continues to c...
17/05/2026
Delta Goodrem's Eurovision Eclipse marks end of a stellar run
17 May, 2026
Media releases
Bulgaria wins Eurovision 2026
Relive every spellbinding mome...
17/05/2026
Back to All News
Oasis Premieres on Netflix June 19
Entertainment
17 May 2026
GlobalSpain
Link copied to clipboard
Summer, sunshine, the beach, parties. T...
16/05/2026
Helps to deliver a clean, balanced midrange
Developed alongside Newfangled Audio, the latest plug-in in Eventide's software collection has been designed...
16/05/2026
Brings onboard stem rendering to RANE System One
Engine DJ have just released Engine DJ 5.0, a free update for their Engine DJ OS embedded hardware and Engi...
16/05/2026
Boris FX Continuum Pairs AI Precision and Advanced Creative Controls
Jessie Electa Petrov May 16, 2026
0 Comments
The 2026.5 release adds automatic de...
16/05/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
16/05/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
16/05/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
16/05/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
15/05/2026
Seattle Sounders FC and Seattle Reign FC, in partnership with RAVE Foundation an...
15/05/2026
Dan Brumm has served as sound designer on Bluey, the Australian children's t...
15/05/2026
The Professional Audio Manufacturers Alliance (PAMA) and Shure Incorporated are accepting applications for the 6th annual Mark Brunner Professional Audio Schola...
15/05/2026
Netflix has announced an expanded NFL schedule for 2026 and beyond under a four-year partnership extension with the NFL through the 2029-30 season. Each season,...
15/05/2026
Ateme is supporting TVRI (Televisi Republik Indonesia) with a contribution and d...
15/05/2026
Concacaf has announced the launch of a new website and mobile app built on Deltatre's FORGE platform. Concacaf.com and the mobile app, available on iOS and ...
15/05/2026
Eutelsat has announced the launch of QBC Business Economic Channel by Qatar Media Corporation, broadcasting in 4K/UHD via Eutelsat's 7/8 West video neighbo...
15/05/2026
Major League Soccer has announced four original content series timed to the 2026...
15/05/2026
The Alliance for IP Media Solutions (AIMS) has announced it will exhibit and present at InfoComm 2026, taking place June 13-19 at the Las Vegas Convention Cente...
15/05/2026
InfoComm 2026 will take place June 13-19 (exhibits June 17-19) at the Las Vegas Convention Center. The show will include sessions and exhibits covering broadcas...
15/05/2026
Tracy McGrady's Ones Basketball League (OBL) and FuboTV Inc. have announced ...
15/05/2026
Disguise has partnered with Creative Technology (CT) to deliver visual playback ...
15/05/2026
Sony Electronics has announced two new products for professional imaging: the Alpha 7R VI full-frame mirrorless camera and the FE 100-400mm F4.5 GM OSS super-te...
15/05/2026
In-venue and creative video staffers at the professional and collegiate level ha...
15/05/2026
Ratings Roundup is a rundown of recent rating news and is derived from press rel...
15/05/2026
For sports organizations, the most valuable assets are often the most sensitive:...
15/05/2026
The NFL's broadcast partners released their 2026 regular season schedules ye...
15/05/2026
Besides drawing on experience with boxing, the production integrates specialty c...
Further Ofcom rules to support fibre investment Add to Your Pages 
