Britain\u2019s telecom and media regulator Ofcom on Thursday said it found no immediate competition concerns with Openreach\u2019s special offer, which allows internet service providers to upgrade customers to high-speed fiber connections at discounted rates. \t\t<\/p>\n
\u201cWe do not at this point in time have prima facie concerns that would lead us to decide to investigate the offer in further detail,\u201d Ofcom said in a statement. \t\t\t <\/p>\n
The decision comes as Britain pushes to ramp up ultrafast broadband rollout as rival networks invest billions into fibre networks, intensifying price competition. \t\t\t <\/p>\n
Competing providers have argued that Openreach\u2019s discounted offer prices fiber services below the costs of a reasonably efficient operator and risks locking them out of the market before their networks are ready. \t\t\t <\/p>\n
Openreach, owned by Britain\u2019s largest broadband provider BT Group, has launched a discount scheme allowing internet service providers to upgrade customers to full fibre while paying the lower 80\/20 Mbps rental rate from October 10 to April 2026. \t\t\t <\/p>\n
Ofcom said Openreach\u2019s average fiber-to-the-premises price remains above its estimated cost range for an efficient operator even with the new offer factored in, and noted the discount applies only to a narrow segment of proactive customer migrations that internet providers initiate rather than customers request. \t\t\t <\/p>\n
The regulator said it will use formal information-gathering powers to monitor the offer\u2019s impact on pricing and provider behaviour, and stands ready to intervene quickly if necessary while considering the evidence when setting rules for 2026-2031. \t\t\t <\/p>\n
Ofcom said it is still reviewing responses from its consultation and plans to publish final decisions in March 2026. Reuters \t\t\t <\/p>\n
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