BT Group PLC’s infrastructure arm, Openreach, has been given the green light from the telecoms regulator to go ahead with a reduction of its wholesale costs to encourage broadband providers like Sky, TalkTalk and Vodafone to move to high-speed full-fibre broadband.
Ofcom said it had decided not to prevent the introduction of the new pricing offer for full-fibre broadband, known as ‘Equinox 2’.
The offer gives lower prices to providers if they agree to use mainly full-fibre products for new orders rather than the old copper wires.
Alternative networks, known as ‘altnets’, are “likely to face stronger competition from Openreach” as a result of the pricing, said Ofcom.
“However, we conclude that the conditional terms in the offer do not create a potential barrier to using altnets. Our conclusion is therefore that Equinox 2 is consistent with network-based competition,” the regulator added.
Ofcom said that having assessed information from providers and altnets, “we do not have concerns that warrant further investigation at this time”.
In response to concerns raised, Openreach has informed the regulator that it has no current plans to change its wholesale prices until at least 31 March 2026.
