“After years of Openreach’s customers calling for fundamental reform, it’s encouraging that the CMS Select Committee has come independently to the same conclusion.
“FCS members focus on providing the crucial business-to-business connectivity that enables British companies to prosper, grow and trade. Our members’ success and vitality is testament to the success of Ofcom’s deregulation of the resale market. But it’s clear from the report that we now need to see the same focus on liberalising the network and infrastructure level.
“We have already approached Ofcom with some robust suggestions for a more responsive and accountable Openreach. We’re glad to see the Committee recommendations go further, including liberalizing access to fibre backhaul. FCS believes this is the crucial key to deliver broadband to the ‘last 5%’: it should be up to communities and local councils to determine what levels of connectivity they need, and freeing up wholesale access to dark fibre and the lit fibre network is a crucial key to unlocking that empowerment.
“Ofcom should be encouraged by the Committee’s helpful investigation, and move quickly to implement a new regime which will make Openreach more accountable and transparent, and open up the market to greater competition.”