The legally separated arm of BT seeks views on moving users to FTTP connections.
Background: Openreach is in the process of making its FTTP network available to 3m households by the end of 2020, with a longer-term objective to reach 10m premises, contributing to the UK Government’s target of nationwide FTTP coverage by 2033.
The consultation: The company is seeking views from its wholesale customers (such as BT, TalkTalk and Sky) on how best to upgrade their retail customers from copper onto FTTP. In particular, Openreach is seeking input on three key areas: how it builds the new network; how customer migration can occur smoothly; and how Openreach should eventually retire the existing copper network. Within the consultation, Openreach outlines six key principles, including: building contiguous footprints to avoid new not-spots; working closely with wholesale customers to quickly upgrade users; offering a simple portfolio of products; upgrading the vast majority of people voluntarily; withdrawing copper-based services gradually; and developing a consumer charter with industry and Ofcom.
Next steps: The consultation will be open for six weeks until 3 May 2019. After that, Openreach plans to publish a summary of responses along with next steps it will take.
