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You can find the current article at its original source at http://www.theguardian.com/business/2016/feb/25/bt-ofcom-openreach-cable-network-broadband-consumers
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| Version 1 | Version 2 |
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| What will Ofcom's review of BT's cable network mean for broadband users? | What will Ofcom's review of BT's cable network mean for broadband users? |
| (6 months later) | |
| BT is under pressure to open up its network infrastructure to allow rivals to lay their own ultrafast fibre-optic broadband lines, after a review by the telecoms regulator. | BT is under pressure to open up its network infrastructure to allow rivals to lay their own ultrafast fibre-optic broadband lines, after a review by the telecoms regulator. |
| The move was announced on Thursday as part of Ofcom’s once-in-a-decade review of the telecoms market. Ofcom opted for this course of action after deciding against forcing BT to spin off its Openreach division, which operates the UK’s broadband network infrastructure. | The move was announced on Thursday as part of Ofcom’s once-in-a-decade review of the telecoms market. Ofcom opted for this course of action after deciding against forcing BT to spin off its Openreach division, which operates the UK’s broadband network infrastructure. |
| But does this mean any change for consumers experiencing trouble with their broadband? | But does this mean any change for consumers experiencing trouble with their broadband? |
| What is Openreach? | What is Openreach? |
| Openreach builds and maintains the UK’s vast copper and fibre network that connect nearly all businesses and homes to the national broadband and telephone network. It has faced criticism over poor service standards. | Openreach builds and maintains the UK’s vast copper and fibre network that connect nearly all businesses and homes to the national broadband and telephone network. It has faced criticism over poor service standards. |
| What problems are consumers having? | What problems are consumers having? |
| Customers, who include large firms such as TalkTalk and Sky, have suffered a range of problems, from installation delays, to eye-watering costs for laying cables to connect them to the outside world. | Customers, who include large firms such as TalkTalk and Sky, have suffered a range of problems, from installation delays, to eye-watering costs for laying cables to connect them to the outside world. |
| Competitors say this is down to underinvestment by BT, because it has an effective monopoly. They claim BT’s underinvestment is preventing the roll-out of high-speed “fibre to the premises” internet - from the telephone exchange to individual homes - that could give consumers much faster broadband. | Competitors say this is down to underinvestment by BT, because it has an effective monopoly. They claim BT’s underinvestment is preventing the roll-out of high-speed “fibre to the premises” internet - from the telephone exchange to individual homes - that could give consumers much faster broadband. |
| What if I don’t use BT? | What if I don’t use BT? |
| Trouble with Openreach extends beyond BT’s customers because Sky, TalkTalk and Vodafone rely on its “last mile” of wiring to get their service to subscribers’ homes. These companies have called for a more radical option from Ofcom, in which BT loses control of Openreach altogether. They argue that Openreach has a poor record on repairs, that it is not investing enough in upgrading its infrastructure and that the cash it generates is helping BT regain a dominant position in the telecoms market. | Trouble with Openreach extends beyond BT’s customers because Sky, TalkTalk and Vodafone rely on its “last mile” of wiring to get their service to subscribers’ homes. These companies have called for a more radical option from Ofcom, in which BT loses control of Openreach altogether. They argue that Openreach has a poor record on repairs, that it is not investing enough in upgrading its infrastructure and that the cash it generates is helping BT regain a dominant position in the telecoms market. |
| Am I entitled to compensation? | Am I entitled to compensation? |
| Any compensation for delays is paid to the provider. Customers who have lost out must take their case to whichever alternative dispute resolution scheme their provider is signed up to. | Any compensation for delays is paid to the provider. Customers who have lost out must take their case to whichever alternative dispute resolution scheme their provider is signed up to. |
| Ofcom is consulting on payments for affected customers and will set out plans for an automatic compensation scheme this year. This would see customers get a credit on their bill or receive a cheque after a prolonged outage. A spokesperson said: “We don’t think it’s right that phone and broadband customers who receive poor service should have to pursue their complaint to receive a payment. Instead, they should automatically receive a cheque in the post, or a credit on their bill, when things go wrong.” | Ofcom is consulting on payments for affected customers and will set out plans for an automatic compensation scheme this year. This would see customers get a credit on their bill or receive a cheque after a prolonged outage. A spokesperson said: “We don’t think it’s right that phone and broadband customers who receive poor service should have to pursue their complaint to receive a payment. Instead, they should automatically receive a cheque in the post, or a credit on their bill, when things go wrong.” |
| Does the review mean better broadband? | Does the review mean better broadband? |
| There will be a new government-backed universal obligation to provide fast broadband to every home and business in the UK, starting at 10 megabits per second. If the review helps speed up fibre roll-out, speeds could get as high as 1 gigabit per second across much of the country. | There will be a new government-backed universal obligation to provide fast broadband to every home and business in the UK, starting at 10 megabits per second. If the review helps speed up fibre roll-out, speeds could get as high as 1 gigabit per second across much of the country. |
| Is it worth switching? | Is it worth switching? |
| Ofcom plans to introduce league tables and make it easier for customers to switch provider. This should make it simpler to decide whether it is worth switching, through services such as www.uswitch.com and www.broadbandchoices.co.uk. | Ofcom plans to introduce league tables and make it easier for customers to switch provider. This should make it simpler to decide whether it is worth switching, through services such as www.uswitch.com and www.broadbandchoices.co.uk. |
| You can check your speed using a variety of sites. The test takes a few seconds using one of the many online speedometers, which include www.broadbandspeedchecker.co.uk, or www.speedtest.net. | You can check your speed using a variety of sites. The test takes a few seconds using one of the many online speedometers, which include www.broadbandspeedchecker.co.uk, or www.speedtest.net. |