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LONDON (Alliance News) - UK telecoms regulator OFCOM on Thursday launched a wide-ranging strategic review of digital communications in the UK, looking at competition, investment, innovation and availability of products in the broadband, mobile and landline markets.
The review will be Ofcom's second of the wider sector; its first being a review that took place between the end of 2003 and 2005 which led to the enforcement of rules allowing competing providers access to BT Group PLC's network.
Ofcom said the new review will consider a range of issues, with a focus on ensuring the right incentives for private-sector investment, maintaining strong competition and taking on obstacles that might be "holding the sector back", and assessing the possibility of deregulation in some areas.
The first phase of the review will look at current and future market factors that might affect the sector and its current regulatory approaches, and will meet with industry, consumer groups, UK government and devolved administrations, it said.
"We have seen huge changes in the phone and broadband markets since our last major review a decade ago. Only five years ago, hardly any of us had used a tablet computer, high-definition streaming or 4G mobile broadband," said Ofcom Acting Chief Executive Steve Unger in a statement.
"The boundaries between landline, mobile and broadband services continue to blur, and people are enjoying faster services on a growing range of devices. Our new review will mean Ofcom's rules continue to meet the needs of consumers and businesses by supporting competition and investment for years to come," Unger added.
Shares in BT are trading down 0.5% at 444.40 pence early Thursday, TalkTalk Telecom Group is up 0.1% at 329.60 pence. Sky PLC is up 0.8% at 992.50 pence, and Vodafone Group PLC is up 0.7% at 218.80 pence.
By Hana Stewart-Smith; hanassmith@alliancenews.com; @HanaSSAllNews
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