On 8 January, the national communications regulator Ofcom
published its first combined review of the residential and business
connectivity markets; the Wholesale Fixed Telecoms Market Review
(FTMR). Previously, the Business Connectivity Market Review was
published separately from the residential Wholesale Local Access
Market Review. The FTMR now covers a longer, 5 year period.
The Review sets out major proposals to encourage investment in
full-fibre networks and improve competition with Openreach with
new, flexible regulation for competitive, potentially competitive
and non-competitive areas, including a different form of charge
control, using a regulatory asset-based approach in non-competitive
areas. The proposals are designed to help achieve the
Government’s target for every home to have access to
‘gigabit-capable’ broadband by the end of 2025, a
target which PM Boris Johnson has committed £5bn to.
