BT opens up infrastructure to rivals

BT has bowed to political pressure and decided to open up its infrastructure to allow third parties to install their own cabling, it has been reported.

Although other companies were already able to lay their own cable, BT has had an advantage because of the network of pipes, sewers and poles it has had at its disposal since before privatisation.

The company has now accepted that it should open these routes up, raising the prospect of other providers using it lay down high-speed fibre cables.

BT chief executive Ian Livingston told the BBC: “Other companies already have access to our exchanges, so we’re relaxed about providing them with another form of access as well.”

The decision comes soon after the Conservative Party laid out its proposals for the future of communications.

As well as pledging 100Mbps broadband around the country by 2017, the party said that it would make BT open up its piping and poles to allow other companies to route fibre optic cables.

A fast business broadband connection is becoming increasingly important for small and medium-sized enterprises.

The Small Business Confidence Index recently found that firms claimed it helped them improve staff flexibility and stay in touch with clients and customers.

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