Ofcom approves BT fiber push

U.K. regulator Ofcom gave the go-ahead to BT's fiber deployment project, and said it will allow the telco incumbent to have wholesale pricing flexibility, a key win for BT as it attempts to turn a profit after the network build-out. BT last year announced a $43 billion fiber-to-the-home project (now a $2.1 billion build that will mix FTTH and fiber-to-the-curb) to reach almost half of U.K. households within the next few years.

Ofcom's allowance of wholesale pricing flexibility removes what could have been a major hurdle for quick build-out, and the regulatory agency will now look to ensure that competitors get reasonable access to BT's new facilities such as they may want to use them. Ofcom also will turn its attention to a universal broadband plan for the U.K. and what the role of BT's network will be in that plan.

For more:
- Light Reading Europe has this report [1]

Related articles
BT announced the fiber plan last July [2]
BT rolled out an FTTC test last September [3]