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UK telecommunications regulator Ofcom on Friday opened a consultation into broadband pricing by BT Group PLC’s subsidiary Openreach. Ofcom said that the narrow consultation concerned proposed price controls which would apply to Openreach’s 80/20 broadband product from 2026 to 2031. The product offers a download speed of 80 megabits per second and a 20 megabits per second upload speed. Openreach is owned by FTSE-100 listed BT, which noted ‘record Openreach fibre take-up’ for the first quarter that ended on June 30. Ofcom in March proposed that 80/20 pricing be subject to controls to prevent the cost from rising by more than inflation each year. Openreach instead suggested amending its contracts with customers ‘to achieve the same outcome’. The regulator is now consulting on the alternative, noting: ‘Our view is that this approach is likely to achieve similar outcomes to the charge control and therefore could be a more proportionate way of meeting our objectives. ‘As our regulation must be proportionate, we are seeking views from interested parties on this approach,’ Ofcom added. Included in the consultation are updates to the original price controls, with which Ofcom will proceed if it decides against Openreach’s proposition. This follows a broader review of the UK fixed telecoms sector by the regulator, who stressed its ‘pro-competition, pro-investment’ approach to fibre rollout. Separately, Ofcom is consulting on proposals which would allow Openreach to continue charging ‘fibre to the premises’ connection fees aligned with current prices under its Equinox scheme. The regulator has suggested a geographic pricing carve-out, explaining that this ‘would allow Openreach to maintain different connection charges in postcode sectors that move between regulatory areas from April 2026.’ The consultation remains open for feedback until November 17, with decisions to be published next year. BT shares were down 1.1% at 180.00 pence on Friday morning in London. Copyright 2025 Alliance News Ltd. All Rights Reserved.
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