Ofcom to make high-speed broadband switching easier

UK regulator Ofcom has unveiled new proposals to make it easier for consumer to switch between high-speed broadband services.

The proposals, part of a review of wholesale telecoms prices, would see the wholesale cost of switching a customer from one superfast broadband supplier to another fall by up to 80%. In addition, the minimum length of the wholesale contract between BT and the switched customer’s new supplier would be reduced from a year to just one month.

Ofcom said the proposals are designed to promote competition in the superfast broadband market at the wholesale level, leading to consumer benefits in the form of lower retail prices and easier switching between superfast broadband providers.

The plans include reducing the charge levied by BT Openreach to switch customers from £50 (€58) to between £10 and £15.