14 June 2010 - FCS announces - New NGA action group - resellers can boost the broadband economy

Created On: 14 Jun 2010


London 14 June 2010:

The UK economy needs resellers to deliver Next Generation Access broadband and voice services to business and residential customers. That is the premise of a new FCS NGA action group launched this week.

Jacqui Brookes, FCS CEO says, “Resellers now have a co-ordinated voice through the new FCS NGA action group to put their views to Openreach, Government and Ofcom on service delivery and competition issues in the fibre world”

At its launch meeting the NGA action group elected co chairs Itret Latif, FCS Director, and Sam Dawkins, ITEC Support, and set out specific demands:

Openreach should revisit its decision to cancel its proposed Voice over NGA product, which resellers view as an upgrade to “WLR4”
Ofcom should make sure that the introduction of NGA services does not dilute the Equivalence of Input obligations of BT’s Undertakings nor allow new monopolies such as wires only to prevail
Openreach and Ofcom should consider seriously development of the multi service pipe model of service delivery

Jacqui Brookes added, “UK telecoms supply needs long lasting and well maintained pipes from stable suppliers that are in the business for the long term. Competition is needed at the retail level. But if regulation or market developments lead to an absence of resellers, that would be a retrograde step. It could lead to walled gardens and a depletion of the retail competition needed to drive innovation and boost the economy. Under its knowledgeable co-chairmen the NGA Action group will vigorously argue the reseller cause”


The scope of NGA action group is to review all aspects of the delivery of NGA (by both BT and non-BT companies) and associated regulation and technical standards at national and European level.
FCS policy on NGA is set out in its position paper and the FCS response to Ofcom’s consultation on the Review of the wholesale local access market.