23/03/2017.
Openreach will achieve total independence from BT Group without the delay and disruption normally associated with such a structural separation, after BT’s agreement to all the changes necessary to address competition concerns removed the necessity for Ofcom to impose change through legislation.
The separation satisfies Ofcom’s concerns that BT had retained control of Openreach’s decisions while other telecoms companies, which rely on the network controlled by Openreach, had not been consulted sufficiently on investment plans.
Under ‘Proposals agreed with Ofcom’ the reforms, which begin this year, mean that Openreach will
- become a distinct company with executives appointed by its own board
- have a separate strategy and budget allocation
- employ all its 32,000 staff
- deal with the telecoms suppliers who are its clients