Ofcom has today notified the European Commission of draft decisions relating to the Narrowband Market Review, following a consultation in December 2016.

The review covers the wholesale markets that underpin fixed voice services in the UK, and is designed to ensure effective competition and further the interests of residential and business customers.

The review has looked at the following markets:

Wholesale exchange lines – the traditional lines used by residential and business consumers;
ISDN (Integrated Services Digital Network) – digital lines primarily used by businesses;
Call origination – a service that enables people to make calls over these lines; and
Call termination – the service used by a telecoms provider to connect their customers’ incoming calls.

The review considered the level of competition in each of these wholesale markets, finding that BT and KCOM have significant market power in all such markets and 283 other telecoms providers in wholesale call termination only.

Draft decisions mean that where competition is not working effectively, regulation should apply for the period 1 December 2017 to 31 March 2021.

Draft Statement (PDF) - https://www.ofcom.org.uk/__data/assets/pdf_file/0013/107320/nmr-draft-statement.pdf