Number of unbundled broadband lines tops seven millions

According to recently released figures the number of unbundled broadband lines in the UK has exceeded seven million for the first time, with consumers and businesses now having more choice due to increased competition in the market.

Figures have recently been released showing that for the first time ever in the UK the number of unbundled broadband lines has surpassed the seven million mark, with consumers and businesses across the UK now enjoying increased choice stemming from greater competition in the marketplace.

These unbundled lines are connections that are provided through the BT copper wire network but by rival providers such as Sky or Talk Talk. BT established its Openreach division back in 2005 to allow its rivals to use the network, and this came after a legal agreement was reached with the UK’s communications regulator Ofcom.

The figures from Ofcom suggest that there are now around nineteen million broadband lines in the UK, the majority of which are unbundled. Around seventy percent of these are not provided by BT according to the figures. There are now said to be around thirty different providers that consumers and businesses can choose from to get their unbundled service.

When BT opened up its network to rival providers in 2005 around thirty seven percent of consumers and businesses were said to have broadband. However, this has now increased to around seventy one percent. The figures also showed that the average price for broadband service in the last quarter of 2005 was just over twenty three pounds a month, plus VAT. This has now dropped to an average of just over thirteen pounds a month plus VAT.

Source – Broadcast Now