The Universal Service Conditions (‘USCs’) ensure that certain basic fixed line communications services are available at an affordable price to all citizens of the UK. Under the USCs BT is required to provide fixed telephony services in all areas of the UK excluding the Hull area in response to reasonable requests from end-users. BT must provide these services at a uniform price throughout the UK (again excluding the Hull area), unless Ofcom consents otherwise.
On 9 June 2008 Ofcom published a consultation proposing to consent to a request from BT for permission under USC 1 to charge non-uniform prices for certain telephony services. BT sought this permission in connection with a pilot of the use of optical fibre cables to deliver telephony services at a housing development in Ebbsfleet, Kent.
Following consideration of the responses, we have decided to confirm the proposal subject to including an additional condition requiring that customer contracts should not contain minimum contract terms that extend beyond the term of the Pilot.
This document contains the legal notification granting the Consent and also:
- a summary of the responses to the consultation and our comments;
- a summary of our Impact Assessment and our response to comments made by stakeholders about the Impact Assessment; and
- a final review of the legal tests.