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UK: Vodafone makes final plea for BT to be broken up

By  |  February 22, 2016

The chief executive of Vodafone has joined last-ditch pleas for BT to be broken up over what he described as the “extra profits” it makes from its Openreach network unit.

Vittorio Colao made a final push for a split at Mobile World Congress in Barcelona, as Ofcom prepares to unveil the findings of a wide-ranging probe of the telecoms sector on Thursday.

The future of Openreach is the keystone of the once-a-decade review. Mr Colao criticised the current “functional separation” model, by which BT retains control of its network but is obliged to let rivals use it on level terms with its own retail unit.

“A model which was supposed which was supposed to be neutral and separated has actually been creating extra profits for the company that owns it,” Mr Colao said,

“It’s a model that allows equal access but a price higher than most European countries.”

Full Content: The Economic Times

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