BT to include some Scottish cities in upgrade to superfast broadband

It’s amazing what can be done when the authorities take the brakes off the opportunity for profit. In the past week it was announced that Ofcom had informed BT that its wholesale prices to other broadband providers would not be capped.

Suddenly Scotland is to be included in the sheltered telecoms provider’s plans for superfast broadband development. Nothing specific has been said yet but Glasgow and Ediburgh are the most likely Scottish cities to be included in the fibre-optic cabling project.

Don’t celebrate too soon.

• Rural areas will not get superfast broadband for the foreseeable future unless the Government has the courage to go for a supply-led policy.
• Less than superfast br0adband subscribers will suffer an accelerating deficit in service as website designers in the Central Belt will inevitably – and rightly – use the new power at their disposal.  This will mean sites with ever more speed-hungry features which we here will not be able to receive on our lame services.
• BT is being given all but a monopoly in this Ofcom decision. Other superfast broadband providers, who would compete with it for customers, may now be charged whatever BT likes.

At the very best this is anti-competitive as it will see a very narrow price differential. At worst it will choke competition. Either way it will stifle customer choice. This is not good news for the Argyll or for the most of Highlands and Islands – or for anyone without deep pockets.