BusinessNick Goodway: An Openreach sale was never an option but we will get better broadbandVictory: Ofcom head Sharon White has actually forced BT to shift massivelyOfcomNick Goodway26 July 2016Sharon White again has not pushed the nuclear button forcing BT to sell Openreach, as most of the telecoms giant’s rivals had wanted. Cue wailing and gnashing of teeth from Sky, Vodafone and TalkTalk.But look at the detail of today’s statement and White has actually forced BT to shift massively in the 16 months she has been in charge of Ofcom. What she proposes today and what BT has accepted or counter-proposed will create a very different Openreach. It will be accountable to the public, accountable to its major customers who are BT’s rivals and should be able to invest even more in the infrastructure the country needs for a strong digital future. We will get faster broadband.Read MoreWH Smith hire turnaround veteran with package that could be worth £25mBlue Posts boss: If opening a pub becomes so risky, people just won't do itCulpeper pub boss: Rates system is not fit for purpose — and not fairSponsoredDiscover a hidden island paradise in the Indian Ocean My estimate is Ofcom and BT are 85% in agreement and could be nearer 95% by the time October’s next deadline comes around. The fact is BT’s £10 billion pension deficit, much of which applies to retired Openreach engineers, was always going to prevent the nuclear option. Jaw-jaw has proved better than war-war.MORE ABOUTTelecommunicationsBTOpenreachbroadbandOFCOM
