INCA has responded to the Competition and Markets Authority’s draft guidance on pricing practices under the Digital Markets, Competition and Consumers Act 2024, warning that any new transparency requirements must be carefully designed to avoid unintended harm to infrastructure competition.
Our submission argues that new CMA pricing rules must align with Ofcom’s existing broadband pricing regulations to avoid creating contradictory obligations for telecoms providers. Poorly designed transparency requirements could inadvertently benefit incumbents like BT and Openreach by constraining the pricing flexibility that Altnets need to compete effectively.
INCA urges the CMA to recognise the unique characteristics of the telecoms market, where infrastructure competition is still developing, and to consult with Ofcom before finalising any guidance that affects broadband pricing practices.
The full response is available on our Resources page.