INCA’s leadership team met Ofcom’s TAR team this week alongside INCA members, in a constructive session that underlined the strengthening relationship between the regulator and the UK’s altnet community.
Natalie Black CBE, Ofcom’s Group Director for Networks and Communications, opened with a stocktake of the UK fibre rollout. The headline numbers point to a maturing market:
- 80% of UK premises now have access to a full-fibre network
- Of those, 75% have more than one provider available
- 29% of fibred premises have three or more operators
Black set out Ofcom’s priorities for the next phase: shifting focus from coverage to take-up, and supporting an orderly consolidation of the sector.
Ben Harries, Ofcom’s Director of Competition Policy, introduced his team and the regulator’s continued focus on promoting competition. INCA members heard detailed briefings from the PIA, WLA and LLA teams, with substantive discussion on each market.
The meeting also welcomed an introduction from James King, who will be leading competition supervision at Ofcom — an important new touchpoint for INCA members as the market enters its take-up and consolidation phase.
INCA welcomes the depth of engagement Ofcom is showing with the independent networks community. The meeting reinforced the constructive working relationship between the regulator and altnets at a critical point in the TAR period — and INCA will continue to represent member interests through every stage of the review.