Fibre networking company Geo today withdrew from BDUK’s Broadband Framework and from future NGA procurements. Rather than simply regurgitating Geo’s Press Release on the subject you can read it yourselves here. In summary though Geo is saying that BT has this market stitched up.
I have to say I feel sorry for UK citizens living in “the final third”. You can’t blame BT – they are just looking after the interests of their shareholders. I think you can blame the Government which is taking the easy route. Admittedly foremost in the mind of the Government will be cash, or lack of it and the need to be seen to be spending it wisely. BT appears to have done a good lobbying1 job in persuading the establishment that sticking with BT is in everyone best interest.
It will be worth seeing how other players hoping for a slice of this market progress. This seems a good time to revisit the idea of splitting Openreach away from BT and turning it into a mutual, owned by the ISP industry.
That’s all.
1 This is in stark contrast to some situations such as the Digital Economy Act where BT did a very poor lobbying job and is now paying the price.
3 replies on “Has BT got rural broadband market stitched up? Geo thinks so”
Go ahead and put in a bid for Openreach 🙂
When a Government can spend 37 Billion on 16 days of Olympic Games, when it needs 2.5 Billion for the final third (FTTC). Throw in the Billions wasted on being poodles. Billions in Taxes paid otherwise. The UK has the money but not the will.
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