Catenaa, Sunday, October 19, 2025-The Independent Networks Cooperative Association (INCA) has condemned Ofcom’s decision to allow BT Openreach’s special offer on fibre upgrades, calling the ruling a “huge disappointment” for independent broadband providers.
Openreach launched a promotion on October 10 offering lower-tier rental prices for higher-speed fibre upgrades, running through April 9, 2026.
Competitors argued the pricing undercuts costs for a reasonably efficient operator and could accelerate migration from copper to fibre, limiting market opportunities for rival network operators.
INCA chief executive Paddy Paddison said the decision undermines competition and contradicts Ofcom’s stated objectives.
He emphasized that alternative network providers, or “Altnets,” have invested billions in full-fibre networks to deliver faster and more reliable broadband, spurring BT Openreach to deploy its own fibre infrastructure.
The trade body also criticized Openreach for reversing previous commitments not to launch further discounted offers during the current market review, arguing the move gives BT an unfair advantage over competitors.
Over the next six months, INCA will monitor whether accelerated customer migration to Openreach confirms its concerns about market distortion and the impact on independent broadband providers.
