Telecom professionals blast Oftel

UK telecoms watchdog Oftel has come under fire from UK telecom professionals for failing to ensure effective competition in the communications market.

According to a report from the Communications Management Association (CMA), formerly the Telecommunications Managers Association, more than two-thirds of senior communications professionals in the UK regard Oftel as having failed to deliver competition in all parts of the UK.

The criticism follows similar remarks from the European Commission and telco RSL Com.

Oftel is also criticised for its handling of BT's ADSL rollout in the report, which will be published at the end of October.

CMA chairman John Wright said: "Oftel hasn't responded in the way we would have liked over the past two years. The UK needs more effective regulation and Oftel hasn't encouraged proper competition or taken a firmer hand with BT."

"Oftel has not done a good job in the ADSL rollout," he added.

The CMA's report, based on a survey conducted by Total Research, found that 86 per cent of respondents regard the ADSL rollout in the UK as too slow and believe they are unlikely to have access to the technology for two years.

In addition, the report found that 78 per cent of respondents believe Oftel is failing in its role, while 74 per cent claim businesses can only obtain competitive services in the major cities.

Mark Smith, deputy director general of the CMA, said: "We see from the views of our respondents on BT's ADSL rollout that there is strong dissatisfaction. That translates into pessimism within the business community as to when organisations are going to have access.

"That is not helpful to making the information society a reality rather than a pipe dream."