Ofcom has published its annual monitoring report on the progress towards delivering a more independent Openreach.

In 2017, BT notified Ofcom of its voluntary commitments to reform Openreach. This included Openreach becoming a legally separate entity with its own board, management and staff. In 2018, BT notified Ofcom that the steps to fully implement legal separation had been completed and Ofcom has been closely monitoring how the arrangements have been working in practice.

Ofcom has published its annual monitoring report on those arrangements and overall it has found that the parties are making good progress. BT has increased its full fibre ambitions since the last report, while Openreach continues to build new connections at pace. Generally, the feedback received from industry during the monitoring suggests Openreach is also improving its engagement with its wholesale customers.

However, Ofcom says, it recognises that some stakeholders would like to see further improvements, including in areas such as duct and poles access.

Ofcom emphasises that it is important both BT and Openreach continue their commitment to ensure further progress is made and that these improvements are sustainable over the long term. Ofcom will continue monitoring the arrangements carefully and welcomes evidence from stakeholders on their experiences of working with BT and Openreach. To access the report, click here.