Oftel wants the procedure to set the order in which BT will
prepare exchanges and determine the order in which space will be
allocated where there is insufficient space for all competing
operators to install equipment.
Oftel proposes to use a method where space is allocated
according to the priority that an operator has given individual
exchanges for installing equipment.
Oftel said in a statement that:
“The process will be necessary in the
initial phase when high demand from operators for space in BT's
exchanges is expected. Once this demand has been met, operators
will put their orders to co-locate direct to BT for
processing.”
Operators need to install DSL equipment in BT's exchanges to
deliver new high speed services to consumers over unbundled local
loops in competition with BT.
Commenting on the proposals, David Edmonds, Director General of
Telecommunications said:
"Oftel will push BT hard if they claim there
is insufficient space in an exchange for operators equipment. But
if a large number of operators want to go into one exchange, there
may not be enough room for them all. In the first round of bidding
in September, over 25 operators requested space to install
equipment in some exchanges. "An allocation procedure is
needed to decide the order of priority for operators that want to
go into exchanges where there could be insufficient space for them
all. The operators wanted to resolve this issue amongst themselves,
but could not reach an agreement and asked Oftel to draw up an
allocation process.
"Oftel has moved swiftly to draw up an
allocation process so that operators can install equipment in the
most popular of BT's exchanges as soon as possible."
David Edmonds said that the process could be quickly implemented
so that consumers will benefit from a choice of providers for new
high speed services.
"Oftel will use an inspection team to
independently verify any claim from BT that there is insufficient
space in an exchange. The new agreed procedure will be used in
December to choose the next batch of exchanges where operators can
install equipment. The high level of competition in the UK market
has created practical implementation problems not faced in other
countries. We are well on the way to solving this problem and the
UK is on course for delivery of unbundled local loops from the
beginning of 2001."
However, Oftel predicts that fewer than 1,000 of BT’s 6,000
local exchanges will be open to its competitors by July 2001, the
deadline it set BT for local loop unbundling. FT.com reports Oftel
as calling this figure consistent with e-commerce minister Patricia
Hewitt’s recent comment that the unbundling would mean “widespread
availability” from BT’s competitors by the deadline.
