'˜Ofcom should have ended broadband misery in Milton Keynes'

If the Watchdog doesn't bark, maybe it's time to put it down.

That’s the view of city councillor and broadband campaigner Jenni Ferrans after Ofcom’s investigation into BT

She says thousands of people in Milton Keynes have waited years for BT to upgrade their broadband network.

“BT insisted it was too expensive, but suddenly, when competition and watchdog action loomed, they could afford it. BT clearly could do more, and the watchdog Ofcom should have gone further, faster, to end this misery.”

Ofcom criticised BT for insufficient investment into Openreach, the arm of BT that installs the fibre optic able network for most suppliers.

But it stopped short of implementing MPs’ recommendations that Openreach be separated from BT,

BT had insisted it was too expensive to upgrade the thousands of homes and businesses in the trial area of MK that still couldn’t get fibre.

But this summer, when a new consortium announced that they would offer high-speed fibre over the old Cable TV network, suddenly BT released the investment, said Jenni.

“The reforms and the recent investment into MK are welcome, but they’re not enough,” she said.