Ofcom examines possible break-up of BT

The UK’s telecoms regulator Ofcom has asked BT’s chief technology officer and former head of technology to examine the pros and cons of splitting the company into at least two separate units, in a move which it hopes would promote competition in the fixed line market. Ofcom has suggested that the telco’s network division BT Wholesale be separated from BT Retail, meaning that only the wholesale business would have to be regulated, but BT is strongly against the regulator’s plans, claiming that there is no valid argument to go ahead with a break-up.