Business broadband 'to benefit from pole and duct prices'

Firms looking to roll out fibre optic business broadband services around the UK, triggering significant benefits for commercial organisations, have been boosted by news of price reductions from Openreach.

The body has revealed that its charges for pole and duct access in the country, which Ovum has suggested are 38 per cent below the European average.

As well as launching the price scheme, Openreach has offered to break down products into their component parts – with both actions designed to help internet providers.

And it is not only the typical European price that the UK's pole and duct charges are lower than, as they also fall some way short of the rates set out in the original drafts in January.

"Openreach has largely bankrolled Broadband Britain by getting fibre to more than five million homes but it's time for others to help us," explained Liv Garfield, chief executive of Openreach.

The news is just the latest in several positive announcements from Openreach, after it recently confirmed there will be a 300Mbps service released in the future to complement the 110Mbps Fibre to the Premises it is currently developing.