Andradi slaps BT's broadband knockers

Blames regulatory environment

Ben Andradi, President and COO of BTopenworld, has hit back at critics who claim that BT's DSL service is too expensive and that the monster telco was not truly focused on broadband because of its continuing obsession with reducing its debt mountain.

Speaking at the Broadband Communications Europe trade show at Olympia, London, Mr Andradi said: "BT is very committed, very excited about broadband. We are investing billions in broadband."

And he said that while he wanted lower broadband prices BT's hands were tied by the regulatory environment in the UK.

He said: "We have a very different regulatory environment in the UK compared to the rest of the world.

"Our regulatory framework prevents us from cross-subsidising DSL.

"Yet, our cable competitors can cross-subsidise - it is something we cannot do," he said.

Commenting on the success of low-cost unmetered narrowband products in the UK, Mr Andradi added: "We want similar achievements for broadband."

Last week BT Retail chief exec, Pierre Danon, also said that DSL prices were too high.

He said that regulatory pressures were to blame for the continued high prices but also added that the success of unmetered narrowband Net access was acting as a deterrent for the take-up of broadband. ®

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