BT investors were buoyed this morning by a regulatory announcement on the price it can charge its rivals to use its network. With shares rising almost four per cent, BT was one of the FTSE 100's biggest gainers. Ofcom said it would not regulate the prices charged by infrastructure arm Openreach on its fastest broadband products. Meanwhile, for the next notch down – so-called superfast broadband – regulators said increased a cap on what Openreach can charge the likes of Sky, Vodafone and TalkTalk. Previous proposals limited prices to £11.23 a month by 2021. After consulting on the matter, this is to be increased to £11.92. However, Ofcom said it will roll out new stricter rules forcing BT's infrastructure arm to "repair faults and install new broadband lines more quickly". It also called on BT to make telegraph poles and underground tunnels more easily available to rivals. Read more: BT shares drop 5.5 per cent on results: Here's how the City reacted Openreach said the watchdog's plans provide "certainty on their approach to key products and we welcome Ofcom’s intention to support investment in full fibre networks". But to incentivise further investment in broadband infrastructure firms like Openreach need to be "certain they can secure a return on their investment and a fair bet". A spokesperson added: “Continuing to improve service is our number one priority, having exceeded Ofcom’s broadband targets for the last three years. We view these as a minimum, not a target, and we’ve been making great strides over the last year in reducing the number of faults on our network and speeding up new connections and repairs. We’re determined to go even further so we support the ambition of higher service standards.” Our ducts and [telegraph] poles have been open since 2011 and we have been sharing a digital map of this network for more than a year. “We’ve been making the process more accessible and user-friendly and we’ll now work closely with our customers to consider how to develop and implement these latest proposals effectively." Read more: Sky and BT Sport pay £4.46bn to share Premier League TV rights “Ultrafast speeds will allow people to download entire films, or businesses to share huge files, almost instantly. Full fibre will also underpin exciting technology like remote healthcare diagnostics, 5G mobile and connected devices," said Ofcom’s competition group director Jonathan Oxley. “The measures we’ve set out today will support the growing number of companies who have already announced plans to build full-fibre networks, and open the way for even more ambitious investment around the UK.” Read more: These are the most complained about broadband and mobile firms TalkTalk Chief Executive, Tristia Harrison, said: “Ofcom’s strong decision is good news for consumers, competition and investment. We have long argued that Openreach has no incentive to invest in the full fibre broadband that Britain needs when it could make excess profits by overcharging for copper-based services. Ofcom’s move not only protects customers in today’s market, but also ensures Openreach and others are encouraged to invest in the full fibre networks of tomorrow. Read more: TalkTalk walk walk? Invesco filings baffle investors Fresh from partying at this week's Brit Awards, culture secretary Matt Hancock said: "Full fibre is vital to build a Britain that's fit for the future. Ofcom's measures will be instrumental in supporting full fibre roll-out by promoting competition and ensuring widespread availability of these services. The whole telecoms sector must now come together - in the national interest - to invest in the digital infrastructure that the UK needs and become a model of great customer service." Read more: Culture secretary Matt Hancock has just launched his own app Richard Neudegg, head of regulation at Uswitch said: “This focus on future investment alongside strong competition is critical... We especially welcome Ofcom’s decision to bring down the wholesale price for entry-level fibre broadband by nearly £20. Now the challenge is how the industry uses this to improve more consumer’s broadband experience and reduce the cost of bills. “A word of warning - the move to lower wholesale entry-level pricing, designed to help drive the uptake of superfast services, risks being a wasted effort if the industry doesn’t also urgently make changes that help surface the information that matters most to consumers when considering their broadband package. “To date, broadband providers have previously been guilty of a ‘build it and they will come mentality’ so whilst measures to encourage further investment teamed with a reduction in wholesale price for the entry-level product is clearly welcomed, more must be done to help bring consumers along on the journey.” Read more: Lord Adonis calls on Ofcom for urgent plan on "deplorable" mobile services
Ofcom has announced it will not regulate prices charged by BT’s Openreach on its fastest broadband products and increased the cap on wholesale prices Openreach can charge rivals for superfast broadband by 2021 to £11.92. However, stricter rules will also be rolled out to ensure faults are fixed faster, quicker installation of broadband lines, and easier access to telegraph poles and underground tunnels for rival firms. Openreach said the decision offered some certainty for those investing in the infrastructure. The regulator is expected to announce a new regulatory framework next month that would allow BT to offer faster speeds at lower prices.