Ref:  31/00
Date: 28 April 2000

Oftel has today published its Management Plan for 2000/01 that contains all of its projects and work programmes for the next twelve months. The plan also explains how this work will take forward Oftel’s goal of achieving the best deal for the consumer.

Some of the key areas of work Oftel will undertake over the year are:

• Major reviews of the mobile, access to Internet and leased lines markets to assess levels of competition and the appropriate level of regulation necessary

• Tackling anti-competitive behaviour and when necessary taking enforcement action using its new powers under the Competition Act

• helping consumers to be well informed by working with the industry, to provide clear and accessible information on price and quality of service;

• protecting consumers where competition is not effective, such as the form of any future controls on the prices of certain BT retail services;

• encouraging competition in the supply of high speed Information Age services.

Announcing the publication of Oftel’s Management Plan, David Edmonds, Director General of Telecommunications said today:

"Our Management Plan clearly explains to industry and consumers the important work Oftel will undertake over the next 12 months.

"A special focus for this year will be to ensure that consumers are provided with clear and accessible information on the wide range of telecoms services available to them.

"Oftel will also carry out a series of major market reviews to assess the level of competitions and decide on the relevant level of regulation required. These reviews are an important part of our strategy to have a light touch to regulation where competition is effective.

"Where there is not sufficient competition, Oftel will take action to promote it, either through enforcement action or work such as unbundling BT’s local loop.

"The Plan has been produced after taking into account the comments from the industry and consumer groups. This has ensured that Oftel focuses its work on its goal of achieving the best deal for the consumer in terms of quality, choice and value for money."

Note to Editors

Oftel's Management Plan is available on the Oftel web site at www.oftel.gov.uk.

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