The Office of Telecommunications
50 Ludgate Hill
London EC4M 7JJ
Tel: 0171 634 8700
Fax: 0171 634 8943
The initial consultation period will run until 8 November 1996. There will then be a further period up to 22 November 1996 during which comments are invited on any submissions made to Oftel during the initial period. Comments are invited in particular on the questions highlighted in the text of the document and summarised in Chapter 7.
Written comments should be submitted to:
Sandy Grom
Oftel
50 Ludgate Hill
London EC4M 7JJ
Copies of comments on the issues raised in Chapter 4 should also be sent to:
Carole Bowley
Mergers Secretariat
Office of Fair Trading
Field House
15-25 Bream's Buildings
London EC4A 1PR
Written comments will be made publicly available in Oftel's library except where respondents indicate that their response or parts of it are confidential. Respondents are therefore asked to separate out any confidential material into a confidential annex which is clearly marked as such. In the interests of transparency, respondents are requested to avoid confidentiality markings wherever possible.
Short comments (up to 4 pages) on this document can also be sent to Oftel on the Internet by using the following e-mail address:
press.office.oftel@gtnet.gov.uk
Oftel would strongly encourage any respondents to set up links between this document on Oftel's pages and any reponses to it placed on respondents' own Internet pages. Please contact Cate MacPherson at Oftel on 0171 634 8752 to organise this. Confidential responses should not be sent via the internet.
Recorded messages may be left on Oftel's Comments Hotline: 0645 600 660 (calls charged at local rate).
In addition, Oftel is prepared to discuss the document in more detail with any group which has a particular interest.
This document has been prompted by two important developments in broadcasting: (i) the sale of the BBC transmission network and (ii) the proposed launch of new digital terrestrial radio and television services. The implications of both are potentially far-reaching.
These two developments raise a number of important issues about competition in the terrestrial broadcast transmission market, which I expect to give rise to considerable debate. My objective in approaching these issues is to secure the best deal for the customer. I take the view that this is best achieved by maintaining and promoting competition wherever possible.
Oftel's intention in publishing this document is to ensure that its analysis and its proposed approach to dealing with the competition issues raised in terrestrial broadcast transmission have been open to scrutiny and challenge by the industry and its customers. I hope therefore that this document will attract a wide range of views.
Don Cruickshank