Quality of Service for WLR and MPF: Proposed Directions and Consents relating to the minimum standards and KPIs imposed in the 2014 Fixed Access Market Reviews

Direction setting further minimum standards for WLR provisions under the SMP conditions imposed in the 2014 Fixed Access Market Reviews

About this statement

On 19 October 2016 we published our decision to set new directions on BT which modified minimum quality of service (QoS) standards to the provisioning and repair of some of the wholesale products that telecoms providers purchase from Openreach to offer broadband and telephony products to consumers and small businesses. These directions were imposed in order to ensure that the minimum standards remain effective in the light of changes in the mix of services telecoms providers were purchasing from Openreach and due to the delay in the next wholesale market reviews.

At the same time, we consulted on a draft direction proposing to extend the duration of the Wholesale Line Rental (WLR) provision minimum standards that Openreach must comply with.

In this document we set out our final decision to set this direction. The effect of this direction is to ensure that the WLR minimum standards for appointment availability and on time provision will remain in place until such time that they are revoked or replaced by our next round of wholesale market reviews.

Further QoS Statement (PDF, 331.8 KB)

About this statement

In the 2014 Fixed Access Market Reviews (FAMR), in order to address concerns of a continued decline in Openreach's performance in provisioning and repairs, we imposed mandatory minimum quality of service (QoS) obligations on BT. In particular, we applied minimum standards to the provisioning and repair of some of the wholesale products that communications providers (CPs) purchase from Openreach to offer broadband and telephony products to consumers and small businesses.

Since the imposition of these minimum standards, there has been a change in the mix of wholesale services purchased from Openreach, which would have reduced the effectiveness of the existing minimum standards. Accordingly, we are now using our direction making powers to apply minimum standards (at the existing levels) relating to the repair of Openreach’s main consumer supporting wholesale broadband and telephony services. We are also using our direction making powers to extend the minimum standards for provisioning and repair beyond March 2017, when they would otherwise expire.

The changes we are making are intended to ensure that the current arrangements continue to address the same competition concerns identified in the FAMR. We are separately, as part of our next Wholesale Local Access (WLA) market review, considering options for encouraging further improvements to BT’s service quality.

We are also seeking the views of stakeholders on the detailed drafting of a draft direction in relation to QoS for WLR by 5pm on 18 November 2016 and plan to issue a statement shortly thereafter.

Quality of Service for WLR and MPF - Statement (PDF, 212.3 KB)

In the 2014 Fixed Access Market Reviews (FAMR), in order to address concerns of continued decline in Openreach’s performance in provisioning and repairs, we imposed mandatory minimum quality of service (QoS) obligations on BT. Those minimum standards applied to the provisioning and repair of some of the wholesale products that communications providers (CPs) purchase from Openreach to offer broadband and telephony products to consumers and small businesses.

This document proposes a number of modifications to Openreach’s existing obligations relating to the repair of certain wholesale broadband and telephony services. We consider that these changes are necessary to ensure that our current regulations continue to be effective in light of changes to the mix of wholesale products CPs purchase. The changes proposed are not intended to extend regulation, but simply to ensure that the current arrangements continue to address the same competition concerns identified in the FAMR.

We will consider potential changes to how we regulate the quality of Openreach’s service delivery in the future later this year.

We are seeking the views of stakeholders on this consultation by 9 September 2016 and plan to issue a statement later that month.