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[Bowdon]

UK Centre for Policy Studies Calls for Ofcom to Initiate BT Breakup

The Centre for Policy Studies (CPS) has joined a growing chorus of people and organisations calling for BT to be separated from control of their national UK broadband and phone (Openreach) network, which the group suggests could “provide a market with a level playing field between all players.”

[guest]

Looking more like a split then if the CPS are calling for it - they're like the "in-house" thinktank for right-wing tories & rarely say anything much without permission.

Now who can we think of who needs the support of right-wing (Eurosceptic) tories about now? Hmmmm.....

[Bowdon]

I always feel a bit uneasy when the establishment suddenly turns on something that they appeared to be protecting (at least by perception) for many years.

It feels a bit like when the tobacco industry was suddenly attacked from all sides after years of being untouchable.

Until Ofcom actually come up with a good alternative then I don't understand how they can break a current working system up, even if they perceive problems with it.

[WWWombat]

The Centre for Policy Studies (CPS) has joined a growing chorus of people and organisations calling for BT to be separated from control of their national UK broadband and phone (Openreach) network, which the group suggests could “provide a market with a level playing field between all players.”

All players?

[sevenlayermuddle]

UK Centre for Policy Studies Calls for Ofcom to Initiate BT Breakup

The Centre for Policy Studies (CPS) has joined a growing chorus of people and organisations calling for BT to be separated from control of their national UK broadband and phone (Openreach) network, which the group suggests could “provide a market with a level playing field between all players.”

Hmm... the article to which they link, when you read it through and follow the links, has its origins in  the CPS Economic Bulletin...

http://us2.campaign-archive2.com/?u=b8d014b924447d13652c49d2a&id=dca264b67f&e=44750f085b

Note the qualifier at the end of that article (my emboldening of text)

DISCLAIMER: The views set out in the ‘Economic Bulletin’ are those of the individual authors only and should not be taken to represent a corporate view of the Centre for Policy Studies.

So unless I am missing something it is just the view of one individual who has been allowed to get on his high horse and express his view, and rightly so, this being a free country.  It is not the view of CPS.   Not sure how ISP Review can translate that into the headline  "Centre for Policy Studies Calls for Ofcom to Initiate BT Breakup". 

[renluop]

So, what value should one put on disclaimers like that of CPS? Hmmm! If I/ you were the controlling interest, would an article not agreed with be published in detail? More likely suitable bits, I think, would be twisted and published out of context.

[sevenlayermuddle]

So, what value should one put on disclaimers like that of CPS? Hmmm! If I/ you were the controlling interest, would an article not agreed with be published in detail? More likely suitable bits, I think, would be twisted and published out of context.

Possibly so.  But why did ISP Review not just point that out, rather than make the claims that they made?   

It does leave me wondering whether ISP Review might be following their own agenda to some extent, and clutching at straws to try and justify that agenda...

[kitz]

Nothing new really in there, much of the same arguments and then BT bites back "this blog is under-researched and paints a false picture of UK broadband."

Im wondering if Mark from ISPr has actually seen that disclaimer.  Good spot 7LM.

[WWWombat]

Haha - well spotted seven.

I wrote lots about the article, as it is broadly as badly written as Grant Shapps. I might post it tomorrow...

[Bowdon]

My comment: Wow it shows the spin being put on this report. Two different news sites looking at the same story and coming to opposite conclusions!

Economic think tank calls for Openreach to be carved out from BT as Ofcom deadline looms

BT faces fresh calls for its broadband infrastructure arm Openreach to be hived off today, after economists at the Centre for Policy Studies (CPS) found the UK is falling behind international competitors.

Ofcom doesn't have the power to split BT and Openreach, think tank warns

BT is facing fresh calls to split with Openreach, its broadband infrastructure division, ahead of a landmark review into the telecoms industry.

[kitz]

My comment: Wow it shows the spin being put on this report. Two different news sites looking at the same story and coming to opposite conclusions!

Is it any surprise really?
The telegraph publicised Shapps Broadbad report and yet again they trot out
"Mr Mahoney cited the explosive "Broadbad" report, in which a cross-party group of 121 MPs, led by Grant Shapps, called on Ofcom to take "radical action" to separate BT from its infrastructure arm, Openreach. "

Remind me again who owns the Telegraph 

[Chrysalis]

yeah I was going to mention I think in reality its a decision for the EU regulator to make?