BT to let other providers use its fibre tunnels

BT is to open up its network of underground cable tunnels for rival providers to install their own fibre-optic broadband networks.

The move is expected to fast-track the spread of ultra-fast broadband across the country, while also allowing BT to recoup some of the 1.5 billion it has invested in fibre optics and removing the need for competitors to dig up roads and pavements separately.

BT chief executive Ian Livingstone said it was fulfilling a commitment it made last year to explore ways of speeding up the spread of fibre-optic broadband.

"We told Ofcom last year we're willing to provide open access to our ducts and poles and we are working with them on how to achieve it," Livingstone said in a statement to the Financial Times.

"Although it's unlikely to be the silver bullet to get fibre to every home, open access to all ducts, not just ours, might help BT and others extend coverage and so we would like to see a future government support such a move."

At present, rival providers are forced to use BT's wholesale products for their own high-speed internet products a situation not all of them are happy about. Just last month TalkTalk said it was considering rolling out its own fibre network.

BT says it plans to have 40 per cent fibre-optic broadband coverage in the UK by the summer of 2012, while both Labour and the Conservatives have announced plans for fibre-based broadband to be available to 90 per cent of the UK by 2017.