Rural homes set to benefit from greater broadband competition

Ofcom announced that BT Wholesale will have to reduce the amount it charges other internet service providers (ISPs) to use its networks, potentially leading to lower costs for consumers.

Ernest Doku, technology expert at uSwitch.com, says: "This move could wipe out the postcode lottery that has seen rural householders treated as second class broadband citizens. It has the potential to ultimately cut the costs of the bills of those living in rural areas. By increasing competition Ofcom is making sure that consumers will end up the real winners as they will now have a greater choice of providers. This means the ISPs can look to offer the best deals possible to win new customers over and, now that they can access BT's infrastructure at a lower cost, it could only be a matter of time until they pass these savings on.

"This is a great opportunity for broadband providers to step up and make things better for their customers. Even if they don't pass these savings on, customers could still benefit as the ISPs may decide to invest in bringing a faster broadband service to rural areas, which have traditionally been stuck in the slow lane. However, this remains to be seen - for now the ball is firmly in the court of other providers."

For more information, visit uswitch.com.