Preparing the UK for an all-IP future

The UK’s Public Switched Telephone Network (PSTN) currently provides voice services to millions of households in the UK, and the underlying analogue technology also supports a range of data services for both domestic and non-domestic applications. However, the analogue/electrical based network technology that currently enables the PSTN is coming to the end of its life[…]

The Impact of a Broadband Universal Service Obligation in the UK

The total cost, number of premises connected and overall net-benefit to the country of a broadband USO for the UK are all sensitive to design choices such as download speed, cost threshold, assumed take-up rates and funding mechanism – so were the findings of Plum’s study for the Broadband Stakeholder Group (BSG). The BSG is[…]

The case for lifting ex-ante regulation of wholesale local access in the Netherlands

The Netherlands telecoms regulator, ACM, proposed regulation of wholesale access provided by KPN in March 2015. Following the expression of serious doubts by the European Commission in a letter of 30 April 2015, the ACM revised its draft decision in July 2015, but nevertheless concluded that KPN had SMP and proposed price controls on copper[…]

This Connect’d Isle: building upon success in digital communications

Plum prepared a report for BT “This Connect’d Isle: building upon success in digital communications” in the context of the Ofcom Strategic Review of Digital Communications.  The report considered outcome in the UK to date, future demand for fibre and the potential impact of structural separation.  The report proposed the further reduction of barriers to[…]

Fibre pricing and margin squeeze testing in Malta

  Over the past few years Plum has undertaken a series of projects for GO, Malta’s leading provider of communications services, to help it develop its investment strategy for the deployment of high-speed broadband infrastructure. The work was carried out in the following stages. Business case for fibre investment Plum carried out an assessment of[…]

An assessment of the NPT’s proposed regulation of broadband markets in Norway

This report provides an independent assessment of the Norwegian Post and Telecommunication Authority (NPT) draft decision on how to regulate the broadband market in Norway over the next three years. In the assessment Plum set out where the NPT’s decision is likely to be against the public interest and/or inconsistent with European Commission guidance. Plum[…]

Future evolution of fibre regulation

Plum prepared a report for BT to accompany their submission to Ofcom on future broadband market development, the impacts of alternative forms of regulation (including anchor product regulation) on investment incentives and on the value of a commitment to continue to forebear from price regulation of fibre.