According to Financial Times News, BT’s Openreach is threatening to scrap the final phase of its plan to bring full-fibre broadband to 30 million UK homes by 2030. CEO Clive Selley specifically warned he’s putting approvals for the last 5 million homes on hold until Ofcom’s Telecoms Access Review is finalized in spring 2025. The company is currently on track to reach 25 million homes by 2026 but says price controls proposed by the regulator undermine the business case for the final expansion. This standoff risks leaving millions of households without access to full-fibre broadband and comes as Openreach argues it faces government-imposed costs ten times higher than European peers. Selley directly stated that without regulatory clarity, he cannot articulate the business case internally for completing the 2030 target.
The regulatory chess match
Here’s the thing – this isn’t just about broadband speeds. It’s a high-stakes negotiation playing out in public. Openreach wants restrictions lifted in areas where competitors like Virgin Media O2 and CityFibre have built their own networks, arguing that competition already exists. But those competitors are pushing back hard, saying Openreach still holds too much market power. Basically, we’re watching a classic infrastructure dilemma: how do you encourage competition while also ensuring someone builds in the less profitable areas?
The altnet revolution
And let’s not forget the context. Since Ofcom’s last review in 2021, we’ve seen a boom in alternative network providers – the “altnets” – who’ve covered over 16 million homes. That’s genuine competition emerging. But Selley’s making a compelling point: who’s going to connect that final 20% of homes in harder-to-reach areas? The altnets built where it made business sense. Openreach argues it’s the only player with both the scale and obligation to finish the job nationwide.
The investment calculus
So what’s really going on here? Openreach is essentially telling regulators and the government: “Make it financially viable, or we stop building.” Selley’s warning about tax rises in the upcoming Budget adding to their cost burden isn’t coincidental timing. He’s creating pressure points on multiple fronts. The company needs to convince its own board and shareholders that spending billions on that final 5 million homes will generate acceptable returns. If the numbers don’t work, the rollout stops. It’s that simple.
What comes next
Now we wait for Ofcom’s final ruling in spring 2025. The regulator claims its “pro-competition, pro-investment” approach has made the UK one of Europe’s fastest full-fibre builders. But can they maintain that delicate balance? If Openreach follows through on its threat, the government’s digital infrastructure ambitions take a major hit. Meanwhile, millions of households remain in broadband limbo, caught between corporate strategy and regulatory philosophy. Not exactly the connected future anyone promised.
