New Ofcom Market bands announced

[#1]

This was Ofcom's last review: Review of the wholesale broadband access markets, published December 2010.
That states:

Quote

1.8 Market 1 is made up of exchange areas in which BT is currently the only provider of wholesale broadband services, ... whereas Market 2 comprises exchange areas with two significant providers, or with three significant providers where BT's market share is 50 per cent or more. ... BT has Significant Market Power (SMP) in both of these markets and will be subject to a range of regulatory obligations, including general access and non-discrimination obligations and a requirement for charges to be cost oriented. In Market 1 we have decided that BT should also be subject to a charge control, the details of which will be the subject of a separate consultation.

so any one LLU added to BT will turn a market 1 into a market 2.
In fact, the Ofcom document (rather than the web-based summary) goes further... An exchange is classed as market 2 even where an LLU provider is *forecast* to unbundle the exchange, and not just when it is operating.
What isn't clear is whether the exchange classification is a one-off affair (ie it happened in December 2010, according to those criteria), or if re-classification happens on an ongoing basis. And if re-classification happens on an ongoing basis - is there a method where Ofcom lets people know when the classifications change.

[#2]

99% it's a one off and I believe the first since the market classifications were announced.
I suspect that they will do it again in the future, again with a consultation period, but I wouldn't expect it to happen any more often than once every 12-24 months.

[#3]

My exchange changed within the last year from Market 1 to Market 2.

[#4]

Wasn't that at the end of the consultation period that started in late 2010?

[#5]

That's possible. TalkTalk were the first and SamKnows says "Enabled as of 25/08/2010" (exchange SDHRSTP)
Sky enabled during 2011 and it was sometime after that it changed to Market 2.
(BTW: Although there's a WBC RFS date of August I'm moving to an exchange with no date set (STGILGM) )

[#6]

Hi
Why would EAWBS be showing as Market 1 when Talk Talk (CPW) have also been enabled since 05/08/2011?  According to the market breakdown shouldn't this be Market 2?
http://www.plus.net/support/broadband/products/low_cost_areas.shtml
http://www.samknows.com/broadband/exchange/EAWBS
Thanks

[#7]

Because it changed after the last OFCOM review.

[#8]

Im in  the same situation, the exchange should be market 2 as Talk talk have arrived with LLU, but is listed as market 1.

what changed in the last review?
at the moment im looking to save some money, and talk talk prices are certainly extremly tempting, with no sign that plunsent are willing to compete.

[#9]

Hi pint,

Quote from: pint

at the moment im looking to save some money, and talk talk prices are certainly extremly tempting, with no sign that plunsent are willing to compete.

I'm sure if it came to that our customer options team would do what they could for you.
Jojo

[#10]

ok - thanks 🙂
might be a silly question, but EAWBS had a 2nd provider on 05/08/2011 which is more than 6 months ago....
- how often do OFCOM update the status?
- do plusnet take their description of markets (which has been met) or the OFCOM update (which seems to be updated less frequently than 6 months)

[#11]

OFCOM dictate to BT Wholesale how much they can charge. Only when OFCOM decide it is Market 2 or 3 do they allow BTw to reduce the charge and Plusnet will then pass that reduction on.

[#12]

I have just found out that my exchanged moved from market 1 to  market 2 (June 2011?) .... and I have just realized the PN has been over charging me for the last  ten  months at the higher rate of £12.99 instead of the new  'market 2 rate' of £6.49 for my 'Broadband value'  package, which I am told came into force some 6 months back 
This is neither neglect or incompetence on their part but deliberate. I have request a refund for the over payment, only to be told ... "Any customer who makes us aware of a new Market area classification will be immediately changed but no backdate of funds will be applied"
So how long would they have allowed me to overpay each month by £6.50 ... one month, maybe two or even TWO YEARS before telling me.

I have just been 'shafted' by Plusnet and am furious. Am now looking for an alternative ISP
Please get the word out to any others who might be in the same boat 
Bee good

[#13]

We're not out there to deliberately cause problems for anyone @busybees, if a market area changes we're unable to proactively alter the lead price of the account as the change doesn't link in to our billing system, however upon notifying us or changing the account type customers can take advantage of the change from market 2/3 to market 1.

[#14]

So what's wrong with emailing customers on exchanges whose classifications have been changed?

[#15]

Some customers opt out of marketing emails and then subsequently complain when they weren't told about things like this