Channel Island home phone competition plan

There could be more choice in the Channel Island home phone market in future according to the telecommunication regulator.

People wanting broadband internet currently need a fixed telephone line from either JT in Jersey or Cable & Wireless in Guernsey.

John Curran, the islands' regulator said customers wanted more choice.

He said: "The benefits of greater competition are readily seen when looking at the mobile sectors."

A joint initiative between Guernsey and Jersey involving telecom operators and the regulator has found a number of wholesale products they say would "allow for a more even playing field."

'Greater price competition'

Mr Curran said: "This would be in competition with those that currently control much of the infrastructure.

"The benefits of greater competition are readily seen when looking at the mobile sectors in Guernsey and Jersey, with a wider variety of packages and greater price competition, particularly since mobile number portability was introduced to both islands in 2008.

"We believe the introduction of these kinds of products which would allow consumers to take all their fixed services from a choice of service providers will deliver real savings to consumers."

Currently telecom operators are limited to what they can offer as the incumbent operators set the features of the wholesale products they sell.

Mr Curran said: "This effectively limits how alternative operators can respond to their customers or differentiate themselves from the incumbents' control of their island's telecoms infrastructure."

The Channel Island Competition Regulatory Authority has released a consultation document and hope to have made a final decision by Spring 2012.