By Joey Gardiner, 17 January 2000 15:59
NEWS Oftel is to take a lighter regulatory role in situations where it finds that effective competition is already taking place. In a wide-ranging review of its strategy, the telecoms regulator is to lay down the rules for a sector-by-sector approach to the industry. Where it finds proper competition already happening it will take a step back and allow market forces free reign. Oftel indicated that one of the first areas they would look at would be the mobile phone market. A spokeswoman for Oftel commented: "We only want to impose rules when they are needed - if a sector doesn't require that level of regulation then we will adopt a lighter touch". Oftel is keen to keep the regulations governing the telecoms industry to a minimum to encourage investment and entrepreneurship. However it has been criticised in the past for being too lenient, notably towards BT ('Industry disappointed by Oftel's unbundling timetable' http://www.silicon/a34373 ).
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