Verwaayen: "No network sell-off"

NEWS BT CEO Ben Verwaayen has confirmed BT will not sell off its local networks. In a letter to The Sunday Telegraph, he said: "Put simply, such a split would hamper the creation of new services and destroy customer focus." He reckons the move - advocated by those wanting more competition in the so-called local loop and some shareholders looking to reduce BT's debts further - would be akin to separating the national rail backbone from local operators, with the attendant problems.