'Lazy and complacent' Oftel panned by MPs

Martin O'Neill MP, chair of the committee, was particularly critical of the speed of Oftel's actions. He said: "Lazy is the way that I would describe the speed of your consultation process... Your complacency is quite appalling."

But David Edmonds, director general of Oftel, defended the regulator's track record, pointing to an announcement made just yesterday which should force BT to offer ISPs a true unmetered wholesale net access tarrif by next February.

He said: "We have asked BT, no, told BT, that they must treat operators as customers, not as nasty incubus coming in. We have been very tough indeed with BT."

Edmonds did accept that the regulator had acted too slowly on leased line prices, claiming action will be taken by the end of the year.

On a lack of transparency in the UK mobile phone market, Edmonds said: "In any marketplace where there has been a 20 per cent reduction in prices over the last year, the consumer is doing something right."

O'Neill felt this was an inadequate response, and asked: "If you've got the powers, why aren't you using them? Week after week consumers are buying mobile phones and tariffs they don't want or understand... Gas and electricity have been whipped into line in a way that you haven't managed... Consumers may be being ripped off a little less this year than last year but volumes are increasing."

On Oftel's attitude to public telephones, he said: "I find it very strange that at a time that other regulators are embracing social obligations you seem to be walking away from them."

The committee is collecting evidence for a report expected to be published by the end of the year.

Speaking to silicon.com after the meeting closed, an Oftel spokeman said: "Oftel takes these occasions very seriously and was pleased to be able to put its case."

By Nik Hole