TELECOMMUNICATIONS: OFTEL RETAINS CONTROL OVER BT TARIFFS IN UK.

External control has existed since the privatisation of the erstwhile national telecommunications monopoly in 1984. Oftel had already intimated that it would maintain control in a document published in October.BT is required maintain price rises for private clients for fixed communications at 4.5 percentage points below inflation until July 2002. With inflation currently running at about 3%, BT is in fact required to reduce its rates. Oftel believes controls are still necessary to protect consumers. The maintenance of this measure will permit households to save GBP270 million (Euro 429 million) per year, according to the Government...