The Guernsey Competition & Regulatory Authority has examined the wholesale charges for broadband services that retailers pay and then pass on to local businesses and residential customers.
Following the review, the Guernsey Competition & Regulatory Authority (GCRA) has come to the provisional view that these charges should be lowered by 11% on average to create a better deal for end-users while ensuring profits are reasonable.
The GCRA is the telecommunications regulator for Guernsey and among other roles it looks to ensure that where markets are highly concentrated, such as in the provision of wholesale broadband services, these are priced reasonably. Sure (Guernsey) Limited is the dominant provider of these telecom services in Guernsey.
Wholesale broadband services are telecommunications connections used by households and businesses that are used to access the internet for a range of purposes, including viewing content online, communicating through applications, and carrying out transactions using devices such as desktops, mobile phones, and other portable devices.
The proposed decision is now out for consultation and the GCRA expects to finalise its decision by the autumn.