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2003

THUS plc, one of the UK's leading providers of voice, networking, Internet and contact centre services today welcomed Oftel's finding that BT has been illegally misusing confidential information.

THUS asked Oftel to investigate BT's use of confidential customer details of customers who had opted to move to THUS's carrier pre-select (CPS) service. CPS is an arrangement by which customers connected to a BT line can opt to have their calls carried by an alternative operator to BT. THUS believed that BT was contravening section 94 of the Communications Act by using these confidential details to target customers for 'save' calls.

BT has an obligation under its conditions of entitlement (and previously under its licence) not to misuse confidential information provided for interconnect purposes. It is this condition which it has breached in making 'save' calls. Oftel found BT guilty of a separate abuse in August 2003, when it required BT to cease misusing the 'cancel other' facility in conjunction with its 'save' activity.

Commenting on the decision, Bill Allan, Chief Executive, THUS plc said: "We applaud and welcome Oftel's determination on carrier pre-select to support open and fair competition in the UK telecommunication market. Today's decision provides business and consumers with greater choice and value from their telecommunication service provider.

"We encourage Oftel, and Ofcom, to remain vigilant to continue to encourage a competitive market structure, and to use today's decision to quickly arrive at a favourable outcome on wholesale line rental which, again, will greatly benefit UK business."