The UK Office of Telecommunications industry regulator intends to make proposals to liberalize the market for telephone directories, currently held on a database controlled by British Telecommunications Plc. The move follows consultation with operators, service providers and customer groups. Respondents agreed that this would improve the quality and price of existing products and services, but must not increase the risk of misuse of customer information. Under the new proposals the market could be liberalized by allowing competitors to duplicate the existing database and provide a range of wholesale products and services. The Office said several respondents, including British Telecom, have argued that such duplication would be innefficient so it is studying a proposal that the database be put under joint control.
