BT to open up broadband tunnel network to rivals - FT

LONDON Feb 8 (Reuters) - British telecom carrier BT (BT.L) plans to allow its competitors to use its underground tunnel network to run high-speed broadband, the Financial Times reported on Monday.

BT Chief Executive Ian Livingston told the FT the company would provide open access to its ducts in a move to help extend high-speed broadband coverage across Britain.

"We told Ofcom last year we're willing to provide open access to our ducts ... and we are working with them on how to achieve it," Livingston said.

"Open access to all ducts, not just ours, might help BT and others extend coverage and so we would like to see a future government support such a move," he said.

Late last year Livingston called for clarity over future government subsidies for the broadband network infrastructure.

BT is spending 1.5 billion pounds on an optical fibre network, that will increase download speeds 10-fold, in time for the 2012 Olympic games.

The company hopes to recoup some of its investment costs by signing wholesale deals with its competitors, the paper said.

(Reporting by Caroline Copley; Editing by Bernard Orr)