Communications Bill - Clause 69 - Permitted subject-matter of access-related conditions
Communications Bill
5:00 pm
Mr John Whittingdale (Maldon and East Chelmsford, Conservative)
I am delighted that my hon. Friend has raised the issue, as it is interesting. I have been as puzzled as him about it. I too am a Vodaphone customer, but my phone has a button that allows me to search for different networks. The phone will actually come up with four networks, but only in this country can people not access anything other than their own network. If people are in any other country and do the same thing, they can choose which network to use. One will generally be cheaper than the others, because there will be some arrangement between the companies. The technology is clearly there, as the phone identifies it. We would move towards a more competitive market if we could have an arrangement whereby we had the same ability in this country that we do abroad.