UK telco BT is preparing to open up access to its underground cable ducts to its competitors in order to enable them to run their own high-speed broadband networks through the company's infrastructure, without the expense of digging up pavements, according to reports in The Financial Times.

The move could be a significant step forward for the UK's broadband infrastructure, and is speculated to result from recent assertions by the Conservative Party that if elected in the next general election, they would legislate to force BT to open up its ducts to rivals in order to stimulate market-led investment in the nation's broadband networks.

For its part, BT stressed that it has been talking to communications regulator Ofcom since last year about opening up its ducts: “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," said Ian Livingston, CEO of BT.  "Although it’s unlikely to be the silver bullet to get fibre to every home, 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.”