Hi everyone. It’s been a while since last I wrote, and I’ve been pretty busy what with work, rest and play. But mainly work. Lots of it. We’ve also collectively been devoting our efforts into moving this and our other sites onto a new server and setting up a new framework with which to move everything forward.

However, I’ve been feeling a bit guilty, having neglected the ‘Gurus log for quite some time. And I’m here to do something about it.

Today, I’m going to put my thoughts down about Oftel and ask: Is this feeble beast ever going to learn how to bite?

Time and again, I see examples of companies abusing their positions, and being let off by Oftel with little more than a mild frown and a “ooh, naughty boy, don’t do it again". We have the potential for a world-class telecommunications infrastructure, if only we could shift the dead wood and anti-competitive practises from our industry and encourage innovation and competition. However, with the limping, toothless mutt that is Oftel, our industry ‘watch-dog’ is no deterrent to anyone.

I used to think that the biggest problem was the fact that our communications infrastructure was borne of a state-run monopoly. Privatising this monopoly was in principle a great idea, but it has certainly had more than its fare share of critics. The resultant public company, who shall remain unnamed though I imagine you all know exactly who I mean, has always skirted on the edges of ‘the rules’. Regardless, it’s a publicly traded organisation and as such we can almost excuse its dirty tricks; in a nutshell, its goals are like any other of its ilk - to maximise revenue and add shareholder value - and it is obliged to do this under the terms of its public listing.

As an industry, we need to be protected from the abuses of giant telecoms concerns such as the one in question. Its stifling, anti-competitive operations can be considered as resistance to the threat of alternative choices. However, with the power that big business has, it is vital that someone referees. We all know in our hearts that big business does bend and often break the rules, and will always do this unless kept in check.

So, there is a clear need to provide both an effective ‘watch-dog’ and a ‘referee’ for our industry.

This is where Oftel comes in. It is meant to regulate against all manner of bad industry practises, and provide an independent body to act as industry arbitrator. It should be an example of a highly trained, fair-but-capable ‘watch-dog’, keeping everyone in check.

It fails miserably.

I have a feeling that it is doomed to continue to fail unless it is reformed into a many-toothed beast with real power. I’d like to see it operating with the ‘no bullshit’ force of HM Customs & Excise (a veritable Doberman Pinscher amongst ‘watch-dogs’) or some other such body. It needs the power to act, and needs to actually see its threats through.

However, again and again we see little bark and almost no bite. I ask: is it now time to disband Oftel and create an industry regulator that actually regulates? To turn our toothless “Mutley” into a “Sabre” or “Cerebus"?