BT and mobile operators warn of rising bills if Scotland goes independent
On September 18th, Scotland will vote on whether it will break away from the UK. As politicians ready their final campaign strategies ahead of the Referendum for Independence later this week, the UK's biggest telecoms companies have now got involved, warning of the potential consequences of a 'Yes" vote. BT, joined by TalkTalk, Telefonica UK (O2), Vodafone, EE and Three, issued a joint statement this weekend stating that while all parties would remain committed to "investing in high-quality, affordable services" for all of their UK customers, indecision over new regulations and spectrum allocations could force them to increase costs in an independent Scotland.
As it stands, all of the telecoms groups operate and license their networks on a UK-wide basis. If Scotland was to vote yes, it has the right to negotiate its own infrastructure deals, which the group believes would impact business costs. The country has a relatively low population density, which BT and co. say will ramp up the cost of upgrading smaller communities. The group hopes that an independent government would adhere to EU rules, allowing it to establish a level of continuity, no matter what Scotland decides.
[Image credit: camsinlux, Flickr]
