BT Still exploiting monopoly
Let's take for example my current ADSL line, Phone call audio is very quiet, the NTE5 is about 15 years old, as is the drop cable, there are no extensions connected, only a Linksys WAG200G router, I am running at 59dB downstream attenuation which shows I should be capable of getting 2.2mbit on IPstream or 2.4mbit ADSL2+, fair enough, I did get 2mbit for 2 weeks, then it dropped to 608kbit sync speed, with no change to the attenuation, changing router, microfilter, phone cord, no change, my ISP looked into it and determined that there may be a fault on the line, but as the line is provided by BT I should take it up with them. I took it up with BT who say that the line meets minimum spec and isn't faulty, If I want an engineer, no problem - 120 for them to turn up on the doorstep.
I know of people who use BT as an ISP and BT will bend over backwards to help, yet the moment BT aren't the sole provider on the line they don't want to know.
BT hold onto their monopoly through being uncooperative to people who choose alternative ISPs, making it difficult to obtain levels of service that should be expected (when the person you are shouting down the phone to simply so they can hear you, tells you that you are VERY quiet, but that there is no fault on the line, you get to believe that they may, in fact, be incorrect)
BT hold a monopoly by simply making it impossible to get problems resolved simply by passing the buck to the ISP, who promptly tell you it's BT's problem.
Ofcom should implement a ruling that fault resolution should be managed properly by the line provider (usually BT) and specify a minimum level of service as a percentage of the 'up to' line speed.