Re: He who pays the piper
"It's got to be owned by shareholders who aren't part of the industry Openreach is providing services to otherwise nothing will change."
Actually there's a lot of mileage in allowing all comers (including telcos) to own shares up to 5% maximum for any entity, but prohibiting any preferential voting stock and making submarining (ownership of more than the limit by stealth) a criminal matter(*) with any shares discovered to be held this way immediately forfeitable to the crown.
(*) In the case of mergers, any shares which would take the combined entity over the limit must be disposed of on the day the merger is announced - even if that means taking a bath on the value.
Biting the hand that feeds IT
