DTI commissions review of UK ecommerce

The DTI today announced a wide-ranging review of ecommerce to be undertaken jointly between the Office of Fair Trading (OFT) and the telephone regulator, Oftel.

Trade and Industry Secretary, Stephen Byers, said in a speech to the LSE that the review would investigate all potential barriers to fair competition and growth for ecommerce.

Byers commented that the cost of Internet access in the UK was low and continuing to fall. "We need to ensure that this continues to happen and that is why I have commissioned this review," he said.

The OFT said it was pleased to accept such an "interesting project" from the government. Officials said they would start hammering out the details later today with senior representatives from Oftel, the Department of Trade and Industry, the Department for Culture, Media and Sport and the Independent Television Commission.

The report is to be completed by March 2000.