There has never been any CABLE competition were Ive lived normaly the councils Will reject any offer out right as each council has already SOLD of the Rights to lay cable already.
NTL and Telewest Did not install the cable in most areas other Private companies did as they PAYED the councils at the time for the rights to do so.
For example
Cornwall & Devon were sold to Eurobell
Dorset was Cable and Wireless.
Each of these were then sold to ether Telewest or NTL.
Some councils have again agreed to sell some companies the right to supply REAL Fibre To The Home (FTTH) connections as it no longer needs the roads to be dug up. Private Apartment blocks have always had the option to have another ISP when being built but TOWN wide is normaly blocked by councils.
Dundee and Bournemouth (yes notice were I Live) are going Town wide even if it takes 4 years to get it done
.
Then there will be Town wide Cable competition..then in 2016 when BT joins Fibrecity vs Virgin with the User having a real option to switch every 12-18 months...