We don't feel we should be split up just to suit Cable & Wireless

BT spokesman

BT, however, remained defiant.

"We don't feel we should be split up just to suit Cable & Wireless," said a spokesman.

"We think it is a bit of an outdated view. It would be expensive and time consuming. It is time now to concentrate on delivery."

Not our job

Telecoms watchdog Oftel said it was not its job to split BT up.

"The structure of BT is a matter for BT. If a decision was made to split it up that would be made by the Department of Trade and Industry, not Oftel," said a spokesperson for the watchdog.

"The UK started later but evidence now shows that the broadband market is growing," she added.

Half a million homes in the UK now have a broadband internet connection. Around half are connected via an ADSL connection and half via cable.

BT dominates the ADSL market, offering services wholesale to other operators.

Door still open

Recent wholesale price cuts and the launch of a self-install service have dramatically increased the number of broadband connections, which is now running at 20,000 a week according to Oftel.

Operators are still largely dependent on BT for service and local loop unbundling - in which other operators take over BT's lines and run competing ADSL services - has failed to attract interest.

BT insists the door to its exchanges remains open.

"All our exchanges are open for business. We are sitting here saying 'Where are you?'" said a BT spokesman.