Major BT investors speak out about future of Openreach

Some of BT's biggest investors have spoken out about the possible split of the network from the rest of the telecoms giant.

Ofcom has been conducting its once-a-decade review of the communications sector, which has prompted heavy campaigning from the company's rivals for it to be referred to the competition regulators.

"My view is that separation is unlikely and as far as we're concerned that is a good thing," one top 10 shareholder told the Sunday Telegraph.

"It would be an overhang on the shares for years as the thing was disentangled."

Another major shareholder told the newspaper it was opposed to a sale "on the basis that it would be disruptive and would not add value".

The initial results of the review are due in early 2016.