(Telecompaper) The UK Competitive Telecommunications Association (UKTA) has called on regulator Ofcom to improve competition in the business market by opening up access to the passive infrastructure operated by BT Openreach, the operator's network business. The group, which includes EE, Sky, TalkTalk, Virgin Media, Vodafone, Colt and Level 3, state that the needs of businesses have been left behind while policymakers and regulators have focused on residential users, with domestic areas often getting a better broadband service that business parks. They feel that as long as BT has control of the basic infrastructure, competition and innovation will be stifled. UKCTA cites a survey showing that a significant portion of businesses believes that Openreach has restricted choice in the market and urges Ofcom to return its focus to improving competition. The group claims that Openreach has consistently failed to meet its own standards on delivery times, fault rates and fault repair times. Separately, Reuters reports that BT has responded that forcing Openreach to open access to BT ducts would raise costs and that BT was publishing its service voluntarily to show its commitment to improving service. The company said, "The UK has a vibrant wholesale business connectivity market, with strong competition and innovation amongst a large number of providers."