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Telecoms regulator Ofcom has warned BT that it must demonstrate a willingness to provide its rivals with "real equality of access" to its phone lines.
Reviewing BT's ownership of the great majority of the UK's physical phone lines, Ofcom said BT must take action or face a Competition Commission probe.
Ofcom added that BT would have to make both "behavioural and organisational" changes.
BT had faced the alternative threat of being broken into two separate firms.
The regulator ruled out full deregulation of the UK's telecoms market.
"Given BT's continued market power, this would be unlikely to encourage the growth of greater competition and as such would not serve the best interests of the consumer," it said.
'Changes necessary'
Instead, BT's Wholesale arm, which looks after its line network, must now offer rival phone providers exactly the same service as it does BT Retail, BT's own customer facing division.
Ofcom said competitors must have access to products and processes that were "truly equivalent to those offered to BT's own retail businesses".
"It is clear that such changes are a necessary pre-condition if there is to be any confidence that BT will not discriminate unfairly against competitors and in favour of its own retail businesses," it added.
If BT was unable to demonstrate a commitment to "equality of access" it would face a "disruptive and expensive" investigation by the Competition Commission, Ofcom said.
Reviewing BT's ownership of the great majority of the UK's physical phone lines, Ofcom said BT must take action or face a Competition Commission probe.
Ofcom added that BT would have to make both "behavioural and organisational" changes.
BT had faced the alternative threat of being broken into two separate firms.
The regulator ruled out full deregulation of the UK's telecoms market.
"Given BT's continued market power, this would be unlikely to encourage the growth of greater competition and as such would not serve the best interests of the consumer," it said.
'Changes necessary'
Instead, BT's Wholesale arm, which looks after its line network, must now offer rival phone providers exactly the same service as it does BT Retail, BT's own customer facing division.
Ofcom said competitors must have access to products and processes that were "truly equivalent to those offered to BT's own retail businesses".
"It is clear that such changes are a necessary pre-condition if there is to be any confidence that BT will not discriminate unfairly against competitors and in favour of its own retail businesses," it added.
If BT was unable to demonstrate a commitment to "equality of access" it would face a "disruptive and expensive" investigation by the Competition Commission, Ofcom said.
