September 23, 2022:-British media controller Ofcom will invest in Amazon, Microsoft, and Google’s tight hold on the cloud computing industry.

In the future weeks, the watchdog will launch a study to examine the company’s position in offering public shadow infrastructure and if they pose any barriers to competition.

On Thursday, its probe will focus on “hyperscalers” like Amazon Web Services, Microsoft Azure, and Google Cloud, permitting businesses to access computing power and data storage from remote servers rather than hosting it on their private infrastructure.

Selina Chadha, Ofcom’s director of connectivity, said the regulator hadn’t yet decided whether the cloud giants are engaged in anticompetitive manners. The regulator could take further action if it finds the companies are harming competition. Ofcom said it would conclude its review and publish a definitive report including any concerns and offered recommendations within 12 months.

The review will be part of a broader digital strategy push by Ofcom, regulating the broadcasting and telecommunications industries in the U.K.

Over the coming year, it plans to investigate other digital markets, including personal messaging and virtual assistants such as Amazon’s Alexa. Ofcom said it is interested in how services which include Meta’s WhatsApp, Apple’s Facetime, and Zoom, have impacted traditional calling and messaging and the competitive landscape among digital assistants, connected T.V.s, and innovative speakers.

“The work we do and business is transforming by digital services,” Ofcom’s Chadha said. “But as the number of platforms and networks that serve content continues to increase, so do the technological and economic issues that confront regulators,” she further said.

“That’s the reason we’re kick-starting a program of work to scrutinize these digital markets, identify any competition concerns, and ensure they’re working well for people and businesses who rely on them,” she added.