an independent openreach would be slower and cost more. its better at the moment where everyone can blame BT and let OpenReach get on with it. If its on its own, all the ISP's will be tugging it in different directions, & still BT would be accused as it is, & will be for a long time, openreaches biggest customer. If OpenReach goes, VM's net should go to, at least we could then get our favourite ISP over the fastest connection whether that be DOCSIS or XDSL.
as i've written before, BT currently has an interest in keeping OpenReaches (Line Rental) charges down, ISP's will have an interest in upping openreaches charges so they get more margin on the passed through costs, possibly by sticking in unnecessary gear and charging their peers for transiting it.
Line rental is the charge for maintaining and improving the lines across the nation and levied on all PSTN based connections.