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NIC Wants UK Gov to Set Full Fibre Broadband Plan by Spring 2019

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Bowdon:
https://www.ispreview.co.uk/index.php/2018/07/nic-wants-uk-gov-to-set-full-fibre-broadband-plan-by-spring-2019.html


--- Quote ---The Government’s National Infrastructure Commission (NIC) has today published the United Kingdom’s first-ever National Infrastructure Assessment, which among other things calls for nationwide coverage of “full fibre” (FTTP/H) broadband by 2033 and for a related ‘National Broadband Plan‘ to be devised by Spring 2019.

The NIC, which is chaired by Sir John Armitt, consists of 7 commissioners including Dame Kate Barker, Professor Sir Tim Besley, Professor David Fisk, Andy Green, Professor Sadie Morgan, Julia Prescot and Bridget Rosewell. At present the NIC does not have statutory independence and their charter merely requires that the Gov respond to its recommendations “no more than a year after publication, and wherever possible within six months.”

At the time of writing we haven’t yet read the full report, although a sneak peek of the document seen by ISPreview.co.uk yesterday states that the broadband plan must deliver “full fibre connections across the whole of the country, including those in rural areas – this should ensure that the technology is available to 15 million homes and businesses by 2025, 25 million by 2030, and all homes and businesses by 2033.”
--- End quote ---


--- Quote ---    Sir John Armitt said:

    “Whether it’s electric or driverless cars, new energy sources, tackling the risk of climate change or preparing for the newest and fastest broadband speeds, the issues we’ve been considering profoundly affect people’s everyday lives.

    The whole purpose of the UK’s first-ever National Infrastructure Assessment is to think beyond the technologies of today and to ensure we can make the most of future innovations. It’s why it’s not just a one-off but something we will be repeating every five years to ensure we remain on the front foot.

    This is not some unaffordable wish-list of projects: it sets a clear direction for how to meet the country’s future infrastructure needs, and makes a realistic assessment of what can and should be delivered within the stated aim of Ministers for steady and continued investment over the coming years.

    I therefore look forward to the Government’s response to our report, and seeing how our recommendations can become reality.”
--- End quote ---


--- Quote ---    An Openreach Spokesperson said:

    “We share the Government’s full fibre vision for Britain. This year we’ll double our FTTP footprint and by 2020, we will have built it to 3 million homes across the UK.

    We want to reach 10m premises by the mid-2020s, and believe we can ultimately fully-fibre the majority of the UK under the right conditions.

    This is an expensive, complex, once-in-a-generation engineering project which the industry can only deliver with longer term certainty over the return on investment.

    We therefore agree with the NIC’s view that to achieve the 2033 ambition, the UK needs to cut the cost of full fibre deployment, promote a competitive market with a stable regulatory regime, and commit to deregulate in areas where competition is effective.”
--- End quote ---

Ronski:
ORs comments are quite interesting, clearly referring to not being able to remove copper and what they are allowed to charge for each line, as holding them back.

niemand:
OR have been pretty consistent on that score. The #1 obstacle to wider FTTP in the UK remains Ofcom, as it has been for a while.

Ronski:
Perhaps they need to be more vocal about it. No other operator is forced to endure what OR have to, we need to scrap LLU and the restrictions it imposes.

Weaver:
Perhaps Ingintiinner would tell me a little more about Ofcom?

Presumably someone who pays their wages could go round and light a bonfire under them as needed?

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