“New legislation will help accelerate the delivery of
fast, reliable and secure broadband networks
to millions of homes. ”
LEGISLATION
The purpose of the legislation is
to:
-
Roll out gigabit capable broadband across the UK to
achieve nationwide coverage as soon as possible so people can
reap the huge benefits of the fastest, most secure and most
resilient internet connections, regardless of where they
live.
-
Make it easier for telecoms companies to install
broadband infrastructure in blocks of flats.
-
Ensure that all new homes are built with reliable and
fast internet speeds.
The main benefits of the legislation would
be:
-
Faster speeds (one gigabit, i.e. 1,000 megabits per
second) boosting productivity, driving innovation in our public
services and giving people the fast connectivity they need to
access equal opportunities and reap the benefits of the digital
revolution.
-
Increasing download speeds with a gigabit-capable
network, which are more than 30 times the speed of superfast
broadband and will allow you to download a HD film in fewer
than 45 seconds.
-
Faster and more reliable internet connections for people
living in flats. New measures will also ensure that all new
homes are built with the fastest connectivity available,
increasing certainty for businesses investing in gigabit speed
networks and making it easier for people to switch to better
broadband deals.
The main elements of the legislation
are:
-
Creating a cheaper and faster light-touch tribunal
process for telecoms companies to obtain interim code rights
(or access rights) for a period of up to . 18 months. This will
mean that they can install broadband connections where the
landlord has failed to respond to repeated requests for
access.
-
Amending the Building Act 1984 so that Building
Regulations require all new build developments to have the
infrastructure to support gigabit-capable connections.
-
Requiring for developers to work with broadband companies
to install gigabit- capable connections in virtually all new
build developments, up to a cost cap.
Territorial extent and application
-
The Bill's provisions extend and apply to the whole of
the UK. Telecommunications is a reserved matter.
OTHER MEASURES
-
To ensure that no part of the country is left without
next-generation broadband, the Government has recently pledged
£5 billion to support the rollout of gigabit-capable broadband
in the hardest to reach 20 per cent of the country.
-
In the two years to 2021 we are already investing £650
million to stimulate the market to deploy gigabit capable
connections in urban and rural areas through:
o The £400 million Digital Infrastructure
Investment Fund.
o The £200 million Local Full Fibre Networks
Programme which funds locally-led full fibre projects.
o The £200 million Rural Gigabit Connectivity
Programme which will deploy gigabit capable broadband to local
hubs in rural areas, starting with primary schools.
o The £67 million Gigabit Broadband Voucher
Scheme.
-
To further support the commercial environment for
investment, the Government laid its Statement of Strategic
Priorities for Ofcom in Parliament, formally confirming the
regulation needed to maximise the deployment of gigabit
broadband.
-
The Government has spent £1.8 billion bringing superfast
broadband to over 96 per cent of the country, with thousands of
homes and businesses connected each week.
-
Not all areas of the country have decent broadband. To
tackle this the Government has introduced the Universal Service
Obligation of 10 megabits per second. This is due to come into
force in March next year and will give every home and business
the legal right to request a decent connection up to a
Reasonable Cost Threshold of £3,400 per premise.
Key facts
-
One in seven people in the UK live in flats or apartments
and it is estimated there are 450,000 blocks of flats in the
UK.
-
40 per cent of operators’ requests seeking access from a
landlord receive no response.
-
It is estimated that operators will connect an extra
3,000 properties a year as a result of the Leasehold Property
Bill.
-
22 per cent of new build developments in 2019 have been
built without a gigabit-capable connection.
-
40,000 new homes are built a year without full
fibre.
-
A gigabit-capable network connection is one that is
capable of achieving 1,000 megabits per second, i.e. 1 gigabits
per second, download speeds.
