WIREDGOV

techUK’s Raj Sivalingam responds to Government’s announcement of a broadband Universal Service Obligation (USO).

The UK Government has announced the intention to introduce a broadband Universal Service Obligation (USO) with the ambition to give people the legal right to request a connection to broadband with speeds of 10 Mbps, no matter where they live.

Speaking yesterday, the Prime Minister talked about the government's intention to put access to broadband on a similar footing as other basic services like water and electricity. This reflects the growing understanding that fast broadband connectivity is now seen as a key service, essential not only for busy families but also for businesses and entrepreneurs across the UK.

The government will be releasing a consultation on this in early 2016.

Raj Sivalingam, techUK's Executive Director of Telecoms and Spectrum responded: "techUK welcomes the Government's recognition that broadband and the online benefits that it facilitates is an essential part of our daily social and economic lives.

However, it's important to remember that one size will not fit all in terms of the choice of services across the country. There are a number of geographic and population factors that affect this and a variety of technologies, from fibre copper and cable to wireless and satellites will be required to deliver this level of connectivity to all.

The Government is right to set the ambition. Fortunately we are starting from a position of strength in the UK. Government, Ofcom and industry now need to work together on the detail. The chosen approach must strike the right balance for UK consumers, citizens and the businesses that will deliver it."

As a starting point, techUK believes that the consultation needs to adopt 3 broad principles:

• Maximise investment incentives: The best and most sustainable means of maximising broadband availability is through commercially driven networks; the Government should do everything possible to reduce the (regulatory eg. planning regimes) cost of infrastructure deployment and therefore maximise the areas with a positive business case. Only in the remaining areas should other interventions be considered including loan arrangements and public investment
• Focus on innovation: Industry needs to continue to innovate (in business models and network realisation) to push out commercial broadband networks as widely as possible
• Technology neutrality: The achievement of universal access to broadband will entail the application of a range of technologies and transmission media (from fibre, copper and cable to wireless (mobile and wifi) and satellite. Government, Ofcom and industry in their respective roles apply must harness the full range of technologies to deliver the ambition.