BSG comments on Caio Review
The Caio Report on Next Generation Broadband is a key step towards UK consumers getting superfast broadband, according to the Broadband Stakeholder Group, the government’s advisory body on broadband.
Kip Meek, Chairman of the Broadband Stakeholder Group, says, “Importantly, this report states that although there is no government money on the table, there is a key leadership role for both government and Ofcom, and that everyone involved in the provision of broadband must work more closely together if we are to address the challenges of deployment of next generation, super-fast, broadband in the UK.???
BSG believes that the report is important for three reasons:
- Firstly it is saying that government needs to come off the fence and recognise that next generation broadband will be of fundamental importance to the UK economy
BSG agrees and believes that government and Ofcom together must show leadership in creating the right environment for investment to take place.
- Secondly, it is saying that we shouldn’t expect a single entity to deploy a single fibre network universally across the UK. Instead we are likely to see different networks, being deployed in different areas, by different organisations using a mix of fibre and wireless technologies.
This is borne out by the BSG’s recent cost modelling work which concluded that universal Fibre to the Home (FTTH) would cost £28.8bn
- Thirdly while it rejects the need for blanket subsidies, it is saying that local innovative projects, involving the public and private sector and local communities should be encouraged and supported both as a stimulus to competition and as a way of extending coverage into more rural areas.
BSG research earlier this year demonstrated that if built on international best practice, such projects can be both efficient and effective. But coordination is required at national level.
The BSG is committed to assisting government and the regulator in implementing the recommendations from the Caio Review.