26 September 2007
Regulator Ofcom has entered its opinion into the growing debate about how the UK should implement super-fast broadband.
The debate centres on the question of whether the UK should put in place a nationwide fibre network. Investing in such a network would cost around an estimated £15billion.
Ofcom's decision to analyse the future of what it called next generation access comes shortly after a government announcement last week, pledging to make broadband infrastructure a top priority.
Similarly both the Minister for Competitiveness and Ofcom has agreed the importance of improved broadband infrastructure in the UK. Possible public sector intervention has not been ruled out as an option.
Ofcom have explained that next generation access offers superb new opportunities for UK business and consumers, and its potential impact on the economy is of great importance.
Ofcom pointed out that market and infrastructure conditions in the UK are very different to those countries where investment in fibre has already been strong. In other countries fibre has been rolled out to provide pay TV services whereas the UK has a strong cable and satellite TV market.
BT, which is already investing heavily in upgrading its core network, said the case for fibre to the home had yet to be made while many businesses already enjoyed high speed connections. BT welcomes the chance to discuss this issue with Ofcom, the government and the wider industry. A BT spokesman commented:
More than 120,000 businesses already use fibre services and we'll continue to deploy fibre where it makes commercial sense.
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