Ofcom has just announced plans to shake-up the broadband market and bring full fibre to more homes across the UK. The communications regulator says that the UK’s broadband infrastructure needs to be upgraded and the way the forward is to use fibre-optic cables all the way to people’s homes which can then deliver much faster speeds than current and massively outdated copper lines.
Along with boosting download times, the new cable technology is also up to five times more reliable, and less likely to slow down when lots of people use them at the same time.
To make this broadband boost become a reality, Ofcom is now proposing new, flexible regulation that will help to build a full-fibre future for the whole of the UK.
Its proposals hope to transform the business case for fibre investment – for towns, cities and villages alike. Next year, Ofcom says it plans to vary its regulation for different parts of the country.
This, combined with the Government’s planned £5bn funding for rural areas, will help ensure nobody gets left behind. Speaking about the upgrade, Jonathan Oxley, Ofcom’s Interim Chief Executive said: “These plans will help fuel a full-fibre future for the whole country.
“We’re removing the remaining roadblocks to investment and supporting competition, so companies can build the networks that will drive the UK into the digital fast lane.