answer text |
<p>We have no plans to introduce legislation which would allow BT/Openreach to charge
rural consumers more than urban consumers to subsidise their full fibre broadband
connections.</p><p> </p><p>The Government is already supporting rural broadband connectivity
in a number of ways. Our £1.8 billion superfast broadband programme has achieved its
target of 95% superfast coverage across the UK. In our Future Telecoms Infrastructure
Review (FTIR), we set a target to go further and ensure that 15 million premises can
connect to gigabit capable, full fibre broadband by 2025 with nationwide coverage
by 2033. We are already investing to make that happen, stimulating the market through
the £278 million Local Full Fibre Networks (LFFN) programme and the Gigabit Broadband
Voucher Scheme. The FTIR was clear that the Government would also support full fibre
broadband in less commercial areas of the country, likely to be around 10% of UK premises,
so that no areas are systematically left behind. To start this, the 2018 Budget announced
£200 million for the Rural Gigabit Connectivity programme.</p><p> </p><p>Ministers
meet regularly with Ofcom to discuss a range of issues. Ofcom is currently consulting
on its initial proposals for promoting competition and investment in fibre networks
across the country including in less commercial, rural areas of the UK.</p><p> </p>
|
|