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<p>The UK broadband market is generally competitive at a retail level, with a wide
variety of Internet Service Providers, like Sky and TalkTalk, utilising BT Openreach’s
broadband network to provide services across the UK, including in outer London. Much
of the UK, including many areas of outer London, will also have access to other broadband
networks, including Virgin Media’s network.</p><p>The UK has good superfast broadband
coverage, with over 96% of premises having access to superfast speeds. As such, the
government’s current focus is on delivering faster nationwide gigabit-capable broadband
networks as soon as possible. Much progress towards this ambition has already been
made, with around 1 in 3 UK premises now able to access gigabit-capable broadband
according to the latest figures from Ofcom and ThinkBroadband.</p><p>The government
believes that the way to deliver gigabit-capable broadband at pace is to encourage
greater network competition and commercial investment, and to do so through the following
steps:</p><ul><li><p>Making the cost of deploying gigabit capable networks as low
as possible by addressing barriers to deployment, which increase costs and cause delays.</p></li><li><p>Supporting
market entry and expansion by alternative network operators through easy access to
BT Openreach’s ducts and poles, complemented by access to other utility infrastructure.</p></li><li><p>Stable
and long-term regulation that encourages competitive network investment.</p></li><li><p>Supporting
the timely switchover to new gigabit capable broadband networks.</p></li></ul><p>As
the telecoms regulator, Ofcom has a key role in promoting competition. In addition,
the government’s first ever Statement of Strategic Priorities (SSP) for telecoms,
which was designated in October 2019, reiterated the importance of network competition
and commercial investment to the rapid rollout of gigabit-capable broadband. Ofcom
has to have regard to the SSP when exercising its regulatory functions and it is currently
consulting on its regulations for the broadband market from April 2021 to March 2026.
Its stated aim for this review is to promote competition and investment in new full
fibre networks.</p><p>Some UK premises, mainly those in rural and/or remote areas,
are unlikely to benefit from network competition and may not get gigabit-capable broadband
in a reasonable timeframe without public sector investment. This is why we are investing
£5 billion in these areas through our UK Gigabit programme.</p><p><strong> </strong></p>
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