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<p>The Government has legislated to make sure that new homes will have gigabit connectivity
as standard, amending the Building Regulations 2010 to place obligations on housing
developers to work with network operators to install gigabit broadband, where this
can be done within a commercial cost cap. This ensures that connectivity of new homes
is prioritised by housing developers at the outset.</p><p>Under this legislation,
housing developers are free to work with whichever Internet Service Provider (ISP)
they choose, with the terms and conditions under which they enter into agreements
being a commercial matter. Many Communications Providers (CPs)s offer wholesale access
to their networks, but it is ultimately a choice for Internet Service Providers (ISPs)
to decide which networks they use to serve customers.</p><p>Ofcom, as the independent
regulator for telecoms, is responsible for regulating monopolies in the telecoms market.
Where it determines a provider has significant market power (SMP), it can impose a
number of remedies aimed at opening up levels of competition, including requiring
them to allow competitors to offer services over their infrastructure at regulated
prices. Currently, Ofcom has determined that BT Group and KCOM have SMP in the UK,
but to date it has not done so with other providers.</p>
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