Government’s bold full fibre ambition is welcome, but consumers must be at its heart

Responding to today’s publication of the Government’s Future Telecoms Infrastructure Review, Mark Collins, CityFibre’s Director of Strategy, said: “Today marks the day the Government decided once and for all to leave copper behind and commit the UK to a full fibre future, making clear that a new generation of infrastructure builders is the vehicle for delivering its bold ambition for all homes and businesses to be connected to full fibre by 2033, not just Openreach. CityFibre is already building the networks that the UK’s economy needs to prosper and is ready to work with industry and Government to make this a reality quickly. “The Government’s plans to deliver nationwide full fibre include a welcome commitment to creating a level-playing field, ensuring greater transparency from the incumbent and delivering a stable regulatory environment for investment. However, it is critical that the consumer is at the heart of this fantastic opportunity from the start, as this is the key to unlocking demand. That means avoiding price rises, ensuring switching between networks is simple and ending the years of misleading ‘fake fibre’ advertising. Getting both sides of the equation right is key to ensuring millions of homes and businesses will benefit - we now need to see the Government and Ofcom push these plans through.” Notes to editors: CityFibre’s wholesale full fibre networks will reach no less than 20% of UK homes and businesses by 2025, and we will continue to connect even more people to gigabit speed broadband as we progress to 2033.