Switch off for copper network is vital, but must be done right

Commenting on the Chancellor’s comments that the Government will announce a date for copper switch off to encourage investment in full fibre, Greg Mesch, CEO of CityFibre, said: “Switching off the copper network is a vital part of moving the UK to a full fibre future, but leaving decisions on how it is done in the hands of the incumbent risks imposing costs and delays on consumers. “As Clive Selley’s comments on the Today programme (17th July 2018) make clear, Openreach’s approach to the switchover would result in unnecessary and unwelcome price rises for both consumers and internet service providers. “To put consumers and businesses at the heart of the full fibre upgrade, the Government needs to harness the competitive benefits of new market entrants and set out a carefully managed copper switch off process that prevents Openreach from hijacking the migration process, as this would re-establish its monopoly position and hold back the UK’s digital economy.” As the UK’s leading alternative full fibre investor, without the baggage of a legacy copper network, CityFibre will bring consumers the benefits of reliable gigabit connectivity, without requiring them to pay more for it. CityFibre is already busy building the networks required to meet the Government’s 2033 nationwide deployment target.