UK on track to miss even its slashed full-fibre gigabit coverage goals, warn MPs
- Reference: 1608639613
- News link: https://www.theregister.co.uk/2020/12/22/uk_to_miss_revised_fibre_target/
- Source link:
The news comes after government had already slashed previous targets for total nationwide gigabit coverage by 2025 to 85 per cent in November. It also hacked away at the level of state subsidy available for wiring up rural areas that would otherwise be written off by commercial providers, which [1]decreased from £5n to £1.2bn in the Autumn Spending review.
The opinion that the UK won't hit anything close 85 per cent gigabit-capable broadband by 2025 is shared by industry, with the committee's "Broadband and the Road to 5G" report noting there is "no genuine belief" within the sector that the goals are achievable. This sentiment was echoed by the National Audit Office (NAO), which remarked that delivering UK-wide connectivity would require a fourfold increase in deployment rates, as well as "roadworks on most UK roads".
"Delivering UK-wide connectivity would require the telecoms industry to lay around 500,000 kilometres of new cable to around 31 million premises, compared with around 100,000 street cabinets for fibre to the cabinet (FTTC)," the NAO said.
World leader in 5G: What does that even mean?
The report described this changing position as a "surprise" and added it would "not be acceptable having abandoned one unrealistic target, for the Government to fail to meet a second, less ambitious, target through lack of effective planning or inadequate investment."
Another point of contention is the perceived lack of clarity surrounding the government's ambitions for the rollout of 5G, with the report noting complaints from industry about vague aspirations of "being a world leader in 5G" without detailing how it will cover a majority of the population.
"The government does not appear to have any particular targets for the deployment of 5G infrastructure in the UK over the next 5–10 years. Nor, so far as I am aware, has there been any consideration of how such targets, and the potential role for 5G fixed wireless services, might then inform the Government's full-fibre plans," said one anonymous former Vodafone director interviewed for the report.
This focus on population rather than landmass, the report added, will result in rural areas being left behind, mirroring the situation in rollouts of previous generations of mobile connectivity tech.
Roughly 9 per cent of the UK's landmass is a " [2]not-spot " lacking 4G service from any operator. In Scotland, that percentage jumps to 20 per cent.
Concluding, the committee urged the government to provide clarity on its rollout goals, particularly when it comes to full-fibre connections. This would include an explanation of how it settled on its new 85 per cent coverage goal, combined with an assessment on the likelihood of it delivering that target.
"The government's decision to abandon its 2025 gigabit-capable broadband target within weeks of ministers reassuring us of their commitment to it was a belated recognition that it was unrealistic and unachievable, underlining concerns we'd heard from industry. Valuable time has been lost, making meeting even the revised-down target a major challenge," said Julian Knight, chair of the DCMS Committee.
The committee also urged the government to maintain its stated "outside-in" target, focusing on upgrading those premises with the worst connectivity as a priority. It recommended the establishment of a target date for connecting the outstanding 15 per cent that won't receive a gigabit-capable connection by 2025.
Commenting on the findings of the report, Catherine Collums, MD for Corporate Affairs at Openreach, urged the government to address bureaucratic and regulatory hurdles to deploying new fibre.
"Like others in the industry, we're keen to see faster action to support the big build, including: removing red tape and easing access to public and private land; improving building regs to make sure no new homes get built without full-fibre broadband; and exempting full fibre from business rates. As the biggest operator, we expect to do a lot of the final 20 per cent, but rural communities also need other companies to step up and do their bit."
Andrew Glover, chair of the Internet Service Providers' Association, echoed the criticism of the government's 85 per cent goal, saying: "The committee is right to point out that even getting to 85 per cent by 2025 remains a challenging target and that urgent action is needed to tackle the barriers that still stand in the way of the accelerated build-rates that government envisages.
"This includes comprehensive wayleave reform, short and long-term access to talent, clarity about businesses rates and clarity about how and when government intends to make available 75 per cent of public funding that as of now remains unallocated. Without action to address these challenges, even the 85 per cent target might be more fantasy than reality." ®
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[1] https://www.theregister.com/2020/11/26/uk_autumn_spending_review_telecoms/
[2] https://www.theregister.com/2011/02/03/not_spot_no_longer/
[3] https://whitepapers.theregister.com/
GigaClear
We had Gigaclear put fibre in the village a couple of months go. There is now a connection point in the pathway at the edge of our property. The only way I can see them getting it to the house is by digging up the drive - which looking at their other work (or their contractor) on the paths I really don't want. Even so I am unable to find out who can provide the service or how much. The Gigaclear website just says sign up to express interest. I currently get a pretty reliable 70/20 which to me seems more than adequate - and that is the view of most of the neighbours too. So why did they decide to do us? I know others in neighbouring villages who would be champing at the bit for some service!
Re: GigaClear
In some cases they can run the fibre up the pole and deliver that way.
Re: GigaClear
> I am unable to find out who can provide the service or how much
https://www.gigaclear.com/our-partners
Pricing (if buying direct from Gigaclear) is here:
https://www.gigaclear.com/home-broadband
If the availability checker is still at the "express interest" stage then it's not available for you to order yet.
Re: GigaClear
Here they are re-using any existing duct which may be available - fibre can run along power cables too. If none is existing you may have your own made. And you get a 1000/300 for 29€. What really makes the difference is the upload speed.
No Surprises there
I think we all knew the original plan was ambitious to the point of incredulity, even before the budget cut.
Full Fibre is certainly nice, but honestly, Universal FTTC Speeds (40MB+ Down / 10MB+ Up) would make the world of difference; Across my customer base, I have:
- Central London customers stuck on ADSL's 0.5Mb upload speed, because they're in a business area and "you're supposed to buy a leased line"
- Rural Essex customers stuck on 8MB DSL Connections
- Customers who are in town Centres, stuck on "Exchange Only" lines
- Several industrial estate clients, who have 1970's kit-kat wiring, and all the associated dropouts.
having 10MB Upload speed Business Broadband (Especially in the Work from Home climate right now) for around £40/month would make the biggest difference for them right now: Fibre would be "Nice to have", but when you go past a certain speed threshold, it just becomes nicer to use, rather than "Will actually work"
Openreach foryourwallet
I asked why my line wasn't full fibre and was told it would "cost too much to dig up the road to replace the cable"
I pointed out our cables come online poles..
I'm guessing they'd rather bury them, fair enough but the fact they don't have this information is a little worrying.
Re: Openreach foryourwallet
The existing poles might not be rated to carry any more cable. There are quite a few rules about what you can put on a pole and how - it's not just a matter of sending Bill or Sally up a ladder with a hammer ;)
Re: Openreach foryourwallet
Going back a fair few years, the plan was to remove all suspended telephone cabling - it would all have to be buried.
At the time, BT were told to bury telephone cables and remove poles. They were given until 2001, but as you probably notice: That didn't happen.
Indeed, 2013 saw a proposal to help speed up creating the broadband network by removing some of the restrictions on where new poles could be placed, but this only got a minority support. Currently, from a quick search, new poles need local planning permission, but BT (and it looks to be only BT) can set up new telephone poles to carry broadband. That most new build areas I've seen don't have overhead cables, and BT have been replacing poles with buried cables, so it could simply be local planning councils have decided no to new poles.
The other side is suspended cables are exposed to the elements and subject to damage. As such they're higher maintenance than you might think. That's why buried cable is preferred: Expensive to put in but better protected (except for the odd digger hit) and easier to maintain (just pull a new cable - no working from heights here! Except the pit, but that don't count!). Plus people prefer not seeing the hanging cables - even if they really hate the disruption of having the road dug up.
Virgin shouldn't be included
My house would be counted as having "gigabit capable" broadband because I live in an area that Virgin have upgraded to their gigabit service. It's 1Gb/s download speed but only 50Mb/s upload. I don't see who that service is useful too. I'd much rather have a symmetric 200 or 300 Mb/s.
Symmetric
This is going to be the next "must have" if cloud is to become really useful.
I've got a reasonably good 63/15 connection, which means it takes a long time to upload anything "large" (last was a 165GB backup image over 24 hours).
That's this government for you
If it doesn't make money for them ot their mates, it won't happen.
No money in rural broadband, in fact a loss.
vague aspirations of "being a world leader in 5G"
I think I can see some sort of pattern emerging here with all this "world-leading" nonsense. Something about not having a clue about how to go from vague aspirations to grandiose supremacy. About the middle part of the plan being absent. Yes, that's it, we are being governed by the underpants gnomes.
However this is even more cynical, as they grab poularity-winning headlines announcing the big new presents for everybody, then mysteriously end up not having to spend the money they've announced when they not so mysteriously find themselves incapable of implementing what the money was for.
Re: vague aspirations of "being a world leader in 5G"
Do they know 5G needs fiber to the BTS - and the fast 5G speeds need millimeter wave that have a shorter range which means a lot of BTS?
Vodafone?
We were promised City Fibre Gigafast late last year, and a year on..... nothing.
They dug up the main road about 6 months ago but have done nothing since.
Vodafone can't give an answer, City Fibre can't give an answer and the spotty 16 year old clowns in the Gigafast tent in town are equally clueless.
FTTP costs
My street has been ungraded to FTTP (though it's not yet available to order).
From what I can see, it will cost more to have a service offering the same speed as the FTTC service I currently have and the phone service won't work if there is a loss of power (there is no longer an obligation for this to be provided). Ok, I will get the full 80/20 rather than the 63/15 I generally get.
I think I'll wait until the higher speed packages are a better price (more upload speed would be nice), which will probably be when Openreach want to switch off the copper phone services in a few years time.
I was going to "pledge" my government voucher to Openreach, but the T&C's say you must switch within two months of "go live", regardless of any minimum term contract with your current provider, or "they may pursue you for the £1,500 voucher value" (as they won't then get it).
Re: FTTP costs
Sky will sell you 80/20 at £27. Sky, Talktalk and BT will sell you 150/30 at £35. Talktalk will sell you 500/75 at £40 - that's 5 times faster than your current upload. (BT do 300/50 at £40, if you follow the right referral links)
Talktalk won't provide voice service over FTTP, so you'll need to migrate your phone number to a VoIP provider - which is a good idea anyway, to keep it independent of your broadband provider.
Yes, if power goes out you'll lose landline. You can either keep a mobile phone for emergencies, or get a UPS for your ONT and router.
If FTTP has been rolled out to your street, then you are not eligible for a government gigabit voucher. It only covers installation costs.
Re: FTTP costs
Can't use mobile as none of the networks provide a usable signal. I already use VoIP and only have the landline as it's required for FTTP (and I'm not with a "data only" provider). I am planning to use something like a USB powerbank to keep the link up during a power failure (I already do this for my router and modem).
The voucher pledge card was dropped through the door by OpenReach a week or two before they started the installation. This is a trial area, and the vouchers are valid - they are part of a different scheme.
Re: FTTP costs
Yes, if power goes out you'll lose landline. You can either keep a mobile phone for emergencies, or get a UPS for your ONT and router.
None of which is any good if good if the cabinets/repeaters lose power for more than the 4 hours they have backup for. At least a POTS landline will be good for many days.
And yes, it's rare for power to be out for that long, but when it happens (floods, usually) having a reliable phone to contact emergency services can be quite literally a life-saver.
Re: FTTP costs
Vodafone/Cityfibre in Aberdeen - £28 for 300 mbps so cheaper for more than the previous FTTC.
Re: FTTP costs
Maybe prices have started coming down since I last looked then.
Fibre for local people
I am fortunate to live in a recent development which has ducted cable right up to the housse. Openreach were around at all hours of the day and night this Summer connecting fibre up to and including the access chamber right in front of my house. This came out of the blue and they seem to have fibred up most of our small Somerset town AFIK. I don't know what we have done to deserve this honour though I'm not complaining. The village a few miles up the road where I used to live was blessed with FTTC about 6 years ago.
I already have a FTTC line which delivered about 30 Mbit/s up load (until BT unilaterally "up graded" me to Halo whereupon it dropped to a "guaranteed" 25 Mbit/s) which is plenty enough for my needs. I held out till I was offered transfer to 100 Mbit/s FTTP at no extra cost and now have an Openreach visit set for the New Year, but it won't make much difference to me other than to keep up with my son in Canada who has had fibre for years and keeps telling me how wonderful it is. I certainly wouldn't want to pay more for the faster options from BT. I get that some folk and businesses really need gigabit speeds but as others have pointed out fast enough is fast enough. Political w*lly waving on the other hand demands a snappy headline.
Why is the UK so shit.
Why is the UK so shit.
It isn't, but sadly the tabloids sell more by claiming it is. If you look at the actual figures you'll see that the UK is above the EU average for fast broadband rollout & speeds.
the trouble with the network
"I WANT real true broadband! ... what ? what are you doing to my driveway ? Get off, get off with your jackhammer, my driveway is sacred, and cables in the trees are ugly"
Johnson's career
Can best be summed up as "over-promising and under-delivering".
He does both with great panache and a cheery smile which, I imagine, is why the vacuous love him.
The one with Cyndi Lauper's "Time after Time" CD in the pocket.