Correspondence

New Build Developments: Delivering gigabit-capable connections

The Government has secured commitments from network operators to work with housing developers to provide gigabit-capable connectivity to all new build developments across the UK, including contributing to the costs of connection.

• From: Department for Science, Innovation and Technology, Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport and The Rt Hon Oliver Dowden CBE MP
• Published: 20 March 2020
• Last updated: 18 June 2020 — See all updates

This was published under the 2019 to 2022 Johnson Conservative government

Documents

Letter from Clive Selley, CEO of Openreach to the Rt Hon Oliver Dowden MP

PDF, 180 KB, 3 pages

Letter from the Rt Hon Oliver Dowden MP to Clive Selley

PDF, 141 KB, 2 pages

Letter from Lutz Schüler, CEO of Virgin Media to the Rt Hon Olilver Dowden MP

PDF, 91.6 KB, 1 page

Letter from the Rt Hon Oliver Dowden MP to Lutz Schüler

PDF, 141 KB, 2 pages

Letter from Gareth Williams, CEO of Gigaclear to the Rt Hon Oliver Dowden MP

PDF, 122 KB, 1 page

Letter from the Rt Hon Oliver Dowden MP to Gareth Williams

PDF, 217 KB, 2 pages

Details

Government is clear that the provision of gigabit-capable connectivity to new build developments is a crucial element of meeting our ambitious broadband targets. The Government has therefore secured commitments from network operators, outlining their commitment to work with housing developers on providing gigabit-capable connections to all new build developments across the UK.

• Contribute a minimum amount to the cost of connection, that will be at least £500 and in some cases as high as £1,400

• Work with developers to ensure premises which cannot be provided with a gigabit-capable connection within the above overall cost envelope can be connected with the next best technology that could be provided within the cap

• Openreach has published a new price structure that reduces the costs developers pay for connecting two premise developments from £3,100 to £2,000, bringing all developments of two premises or more within our proposed cost cap

• Openreach have also publicly committed to connect all new build developments over 20 premises for free, reducing this from their current offer of 30 premises

These commitments alongside the amendments to the Building Regulations 2010 to require all new build developments to have gigabit broadband outlined in the consultation response will ensure that 99% of all new homes will be able to be built with gigabit-capable broadband.

We have also had initial and positive discussions on similar commitments with smaller network operators and will seek to formalise more commitments and publish them here in advance of this legislation coming into force.

Published 20 March 2020
Last updated 18 June 2020 + show all updates

1. 18 June 2020

   Additional commitments uploaded

2. 20 March 2020

   First published.