Government makes Ofcom demands
The UK Government has formally adopted a Statement of Strategic Priorities (SSP), which has seen Digital, Culture, Media & Sport Secretary Nicky Morgan detail a series of priorities for UK telecoms regulator Ofcom.
The SSP requires Ofcom to encourage further investment in gigabit-capable broadband by network providers, support new entrants in the market as well as improve protection for consumers by clamping down on unfair business practices in the sector.
The Statement also seeks to protect customers by making it easier for them to change broadband providers and by targeting an overall improvement in the level of service consumers, and especially the vulnerable, receive.
The SSP is in part underpinned by the Digital Economy Act 2017 and gives Ofcom a legal duty to pay regard to it as it goes about its work.
In future, the Government hopes to see an increase in fair competition between new and existing operators, an end to anti-competitive behaviour, support for new broadband providers and stable, long-term regulation which incentivises investment.
In full, the strategic priorities are: committing to world-class digital infrastructure for the UK, reflecting the Future Telecoms Infrastructure Review; furthering the interests of consumers, including the vulnerable and less engaged, by ensuring they are more well informed and protected; ensuring the UK’s telecoms infrastructure is sound and resilient; and a fourth priority committing to a universal postal service and the need for the postal industry and Ofcom to co-operate to secure the sector’s long-term sustainability.
Announcing the SSP, Nicky Morgan MP, said: “Today we’ve asked our world-class regulator Ofcom to help deliver on our shared ambitions to give people the digital and mobile connections they need and deserve.
We need a vibrant and competitive market to get gigabit broadband across the UK and we want Ofcom to encourage industry to get the job done.”
She added that the Government have “announced £5 billion so everyone benefits from the fastest internet speeds no matter where they are, but we also want better protection for consumers and for them to be able to switch services more easily.”
Ofcom will be required to respond to the statement within 40 days.
