Govt consultation considers copper cabling switch-off
Govt consultation considers copper cabling switch-off
The Government has started a new consultation on the UK’s future digital needs, with suggestions including switching off the copper phone network in favour of fibre-optic broadband cabling.
Parts of copper network are up to 140 years old and the Department of Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS) says in the consultation paper that turning it off could quicken investment in new fibre optic and faster mobile networks to provide universal broadband coverage.
The paper sets out a vision of the UK’s digital infrastructure from 2020, including policies on the internet, TV and mobile phone coverage. Businesses have until October 1 to respond to the consultation, The Guardian reported.
The consultation paper said: "The Government is likely at some point to need to consider with operators and the regulator whether switching off copper networks is desirable from a commercial and a policy objective. The benefit of switching off copper networks is that this may further incentivise investment by operators to increase coverage of non-copper networks, and also act as a spur to replace last mile copper networks, or allow substitution with mobile or fixed wireless services."
Currently, the BT project to boost the UK’s fibre network only brings the new cabling to street cabinets and the majority of homes are then connected from the cabinet via copper wires.
There is a precedent for switching off copper cabling; in Australia, the state-owned company responsible for upgrading the internet infrastructure has already turned off the copper cabling in Melbourne.
The consultation also asks where broadband access should be classed a legal right, the same as the right to water and electricity, and similar to policies introduced in European countries including Finland, Spain and Malta.
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