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Delivering full-fibre connectivity broadband in the UK

Despite the growth in fibre deployments across the UK, large parts of the UK continue to be serviced by a combination of copper-based digital subscriber line (DSL) technology, hybrid fibre coax cable technologies in the last mile. Combined with the prohibitively expensive cost of deploying full-fibre connectivity in the last mile (running into billions), regional inequities of demand, the need to sweat existing assets on part of incumbent operators, and market mechanisms relying on end-user's willingness to pay for the cost of fibre deployment are some of the contributing factors.

The aim of this project would be to understand the existing state-of-play of broadband connectivity in the UK. By examining the market players and their broadband strategies, the research would seek to identify possible drivers and barriers to delivering full-fibre connectivity across the UK. The aim would be to generate a roadmap for possible long-term market mechanisms to deliver end-to-end fibre connectivity in the UK.

Relevant references for this work include:

  • Carl Baker and Georgina Hutton, (2022). Gigabit-broadband in the UK: Government targets and policy, House of Commons Library, Briefing Paper CBP 8392. https://researchbriefings.files.parliament.uk/documents/CBP-8392/CBP-8392.pdf
  • Volker  Stocker and Jason Whalley, (2019). Who replies to consultations, and what do they say? The case of broadband universal service in the UK. Telecommunications Policy. 43. 10.1016/j.telpol.2019.04.007.
  • Advait Deshpande, (2018), “Technology neutrality as a practice: A discussion of two UK interventions on broadband and associated outcomes”, 11th CMI International Conference, København. Denmark, November 29-30, 2018. Available at: https://ieeexplore.ieee.org/document/8624782
  • Advait Deshpande and Allan Jones, (2014)," From denationalisation to wholesale broadband access: A retrospective of regulatory policies in the UK for the communications industry", Competition and Regulation in Network Industries, Vol. 15, Iss: 3, pp. 232–257. Available at: http://oro.open.ac.uk/41130/
  • Advait Deshpande, (2013),"Broadband deployment and the bandwagon effect in the UK", Info, Vol. 15, Iss: 1, pp. 34 – 47. Available at: http://oro.open.ac.uk/37563/

 

Contact:

Dr Advait Deshpande

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