The Prime Minister has said the Government could introduce a 10 Mbit/s Universal Service Obligation for broadband. Our response is below.
ISPA agrees with the Prime Minister that broadband is vital and welcomes the ambition to get more UK homes and businesses online.
The UK market is competitive and diverse with hundreds of providers making use of various technologies. Whilst we support the objectives of a USO, as we set out in our responses to the Ofcom Review of Digital Communications and in the parliamentary inquiry on superfast broadband, there are significant questions that will need to be addressed. These include funding, the impact on competition, the existing European regulatory regime around universal service and how this fits with the current government-based rollout.
We note that a previous call for a levy to fund broadband on telephone lines in was rejected by the previous Government.
ISPA is currently meeting MPs from across the UK on broadband to help connect ISPs with MPs campaigning on rural broadband.