ISPA on Broadband
Evidence to the Trade and Industry Select Committee Inquiry into Broadband
Tuesday, 28 October 2003
ISPA Says:
- Set trigger levels for all exchanges
- Market competition and cost reduction needed for successful broadband roll-out
- Period of regulation required before market becomes vehicle for broadband coverage
- Achieving Broadband Britain requires a mixed technology approach and fair access to wholesale networks for ISPs
The UK’s leading internet trade association, ISPA (Internet Services Providers’ Association) submitted written evidence to the Trade and Industry Select Committee inquiry into broadband on Friday 24th October 2003.
Within its evidence, ISPA calls for trigger levels to be set for all exchanges not currently broadband enabled.
Matthew Hare, Chair of the ISPA Broadband Subgroup said, “ISPA believes that the widest possible access to broadband will hugely benefit the UK economy. A positive step towards achieving universal coverage of mass-market broadband products would be to set ‘trigger levels’, no matter how high, for all the remaining exchanges. This would bring some transparency to the problem of achieving universal coverage, and therefore provide a better understanding of the task that lies ahead. With this knowledge a sensible review of the criteria for assessing ‘trigger levels’ can be conducted.”
ISPA believes that successfully achieving a broadband enabled Britain requires greater encouragement of market competition and overall cost reduction. ISPA requests that the Trade and Industry Select Committee recommends a period of regulation to assist broadband roll-out.
Mr. Hare said, “ISPA believes that regulation will almost certainly be required in a market where a single operator continues to hold a significant market power. Ideally regulation over time will fade out and the market will become the best vehicle for successful broadband coverage.”
ISPA also believes that encouraging a mixed technology approach while ensuring fair access to wholesale networks for ISPs are key factors in achieving a fast and comprehensive broadband roll out.
Mr Hare said, “To have a direct and positive impact on the roll out of broadband Ofcom and policy makers must encourage the use of all available technologies.”
Also within the submission, ISPA noted grave concerns over the Traffic Management and Street Works Bill.
Mr Hare said, “ISPA is very concerned that the proposed Traffic Management and Street Works Bill will significantly increase the costs and lengthen the time taken to deploy wholesale telecommunications services. This is likely to have a detrimental effect on the roll out of broadband. By penalising telecommuting, this measure could increase congestion rather than reduce it.”
Furthermore, whilst the objectives of the Broadband Aggregation Project (BAP) in establishing Regional Aggregation Bodies (RABs) were welcomed, ISPA highlighted concerns about the operation of the services once deployed.
Mr Hare said, “Broadband in Britain may be hindered if the Regional Aggregation Bodies became direct competitors to the private sector or if the Broadband Aggregation Project reinforced existing monopoly market conditions by purchasing all services from a single supplier or small group of suppliers.”
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Notes to Editors
The views expressed in this release are those of the Internet Services Providers' Association (ISPA UK) and do not necessarily reflect the corporate policies of the individual companies that are members of the Association.
For further information, please contact the ISPA Press Office. Email: pressoffice@ispa.org.uk Tel: 020 7340 4535
The Internet Services Providers’ Association (ISPA) was established in 1995 as a trade association to represent providers of Internet services in the UK. ISPA promotes competition, self-regulation and the development of the Internet industry. For a list of members or other information about ISPA, please consult the website: http://www.ispa.org.uk