The Parliament & Internet Conference 2023

The event's sponsor

The Internet Service Providers' Association (ISPA) is delighted to launch our 16th annual Parliament and Internet Conference, held on the 29th March 2023, 2.00pm - 6.00pm.

The 2023 Parliament and Internet Conference, hosted in Attlee Suite, Portcullis House, Westminster - will welcome 100 industry representatives, MPs, key stakeholders in government departments and regulators to discuss areas of focus for the UK internet sector, including governance, regulation and future market progression.

This year’s conference offers a diversity of conversation with net neutrality, gigabit deployment, online safety and the UK regulatory landscape all gaining increased visibility and scrutiny in 2023. Attendees will be able to gain key insights from policy makers and leading industry representatives on where next for the governance of the UK internet landscape.

Through a variety of in-depth panel discussions and keynote speakers, Parliament & Internet will provide a vehicle for industry and government to come together to discuss the buoyant UK internet sector as it progresses to its fibre rollout targets and works towards levelling up the UK.

Please register to attend, here

The agenda:

14:00-14:20 Registration and Coffee

14:20-14:30 Opening remarks - Steve Leighton, Chair, ISPA

14:30-15:30 Panel Session 1 Net Neutrality

Ofcom’s intention to revise guidance for the UK’s Net Neutrality regime reopens the discussion regarding open internet principles across industry, academia, and civil society. The review of the efficacy of the UK’s net neutrality policies is timely in the post-Brexit space, with Ofcom’s offer of a bespoke approach a distinct departure from the EU rules inherited from the European Commission.

With the results of Ofcom’s consultation on net neutrality expected in April, the panel will examine what the revisions and a reconceptualisation of the UK’s current regulatory regime could look like, contributing to how it can be redefined for the internet of the future. The panel will also look at how the changes to the regime can ensure consumer welfare, internet innovation, and investment in telecommunications infrastructure in order to match the UK’s levelling-up agenda.

Panellists:
Clive Carter, BT
Dr Monica Horten, ORG
Dr Roslyn Layton, Strand Consult
Till Sommer, ISPA UK
Matt Warman MP (Chair)

15:30-15:50 Keynote - Connectivity and Exploitation in the Digital Age; Improving national cybersecurity capacity with Baroness Neville-Jones

15:50-16:20 Coffee break 

16:20-16:40 Keynote 

16:40-17:40 Panel Session 2 - 2025 and beyond: Why should Broadband remain a long term priority?

Broadband has been a key policy priority since 2019, but now that the main legislation to remove the barriers to broadband have been enacted, the panel will examine whether there is a need for broadband to remain a long-term political priority.

With recent predictions suggesting that the 2030 target of 99.9% coverage will be missed, the panel will examine whether the rollout is on track to achieve the current targets for 85% gigabit capable broadband by 2025 and 99.9% by 2030. The panel will look at what continued barriers are faced by a highly competitive industry in the rollout of gigabit broadband and what steps will be needed to address the delays in gigabit take-up.

The panel will also examine the vision for a new broadband market once the networks have been built and how it should be regulated in terms of consumer and digital competition.

Panellists:
James Fredickson, Hyperoptic
Gareth Williams, Gigaclear
Catherine Colloms, Openreach
Brian Potterill, Ofcom
Chair - Ben Lake MP

17:40 Closing remarks