On 19 January 2022, the Public Accounts Committee led by Dame Meg Hillier MP published a scathing report that, following an inquiry into the progress of gigabit broadband networks in the UK, states the Department for Digital, Communications, Media and Sport (DCMS is relying too heavily on commercial providers to rollout gigabit broadband and that it is perpetuating the digital divide.
Award winning and trusted telecoms advisor Intelligens Consulting’s founder and Consulting Director said that he disagrees with the Dame’s findings and that DCMS should be congratulated.
The Public Accounts Committee (PAC) is chaired by Dame Meg Hillier MP and its role is to examine the value for money of Government projects, programmes and services.
The inquiry report critiques the Department on many aspects including lacking consistency in data gathering, for not taking significant action to deliver connectivity to rural areas under the government’s GBP 5 billion Project Gigabit and for being overly reliant on the commercial sector to improve gigabit coverage.
All this they say, ‘risks perpetuating digital inequality across the UK’.
Bedi said, “We can’t comment on many of the Department’s data collection methods as we are just not privy to that information.”
He went onto defend the Department progress by saying, “I do think that the Department should be congratulated for relying on commercial network operators to roll out gigabit programmes.”
In his article, published today, the telecoms expert provided three reasons why we should be more reliant on commercial operators to lead the UK’s gigabit revolution.
The first reason is that governments should only intervene where there is demonstrable market failure.
Secondly the article state that the UK’s healthy ecosystem of alternative fibre network operators is driving full fibre coverage to 80% of premises.
The third reason the article goes onto explain is that government interventions are complex, time consuming and a drain on public resources.
Bedi said, “a carefully designed ‘market led’ intervention programme can unlock millions in private investment in digital infrastructure at a significantly faster pace - and deliver greater value for money - than any public subsidy or government intervention programme.”
You can read the full article here.
ENDS