Minister for Data Protection and Telecomms (): Today, the Independent
Networks Cooperative Association (INCA) and the Internet Services
Providers' Association (ISPA), the trade bodies representing the
fixed-line broadband industry, have published new best-practice
recommendations for the deployment of telegraph poles.
The Government understands the concerns of people across the
country about the use of telegraph poles to support the
deployment of new gigabit-capable broadband networks, especially
where this duplicates other infrastructure or seems unnecessary.
I have heard from people who were not aware of new infrastructure
coming to their street until telegraph poles were erected, and
from people whose access to their driveway was blocked by a new
unannounced pole. I certainly do not want to impede or slow down
the rollout of essential connectivity. I support the commercial
and competitive rollout, but I do want to ensure that this is
done sensitively and proportionately.
Telegraph poles can play an important role in delivering
connectivity. This is particularly important in areas that do not
yet benefit from gigabit-capable connections, but even in areas
that already benefit from gigabit-capable broadband, competition
between different operators using poles and ducts can bring
greater choice and lower prices to consumers.
Sharing existing infrastructure is obviously better for everyone,
but it will not always be possible, for instance in areas where
the existing broadband infrastructure was directly buried in the
ground, without ducts. Ducts may also be full, or damaged. In
some cases, developers have discovered that underground cabling
is buried rather than ducted. In such areas, it is generally not
possible to use existing infrastructure. Building new underground
ducts can be up to ten times more expensive than installing
poles, and comes with its own challenges such as traffic
disruption. Higher costs to operators will ultimately raise costs
for consumers or result in infrastructure not being built at all.
The Government considered a range of options to ensure that we
can effect change without negatively impacting rollout. I have
met with telecommunications providers on multiple occasions. I
have sought targeted action where I was made aware of specific
issues, and also to voiced my strong concerns about the
deployment of new infrastructure where alternatives, such as
sharing existing infrastructure, would be viable.
In response to my concerns, INCA and ISPA undertook to work with
their members and the wider fixed-line broadband industry to
produce new guidelines for the deployment of telegraph poles.
These guidelines set out conditions that must be followed when
deploying telegraph poles, and set out what operators are
expected to do when installing new infrastructure.
But more importantly, the new guidelines include a commitment by
its signatories to always consider the needs of communities
during the design and construction of new fibre networks.
I am grateful for the efforts of the industry, and trust that
this new commitment, underpinned by strong expectations towards
operators, will mean that communities can be confident that their
needs are put first as the rollout of gigabit-capable
connectivity continues.
