Report Overview

UK telecoms and the Digital Britain Interim Report: the art of the possible

On next generation access, the interim Digital Britain report has little new to say, but leaves the door open to using public money to help implement it. We think the chance of this happening as part of a ‘deal’ with fixed network operators has increased.

On mobile spectrum, the report instructs the mobile operators to agree between themselves a solution to the most contentious issue, 2G spectrum redistribution, or face a solution being imposed. We doubt they will agree, leaving the government to decide and enforce a way forward.

On universal broadband, the government is aiming for a 2 Mbit/s commitment. It is early days, but we expect a hybrid wireline/wireless solution, paid for by a combination of government funding, and/or a levy on industry players based on share of industry revenue, which we expect will be fiercely resisted.