A recent survey from bOnline has shown that many SMEs are unsure about the availability of altnet in their area, with confusion over the UK’s broadband roll-out strategy.
Wed, 19/07/2023 - 14:38
Improvement is needed in communication, collaboration and consistency if local authorities are going to fulfil their roles as digital enablers, finds a report by the Digital Connectivity Forum.
Alex Mather, Head of the Digital Connectivity Forum said: “Challenges remain at a local level, especially regarding poor communications and collaboration between local authorities and network builders.
“This is resulting in high levels of variation between local authority areas in terms of their rollout of both fixed and mobile digital infrastructure.”
The governing body makes several recommendations for policymakers and the industry to remove inconsistencies across digital deployment. These include:
- Government should consider requiring local authorities to have a digital champion, with the role both better defined and funded.
-Local authorities should embrace flexible permitting and those who are able to should take part in further flexi-permit trials;
-Government should review planning processes in relation to pre-planning guidance and analyse fees being applied by planning authorities to ensure that digital infrastructure deployment is not held back;
-Government should undertake a communications programme targeted at local authorities across the UK to ensure that they better understand the full benefits of 5G and gigabit-capable broadband;
-Local authorities and telecoms operators should work closely together to better educate planning authorities on the technical requirements of 5G and gigabit-capable broadband infrastructure.
The report interviewed 31 organisations involved in the provision of digital connectivity, including local authorities, fixed and mobile network operators, central and devolved governments, and other regulatory and policy stakeholders.
