Asked by: Selaine Saxby (Conservative - North Devon)
Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:
To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, what information her Department holds on which businesses provide broadband connections on new housing developments.
Answered by Julia Lopez - Minister of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)
The Building etc. (Amendment) (England) (No. 2) Regulations 2022 require developers of new build homes in England to install the gigabit-ready physical infrastructure necessary for gigabit-capable connections. Additionally, and subject to a £2,000 cost cap per premise, developers need to install a gigabit-capable connection. Where a developer is unable to secure a gigabit-capable connection within the cost cap, a next best technology connection available within the same cost cap must be installed. This means first a superfast connection, and then at least a broadband connection is required.
The requirements are technologically neutral and allow for existing and future wired and fixed wireless connectivity options, so as not to stifle technological innovation. This enables housing developers to make commercial decisions and secure connections from any network operator providing performance criteria are met. Ensuring facilitated connections are appropriate for a specific development.
Thinkbroadband statistics for homes built in 2023 indicate that 98% of new homes developed across the UK have access to a gigabit-connection through Fibre to the Premises (FTTP). The provision of Gigabit infrastructure for new build homes comes from many different network operators. Some housing developers have made arrangements to ensure that new build developments are served by multiple network operators providing access to numerous broadband service providers.
The Department does not hold data on the proportion of new build housing developments to which individual network operators provide broadband connections. Further information on the breakdown of the new build home broadband market is available from ISPreview.
Asked by: Selaine Saxby (Conservative - North Devon)
Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:
To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, what information her Department holds on the number and proportion of new-build housing developments that are served by more than one gigabit-capable network connection.
Answered by Julia Lopez - Minister of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)
The Building etc. (Amendment) (England) (No. 2) Regulations 2022 came into force from 26th December 2022 to ensure that new homes in England are future-proofed and have access to the fastest broadband. The Regulations require a single connection to be facilitated for each new dwelling, however developers are free to approach as many network operators as they wish and to secure multiple connections on a voluntary basis. Thinkbroadband statistics for homes built in 2023 indicate that 98% of new homes developed across the UK have access to Fibre to the Premises (FTTP). We do not hold data on the new build developments that are served by more than one gigabit-capable network connection.