Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:

To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Lord Ashton of Hyde on 3 July (HL16508), what plans they have to instruct Ofcom to undertake a review of the Universal Service Obligation; and when they estimate the target of 75 per cent take-up of superfast broadband will be reached in the UK.

The Government intends to direct Ofcom to carry out a review of the Universal Service Obligation (USO) when at least 75% of premises have taken-up superfast broadband of 30 Mbps or more. In their 2018 Connected Nations report, Ofcom reported that 45% of the UK has taken-up superfast broadband but neither Ofcom nor Government has conducted a formal estimate of when 75% take-up is likely to be reached. However, Ofcom will continue to monitor the progress of the Universal Service Obligation (USO), and wider connectivity trends, through its Connected Nations report. These reports will inform Government’s ongoing assessment of whether a review of the USO before the 75% threshold has been reached is appropriate.