Time and Tide… An Update on High Speed Connectivity in the UK Ian M. Kenway

1. Time and Tide… An Update on High Speed Connectivity in the UK Ian M. Kenway Informatics Research Group Seminar 4 March 2013

2. Schema • Introduction • Britain’s Superfast Broadband Future – Reloaded! • Broadband for all—an alternative vision • Government’s Response to Broadband for all—an alternative vision • Superfast Cymru • The advent of G4 • What are the key issues and why the fuss? • Q&A Slide2 Time and Tide...An Update on High Speed Connectivity in the UK

3. Britain’s Superfast Broadband Future Published by the Department of Culture, Media and Sport, December 2010 Slide3 Time and Tide...An Update on High Speed Connectivity in the UK

4. BSBF: Executive Summary “The Government is committed to ensuring the rapid rollout of superfast broadband across the country. Rural and remote areas of the country should benefit from this infrastructure upgrade at the same time as more populated areas, ensuring that an acceptable level of broadband is delivered to those parts of the country that are currently excluded. The way in which businesses operate will change – both in terms of their opportunities to expand into new markets and communicate with customers and suppliers, as well as operating more efficiently by bringing costs down.” Slide4 Time and Tide...An Update on High Speed Connectivity in the UK

5. BSBF: Executive Summary cont. “…Broadband Delivery UK will be investing the £530m (including the existing underspend from the Digital Switchover Help scheme) secured as part of the Spending Review over the lifetime of this Parliament, as well as setting out how we will create the right regulatory and policy environment to allow the market to deliver as far as it can...Government wants the UK to have the best superfast broadband network in Europe by 2015.” Slide5 Time and Tide...An Update on High Speed Connectivity in the UK

6. BSBF: Executive Summary cont. “…broadband infrastructure investment is vital in supporting the overall growth agenda. The way in which businesses operate will change – both in terms of their opportunities to expand into new markets and Communicate with customers and suppliers, as well as operating more efficiently by bringing costs down. “The benefits of superfast broadband have an impact across the whole economy – whether this is through greater scope for tele-working and home-working, which reduces the pressure on the transport network and lowers carbon emissions, or better delivery of public services…” Slide6 Time and Tide...An Update on High Speed Connectivity in the UK

7. BSBF: Executive Summary cont. “A mix of technologies – fixed, wireless and satellite – will be needed to deliver superfast broadband throughout the UK. One technology choice will not be suitable for all circumstances. Our approach to delivery therefore remains technology-neutral, although it has to be recognised that high-capacity fibre optic deeper into the network is likely to be a key feature of the UK’s network going forward. Whether this is directly to people’s homes, a street cabinet or to a mast remains will depend on local circumstances.” Slide7 Time and Tide...An Update on High Speed Connectivity in the UK

8. BSBF: Executive Summary cont. “At the same time we wish to facilitate the development of the next generation of mobile broadband services, based on new wireless technologies, enabled by the award of the 800MHz and 2.6GHz spectrum. “We recognise that the business case does get more challenging in less densely populated areas, and we want to ensure the right regulatory and policy environment to allow the market to deploy beyond the more densely populated areas. This means ensuring access to utility infrastructure, including BT’s network of ducts and poles, as well as other utility infrastructure.” Slide8 Time and Tide...An Update on High Speed Connectivity in the UK

9. BSBF: Executive Summary cont. “…We will look to communities to lead in demand stimulation and assist in moving customers to superfast broadband. Where communities wish to extend or even build their own networks we will work with them to ensure that this can be done where it is practical to do so. “Whilst we continue to believe 2Mbps to be the minimum level of service acceptable to deliver a reasonable user experience, the evidence from our work with industry over the summer shows us that most solutions that we could employ to deliver 2Mbps would in fact deliver far more to most people. Therefore, that is our ambition, and why we believe it is appropriate to align both our superfast broadband and universal service objectives.” Slide9 Time and Tide...An Update on High Speed Connectivity in the UK

10. BSBF: Executive Summary cont. “…In practice, this means that we believe the majority of homes without this level of service will be addressed by a superfast broadband connection, such as fibre to an existing point as described above. “We believe this will deliver better and faster broadband to more households and will provide efficient and effective use of public funds and provide greater value for money, as well as minimising the risk of deadweight investment. Further value for money can be provided through ensuring competition in the procurement process.” Slide10 Time and Tide...An Update on High Speed Connectivity in the UK

11. Inglewood Inquiry on Broadband in the UK On 12 February 2012 The House of Lords Select Committee on Communications, chaired by Lord Inglewood, announced an inquiry into the Government's superfast broadband strategy. Written evidence was sought by Tuesday 13 March 2012 and public hearings were held in March, April, May and June. Slide11 Time and Tide...An Update on High Speed Connectivity in the UK

12. Inglewood Inquiry on Broadband in the UK - witnesses Aardman Animations Arqiva Avanti Communications Francesco Caio Bentley Walker Boundless Communications Ltd British Film Institute British Recorded Music (BPI) Broadband Stakeholder Group (BSG) Broadway Partners BT Group plc Slide12 Time and Tide...An Update on High Speed Connectivity in the UK

13. Inglewood Inquiry on Broadband in the UK - witnesses Buckinghamshire Business First Professor Peter Buneman Click4Internet The Coalition for a Digital Economy (Coadec) Dr Peter Cochrane OBE Communication Workers Union (CWU) Communications Chambers Communications Consumer Panel David Cooper Cotswold Community Networks Ltd Slide13 Time and Tide...An Update on High Speed Connectivity in the UK

14. Inglewood Inquiry on Broadband in the UK - witnesses The Country Land & Business Association Creative Coalition Campaign Cumbria County Council David Hall Systems Ltd Department for Culture, Media and Sport Digital Outreach Directors UK Everything Everywhere Federation of Communications Services Federation of Small Businesses Fibre GarDen (the Garsdale & Dentdale Community Fibre Broadband Initiative) Slide14 Time and Tide...An Update on High Speed Connectivity in the UK

15. Inglewood Inquiry on Broadband in the UK - witnesses Film Distributors Association Forum of Private Business FTTH Council Fujitsu Geo Networks Limited Dr Tehmina Goskar Great Asby Broadband GreySky Consulting Peter Griffin Groupe Intellex John Howkins Huawei The Independent Networks Cooperative Association (INCA) KCOM Group PLC Slide15 Time and Tide...An Update on High Speed Connectivity in the UK

16. Inglewood Inquiry on Broadband in the UK - witnesses Robert Kenny Leire Exchange Broadband Action Group The Liberal Democrats Action for Land Taxation and Economic Reform (ALTER) Suvi Lindén John McDonald Dr Christopher T Marsden Microsoft Microspec Dr Catherine A. Middleton Middleton Tyas Parish Council Milton Keynes Council Tom Morris Motion Picture Association Slide16 Time and Tide...An Update on High Speed Connectivity in the UK

17. Inglewood Inquiry on Broadband in the UK – witnesses The National Education Network NG Events Ltd NICC Ethernet Working Group Northern Fells Broadband (Cumbria) Objective Designers Ofcom Chi Onwurah MP Parliamentary Office of Science and Technology (POST) John Peart Mike Phillips Simon Pike Pitchup.com Prospect Slide17 Time and Tide...An Update on High Speed Connectivity in the UK

18. Inglewood Inquiry on Broadband in the UK – witnesses The Publishers Association Steve Robertson Les Savill South West Internet CIC SSE plc Rory Stewart MP Sunderland Software City TalkTalk Group Taxpayers’ Alliance Three UCL Centre for Digital Humanities Upper Deverills Broadband Action Group Vodafone Vtesse Networks Wispa Limited Slide18 Time and Tide...An Update on High Speed Connectivity in the UK

19. Broadband for all—an alternative vision Published by House of Lords Select Committee on Communications, 31 July 2012 Slide19 Time and Tide...An Update on High Speed Connectivity in the UK

20. BFA-AAV: Summary “…The Government are to be congratulated for making enhanced broadband provision a key public policy priority, and progress is clearly being made. It is our contention, however, that the Government have proceeded from a flawed prospectus, that the progress being made may prove illusory. There has been an insufficient focus on properly thinking through questions of first principle, and an absence of an all encompassing vision of pervasive broadband connectivity as a key component of national infrastructure.” Slide20 Time and Tide...An Update on High Speed Connectivity in the UK

21. BFA-AAV: Summary cont. “Government policy has become preoccupied with the delivery of certain speeds to consumers. This, in our view, has had a detrimental effect on policy-making and the long term national interest. In this report, we propose an alternative vision for UK broadband policy, which, rather than being target driven, makes the case for a national broadband network which should be regarded as a fundamental strategic asset, to which different people can connect in different ways according to their needs and demands.” Slide21 Time and Tide...An Update on High Speed Connectivity in the UK

22. BFA-AAV: Summarycont. “The delivery of certain speeds should not be the guiding principle; what is important is the long term assurance that as new internet applications emerge, everyone will be able to benefit, from inhabitants of inner cities to the remotest areas of the UK. Access to the internet should be seen as a domestic essential and regarded as a key utility. The spectre of a widening digital divide is a profound source of concern which requires the Government to address its origin with greater vigour than we believe is currently the case.” Slide22 Time and Tide...An Update on High Speed Connectivity in the UK

23. BFA-AAV: Summary cont. “Fundamentally, the Government’s strategy has [fundamentally] [sic] focused on the wrong part of the network—broadly speaking the outer edge and the margins, not the centre. We argue that the Government should be focusing on delivering a high spec infrastructure which is future proof and built to last; fibre-optic cable, the most future proof technology, must be driven out as close as possible to the eventual user. Then, as well as mandating open access to this optical fibre from the cabinet to the exchange, we need to ensure that there is open access to links between the exchanges that feed the cabinets, and to the higher level links into national and global networks.” Slide23 Time and Tide...An Update on High Speed Connectivity in the UK

24. BFA-AAV: Summary cont. “Just as there is national planning for the national, regional and local hubs of our transport network, so there should be national planning for a communications network of local, regional, national, and internet exchanges where different operators can site equipment and exchange traffic, all linked by ample optical fibre that is open to use by competing providers.” “We do not pretend that any of this is easy, and we welcome the Government’s policy focus on broadband, but we believe that the UK can and must do better.” Slide24 Time and Tide...An Update on High Speed Connectivity in the UK

25. Government response to the House of Lords Communications Select Committee Report, “Broadband for all – an alternative vision” Presented to Parliament by the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport and Minister for Women and Equalities by Command of Her Majesty October 2012 Slide25 Time and Tide...An Update on High Speed Connectivity in the UK

26. Government’s Response to BFA-AAV “The Government considered a range of different delivery options prior to embarking on its current approach, including taking into account the cost and need for delivering sustainable solutions that do not require continued government subsidy. It considered that the market was best placed to determine which solutions and network design could deliver affordable and sustainable services to consumers – with technology neutrality key.” Slide26 Time and Tide...An Update on High Speed Connectivity in the UK

27. Government’s Response to BFA-AAVcont. “The Government is content that the remedies that Ofcom imposes (such as those in the local loop unbundling market or the recent physical infrastructure access requirements), in both instances, are considered to be proportionate and targeted at ensuring the development of effective and sustainable competition.” Slide27 Time and Tide...An Update on High Speed Connectivity in the UK

28. Government’s Response to BFA-AAV cont. “Current policy is not built around precise speed targets. We have defined superfast broadband as a speed greater than 24 Mbps, in line with the definition adopted by Ofcom in a 2010 report and the BDUK Programme Delivery Model. That speed represented the limit of what was deliverable over copper lines using ADSL2 technology. Superfast broadband therefore represents a step change in terms of capability compared to what was generally available to consumers in 2010…the minimum target speed of 2 Mbps for those we will not be able to reach with superfast broadband by 2015 is also based on the delivery of a basic capability rather than a focus on a specific speed.” Slide28 Time and Tide...An Update on High Speed Connectivity in the UK

29. Government’s Response to BFA-AAV cont. [Re House of Lords report's suggestion that the Government should seek to explore transferring all terrestrial broadcast TV to delivery via the Internet to free up spectrum.] “The Government believes that it would be premature to consider such a move at this time, as it will be some time before an appropriate level of broadband coverage and access matches that available for Digital Terrestrial Television, as the Committee has identified. The Government recognises that there is an increasing number of television services delivered over the internet, but believes consumers should have the choice to decide how best to view and consume content.” Slide29 Time and Tide...An Update on High Speed Connectivity in the UK

30. Superfast Cymru Slide30 Time and Tide...An Update on High Speed Connectivity in the UK

31. Welsh Assembly Government Press Release 19 July 2012 “First Minister Carwyn Jones announces a new deal with BT which aims to deliver Next Generation Broadband to 96 per cent of homes and businesses in Wales by the end of 2015…Revealing details during his monthly news conference, the First Minister outlined how the project will use public and private funds to deliver fibre broadband to parts of the country not covered by commercial plans. “The new fibre broadband will provide speeds that are approximately 15 times faster than those available in Wales today, with ultra-fast broadband providing even faster speeds should businesses need it. More than 1.3 million premises in Wales will have access to world class broadband speeds.” Slide31 Time and Tide...An Update on High Speed Connectivity in the UK

32. Welsh Assembly Government Press Release 19 July 2012 – cont. “The initiative, which is subject to State aid and major projects approval, will take the total amount invested in Welsh fibre broadband to around £425 million. A result of winning the contract, BT will create 50 new jobs and 100 new apprenticeships. 320 existing jobs will also be protected. In addition, BT will offer work experience to 900 young people. Up to 2,500 further full time jobs could be created throughout the Welsh economy over time. Today’s agreement exceeds the target of the UK Government to delivering faster broadband to 90 per cent of the UK population. Slide32 Time and Tide...An Update on High Speed Connectivity in the UK

33. Deployment start: 2013/2014 Deployment start: 2014/2015 Slide33 Time and Tide...An Update on High Speed Connectivity in the UK

34. Launch of Superfast Cymru programme “The Welsh Government Business Minister, Edwina Hart, has cut the ribbon on the first fibre broadband cabinet under the multimillion-pound Superfast Cymru programme, designed to bring high-speed broadband to almost all parts of the country. “The cabinet is located in Bangor, which is part of the first wave of eight locations, together with Caernarfon, Dolgellau, Menai Bridge, Porthmadog, Pwllheli, Ebbw Vale and Tredegar, destined to reap the benefits from broadband roll-outs under the project, a partnership between the Welsh Government and telecom provider BT. The goal is for 96% of Wales, which corresponds to approximately 1.3 million premises, to have access to superfast broadband by the end of 2015. “ Source: Misco.co.uk  27th Feb. 2013 Slide34 Time and Tide...An Update on High Speed Connectivity in the UK

35. 4G – Is this the Future? Slide35 Time and Tide...An Update on High Speed Connectivity in the UK

36. Stealing A March? “The UK's first major fourth generation (4G) mobile service has gone live in 11 cities…London, Manchester, Bristol, Birmingham, Cardiff, Edinburgh, Leeds, Liverpool, Sheffield, Glasgow and Southampton will have access to network EE's 4G from Tuesday morning. Belfast, Derby, Hull, Newcastle and Nottingham will be active by Christmas, the company said. “Network EE, formerly known as Everything, Everywhere and which owns Orange and T-Mobile in the UK, has promised speeds of between 8 to 12Mbps - up to five times faster than third generation mobile technology, known as 3G.” Source: BBC News 30 October 2012 Slide36 Time and Tide...An Update on High Speed Connectivity in the UK

37. The G4 Auction: Winners & Losers “Telecoms regulator Ofcom has raised £2.34bn from its auction of 4G mobile spectrum, less than expected…The Office for Budget Responsibility (OBR) had forecast that the auction would raise £3.5bn for the Treasury. “The winning bidders are Everything Everywhere; Hutchison 3G UK; Niche Spectrum Ventures, a BT subsidiary; Telefonica (O2); and Vodafone. “4G mobile broadband should provide smartphone and tablet computer users with superfast download speeds. “The auction netted far less than the £22bn raised from the 3G auction in 2000.” Source: BBC News 20 Feb. 2013 Slide37 Time and Tide...An Update on High Speed Connectivity in the UK

38. What are the Key Issues? Slide38 Time and Tide...An Update on High Speed Connectivity in the UK

39. What are the Key Issues? Quality of broadband service – a number of factors involved (a) Speed (maximum and minimum, upload and download); (b) Symmetry (a symmetric connection has equal speeds for upload and download); (c) Latency (how long it takes for a packet of data to arrive at its destination); (d) Jitter (also known as packet delay variation, the variability of latency); (e) Reliability of service and the length of time required to resolve problems. (f) Contention (the number of users sharing the same link to the internet) Slide39 Time and Tide...An Update on High Speed Connectivity in the UK

40. What are the Key Issues? – cont. 2. Coverage v speed. Is there a trade off between the two and, if so, how should this be decided e.g. by market forces or through government determination? 3. Technology neutrality. How important should this be within any regulatory framework? 4. Future proofing. How far should technology aim to meet long-term as well as short or medium-term future needs? 5. Environmental sustainability. Does this currently find adequate expression in the evaluation of technologies? Slide40 Time and Tide...An Update on High Speed Connectivity in the UK

41. Why the Fuss? People’s use and reliance on the internet has grown enormously since 2000 and there is no serious evidence that suggests this will abate or slow down in the foreseeable future. The growing diversity of the ways in which people access and make use of the internet will only intensify its growth. Too often there is often a mismatch between the aspiration of consumers and the reluctance of internet ‘actors’ to pursue business models which adequately reflect the new information age. For every person who wants the internet merely to provide content as a passive consumer, another wishes actively to publish/push/share information. Slide41 Time and Tide...An Update on High Speed Connectivity in the UK

42. Q & A Slide42 Time and Tide...An Update on High Speed Connectivity in the UK