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

To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, whether Openreach will be able to cross subsidise its fibre rollout by raising prices on its copper network.

This is primarily a matter for Ofcom as the UK’s independent telecoms regulator. On 18 March, Ofcom published its Wholesale Fixed Telecoms Market Review (WFTMR), which sets broadband regulation for the 2021 to 2026 period. In this period, Ofcom is proposing a flat, inflation adjusted, regulated price for Openreach’s entry level superfast broadband service. To further help the case for investing in gigabit capable broadband across the whole of the market, Openreach will be able to charge more (£1.70 per month extra) for its superfast broadband service if it is delivered over full fibre. This reflects the additional customer benefits of a broadband service on a gigabit capable network like full fibre.