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

To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, for recent discussions she has had with Ofcom on (a) Openreach and (b) other network operators increasing network service prices in 2021.

Ofcom is an independent regulator and the government has no say over its regulatory decisions.

However, in the Statement of Strategic Priorities, the government has set out a priority for Ofcom to seek stable and long-term regulation that incentivises network investment and ensures fair and effective competition between new and existing network operators.

With regard to network prices, in the Wholesale Fixed Telecoms Market Review published in 2021, Ofcom set out pricing remedies on Openreach in light of its market position. In doing so, it noted that its regulation was designed to give regulatory certainty and allow companies to make a fair return whilst ensuring consumers continue to have access to affordable broadband as new networks are rolled out. Volume 4 of the Review sets out Ofcom’s reasoning for its approach to price remedies by area in more detail.

With regard to retail prices, Ofcom’s 2021 Pricing Trends report showed that the telecoms market generally delivers good value for money for consumers. Low-cost broadband social tariffs are also available for households in receipt of Universal Credit and certain means-tested benefits.