Question

To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, what assessment she has made of the potential for existing fibre infrastructure installed by third-party operators to be utilised by other broadband providers during fibre rollout programmes; and what steps her Department is taking to prevent unnecessary repeat roadworks where suitable fibre infrastructure is already in place.

The Government recognises the potential for existing infrastructure to support fibre roll out and reduce unnecessary works. The existing legislative framework encourages the sharing of infrastructure where possible to reduce unnecessary works and infrastructure. This includes requiring operators to facilitate access to their networks on a regulated basis by Ofcom.

The Government is committed to minimising unnecessary repeat roadworks by encouraging a “Dig Once” approach through the Street Works Toolkit and supporting greater sharing and reuse of existing infrastructure. The Communications (Access to Infrastructure) Regulations 2016 enables operators to request access to other operators’ existing physical infrastructure across utilities. Under the Physical Infrastructure Access product, Ofcom mandates Openreach to provide access to its ducts and poles to other operators.