Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, if she will make an assessment of the potential merits of reforming the Electronic Communications Code to increase access to properties to build and maintain broadband infrastructure.
The Telecommunications Infrastructure (Leasehold Property) Act 2021, introduced changes to the Electronic Communications Code (‘the Code’) which will make it easier for telecoms operators to gain access to properties, such as blocks of flats, for the purpose of installing digital connections. A consultation on the implementing regulations closed in August. The consultation response will be published in due course, with regulations laid as soon as parliamentary time allows.
A public consultation on whether further changes to the Electronic Communications Code (‘the Code’) are needed to support digital deployment was carried out between January and March this year. Replies to that consultation are currently being considered and the government’s response will be published in due course.