Source · Select Committees · Public Accounts Committee
Recommendation 14
14
In our January 2021 report we concluded that the Department had failed to make meaningful...
Conclusion
In our January 2021 report we concluded that the Department had failed to make meaningful progress in tackling barriers faced by operators in maximising gigabit connectivity. We noted that it had yet to secure the legislative and policy changes that industry deemed necessary for removing major barriers at pace and received no assurance that they were being addressed urgently.43 The Department responded by outlining the progress it had made through its “Barrier Busting Taskforce” including introducing the Telecommunications Infrastructure (Leasehold Property) Bill and consulting on whether the Electronic Communications Code required further reforms.44
Government Response
Not Addressed
HM Government
Not Addressed
4.2 To remove barriers to network deployment, the department has: • introduced the Product Security and Telecommunications Infrastructure Bill, to encourage stronger relationships between telecoms operators and site providers. The bill will tackle the issue of non-responsive landowners, providing operators with the automatic right to upgrade or share apparatus installed before 2017. The department will publish the consultation response on implementing regulations for the Telecommunications Infrastructure (Leasehold Property) Act 2021 soon, then regulations will be laid when Parliamentary time allows; • worked with the Department for Transport (DfT) and industry to implement and trial further reforms to streetworks and permitting, proposed in the follow-up consultation, published by DfT in February. • published a statutory technical consultation on ‘new build’ home gigabit-capable connectivity. The response will be published soon, and legislation will follow when Parliamentary time allows; • introduced changes to permitted development rights to support wider mobile coverage and 5G deployment; and • through the Digital Connectivity Infrastructure Accelerator, taken steps to make it easier and quicker to deploy mobile equipment on local authority buildings and street furniture.