My Culture, Media and Sport Select Committee colleagues and I have published a report saying BT is "significantly under investing" in Openreach, its subsidiary which is providing much of the UKs underlying Broadband infrastructure.
The Committee is demanding that BT invest significantly more in Openreach, and allow Openreach much more autonomy over its investments. The committee suggested that if BT fails to "offer the reforms and investment assurances necessary to satisfy our concerns", then Ofcom should move to enforce full separation of Openreach.
The Committee also included that for those households and businesses in the "final five percent" [without broadband] there will need to be judicious deployments of alternative technology solutions – such as wireless and satellite - to provide improved connectivity to those households and businesses which currently have little or no broadband coverage. The committee argued there is a compelling case for expanding the current Universal Service Obligation for telephony and dial-up internet to cover broadband, given the vital role it plays in people’s lives.
BT has allowed service quality levels to remain low at Openreach in recent years and there has been a shortfall in investment of potentially hundreds of millions of pounds a year. There is also a lack of transparency and accountability throughout the company.
Nowhere more are BT’s service failures evident than in Mid Worcestershire. As I’ve said many times, broadband is still the number one issue I am contacted about by constituents. BT are letting down our communities and local businesses. I really do hope this report offers them the clarity they need to put their house in order.