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Annual state opening of parliament provides opportunity to get excited about proposed legislation we already know about.
It’s a sign of just how important connectivity has become when the Queen mentions broadband in the first 50 seconds of her speech at the annual state opening of parliament.
The speech kicks off the new session of the U.K. parliament by outlining the government’s legislative programme, and while it is a significant event on the political calendar, the speech merely presents the highlights of what we know already.
For those who missed it live, here’s what Her Majesty had to say about telecoms and technology:
"Measures will be brought forward to create the right for every household to access high-speed broadband.
"Legislation will be introduced to improve Britain’s competitiveness and make the United Kingdom a world leader in the digital economy."
This is a reference to the government’s digital economy bill, which encompasses the proposed universal service obligation (USO), giving every household the right to request a minimum 10-Mbps broadband service.
"We need better infrastructure and that’s why one of the key measures in this Queen’s speech is for the first time a universal service obligation to deliver broadband to every home and every business in this country," said prime minister David Cameron, during a House of Commons debate following the speech.
He did not elaborate on what the Queen meant by "measures will be brought forward." Right now the plan is to implement the USO by 2020.
The digital economy bill also aims to overhaul the Electronic Communications Code to exempt new street cabinets and overhead cables from requiring planning permission, and to streamline the planning process for deploying new cell towers. Furthermore, the legislation proposes forcing telcos to automatically compensate broadband customers who experience a loss or reduction in service.
"Government should be applauded for reforming the Electronic Communications Code. Cutting through the planning red tape will help us invest where demand for ultrafast broadband is greatest. Local authorities and land owners now need to work with us to grant permissions," commented Virgin Media CEO Tom Mockridge, in a statement.
However, that is likely to cause consternation in some quarters.
"Mobile network operators should not be able to build huge masts in places without local residents and councils having their say," said Mark Hawthorne, chairman of the Local Government Association’s (LGA’s) People and Places Board.
"With commercial operators obliged to extend coverage across the country, it is important they work in partnership with councils, who maintain the best overview of local areas’ digital connectivity needs, to find the best locations for new phone masts and ensure communities are properly consulted on developments," he said.
"We support government action to remove barriers to rollout," added James Blessing, chairman of the Internet Service Providers’ Association (ISPA). "We further support the principle of universal broadband, but there remain a number questions surrounding the USO that still need to be addressed, including funding and the impact on the market, so that the benefits of broadband can be felt as widely and effectively as possible."
Ofcom in April launched a consultation regarding the USO; it will remain open for comment until 23 June.
