The government highlights the UK's progress in gigabit connectivity, the number of companies involved, and the coverage achieved to date, attributing it to clear targets and a competitive regulatory environment.

The government provides updated statistics on gigabit and full fibre coverage as of March 2022, attributing contributions to Virgin Media O2, Openreach, and alternative network providers.

The Department expects commercial operators will supply broadband infrastructure where profitable and is working with these operators to provide subsidies to build gigabit infrastructure in less commercially viable areas and is providing funding through the gigabit voucher scheme as immediate help for people experiencing slow broadband speeds in rural areas.

BDUK reported launching its first six procurements for up to 187,400 premises and provided its procurement pipeline for up to 2.3 million more premises to be included in contracts awarded by the end of 2024.

BDUK balances the need to be dynamic and responsive to the market’s plans while maintaining a minimum level of certainty that suppliers will build viable networks to uncommercial areas and consequently ensure appropriate value for money.

The department has introduced the Product Security and Telecommunications Infrastructure Bill, worked with DfT and industry to implement and trial further reforms to streetworks and permitting, published a statutory technical consultation on ‘new build’ home gigabit-capable connectivity, introduced changes to permitted development rights, and taken steps to make it easier and quicker to deploy mobile equipment on local authority buildings and street furniture.

BDUK will publish its profile to reach at least 5% of non-commercial premises by the end of 2025 in its 2022-23 corporate plan and will continue to publish quarterly updates on its pipeline of Gigabit Infrastructure Subsidy contracts. A call for evidence was made to explore all possible options for improving broadband connectivity for these Very Hard to Reach premises, and the government published its response in February 2022.

In March 2021, a call for evidence was made to explore all possible options for improving broadband connectivity for Very Hard to Reach premises, and the government published its response in February 2022. This evidence will be used to assess policy options to understand how best to address the small minority of premises that will be beyond the scope of the programme, and the department will publish further details later this year.