Phil Sorsky, VP of international service providers, CommScope
“It’s a positive step to see plans put in place to provide gigabit-capable connectivity to all new build developments across the UK. Developers would struggle to sell a brand new home without basic utilities such as water or energy. So why is superfast broadband, which is increasingly seen by homeowners as the fourth utility, so often lacking? The secured commitments from network operators to work with housing developers on this is certainly a key move towards better connectivity across the nation.
“We now all depend on speedy and reliable broadband as a key part of our everyday lives, and its significance continues to grow. Broadband connectivity plays a key role as an enabler of economic growth and prosperity across communities – such connectivity will be the difference between success and failure, particularly for smaller, home-based businesses, enabling them to reach a global audience. And with the lines between “home” and “office” increasingly blurred due to the rise of remote working – especially in the current circumstances – connectivity in new builds is crucial so that local economies and communities can truly thrive.
“What’s more, with the current huge shift towards home working, we are now seeing a clash of bandwidth demand between home workers for professional requirements, versus children who typically consume lots of bandwidth for games and video. It is only by delivering fibre based broadband that we can adequately allocate enough bandwidth for everybody to maximise both their professional and leisure requirements.
“It is critical that everyone across the country has the same access to the opportunities brought about by connectivity, and this new agreement is certainly a step forward in facilitating the delivery of a wide range of services and applications to enhance homes and everyday lives across all areas in the UK.”
